Through the imposition of targeted sanctions, the international community has demonstrated its concern over the threat Liberia poses to regional security. Despite recent overtures, this threat is still real: Liberia continues to support the rebels of the Revolutionary United Front, and continues to import armaments in contravention of the sanctions.

Liberia’s timber and shipping register are two key sources of revenue for the Taylor regime, which is engaged in these activities. In 2000, the timber trade alone generated minimum profits of US$100 million which did not benefit the state. It is highly unlikely that, without the lucrative revenues from these sources, Taylor could sustain his programme of regional destabilisation.

Timber related jobs in Liberia are few, seasonal and insecure, other than those provided to expatriates. Similarly, the maritime programme offers few jobs to Liberians who have very little contact with what is effectively a device to give foreign shipping companies a haven from taxes and other responsibilities.

Economic sanctions focused on these two sources of income would seriously restrict the regime’s capacity to sponsor war in the region. Furthermore, such sanctions would hurt the warlord elite and a greedy industry far more than most Liberians, who live in abject poverty in a land with virtually no infrastructure. The continuation of current logging practices would be severely detrimental for the Liberian people.