NEW DUAL CITIZENSHIP LAW OF LIBERIA ‘READINGS AND ANALYSES’

Abstract

In view of this, the subject was listed among other things by the Constitutional Review Committee for a possible amendment as it is impliedly prohibited by the Constitution of the Land under article 28. While awaiting for the amendment through referendum in 2023 after the first attempt failed to meet threshold in 2020 as declared by National Elections Commission (NEC), the both Houses of Legislature had passed dual citizenship law legalizing the practice and, the law had be signed by the President. The new law also, places some restrictions on Liberians with dual nationality in terms of holding public offices both elective and appointed. For the appointed positions, article 4(2) and, for the elective ones, article 4 (1) of the New Dual Citizenship Law conditions for any Liberian who holds the citizenship of another country and desires to run for a public office, to renounce and relinquish that citizenship at least one year prior to a applying to the National Elections Commission. Finally, considering the socioeconomic situation of Liberia, dual citizenship may open different doors of business and economic opportunities for Liberians by birth with different nationalities and neutralized citizens to comfortably invest in country’s economy. Thus, it incumbent upon the government now to aggressively engage Liberians in the diaspora and dual-nationals to invest and actively contribute to economic activities and taking the country to the next level of prosperity and development.