By Akoi M. Baysah, Jr.
The Government of the Netherlands has committed to helping strengthen Liberia’s fight against drug trafficking with the donation of a modern drug-testing machine and a fully equipped laboratory.
According to the Ministry of Justice issued release, the pledge was made during a bilateral meeting between Liberia’s Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh, and the Dutch Minister of Justice and Security, H.E. Foort Van Oosten, on the sidelines of the Conference on Mapping the Future Drug Markets in West Africa held in Accra, Ghana.
The release notes that the meeting took place on Friday, November 28, 2025, following a request from Minister Van Oosten during the recently concluded international gathering on drug enforcement.
During their discussions, both Ministers explored avenues for deeper collaboration in disrupting drug cartels and improving mutual legal assistance.
They further agreed to strengthen cooperation between their police forces and other security agencies to enhance cross-border intelligence-sharing and security operations.
Minister Van Oosten’s commitment to provide the advanced drug-testing equipment is expected to significantly boost Liberia’s investigative and prosecutorial capacity in drug-related crimes, a major step in the country’s ongoing efforts to curb trafficking and substance abuse.
The two officials have agreed to continue and finalize these discussions during a follow-up meeting scheduled for late March 2026 in the Netherlands, where Minister Tweh has been formally invited to conclude the initial cooperation framework and explore additional areas of partnership.
At the end of the engagement, Minister Van Oosten presented a symbolic gift to Minister Tweh in recognition of his compelling address on Liberia’s renewed dedication to combating drug trafficking and abuse.
