By: Aaron Patrick Mansaray (lecturer/University of Liberia)
The Liberia–Sierra Leone border is 299 km (185 mi) in length and runs from the tripoint with Guinea in the north-east to the Atlantic Ocean in the south-west.
The Moa River (Makona River) is a river in West Africa. It arises in the highlands of Guinea and flows southwest, forming parts of the Guinea–Liberia and the Guinea – Sierra Leone borders. It flows into the Southern Province of Sierra Leone. Yenga, Tiwai Island and Sulima are located on the Moa.
The Makona River (also known as the Moa River in its lower course) originates in the highlands of Guinea, specifically in the Guéckédou prefecture in the Nzérékoré Region. It flows southwest, serving as a significant natural border between Guinea and Liberia, and later Guinea and Sierra Leone before entering Sierra Leone.
Geographical Facts:
Origin: Guinean highlands, specifically the Guéckédou area.
Alternative Name: The river is known as the Makona in Guinea and the Moa in Sierra Leone.
Flow: It flows southwest to empty into the Atlantic Ocean in Sierra Leone’s Southern Province.
Boundary Function: It serves as an international border, particularly separating Guinea from Liberia in the region.
History
France was early to recognize the independence of Liberia. After the Republic of Liberia declared independence on 26 July 1847, France was the second, after the United Kingdom, to recognize it as a sovereign nation in 1852. Joseph Jenkins Roberts spent much of his early terms as Liberian president making state visits to garner recognition for his republic. He held multiple visits with French President Louis Napoleon III, who ultimately gifted Liberia military equipment and uniforms.
Territorial disputes
Until the 1880s, Liberia and France shared a mostly positive relationship, though rumors of French desires for Liberian land existed in Liberia and the United States since the late 1870s. This positive relationship changed with the Scramble for Africa, and French imperialistic ambitions in West Africa muddied their relations. Previous to the 1880s, France had praised Liberia as a civilizing force in Africa, though after the Berlin Conference, it changed this view, seeing only Europeans as capable of “civilizing” Africans. France had two major colonies bordering Liberia: Guinea to the north and Côte d’Ivoire to the east. In the 1880s, France started to lay claim to territory claimed by Maryland County between the San Pedro and Cavalla Rivers. In 1892, France seized the land. On 8 December 1892, the Liberian government signed an agreement ceding the territory to France. The territory became part of the Côte d’Ivoire colony.
On 18 September 1907, Liberia signed another territorial treaty with France. This time, Liberia ceded much of its claimed northeastern territory. The treaty also specified that if Liberia did not make a military force to protect its borders, then France had the right to implement one in Liberia. This was one of the factors which lead to the creation of the Liberian Frontier Force. On 13 January 1911, France and Liberia signed another territorial agreement, which worked out problems which arouse from the 1907 treaty.
Economic Ties
A major loan between France, along with other Western powers including the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany, was negotiated in 1911, under Liberian President Arthur Barclay, and ratified in 1912, under Liberian President Daniel E. Howard. This was the third, in a series of two other major, uneven loans taken out by the Liberian government.
The loan borrowed $1,700,000 for Liberia, with the conditions including that the four countries would be able to each appoint General Receivers of Customs, which limited the powers of the Liberian Secretary of the Treasury. The 1912 loan was paid off in 1926, with a loan from the Finance Corporation of America.
In 2004, Tim Geysbeek of the journal History in Africa explained that France “exerts tremendous economic and political influence” over Liberia. During the Liberian civil wars, France was a major importer of Liberian timber. French firms were dependent on timber from the Liberian conflict zone, with France accounting for 18% of Liberia’s timber export.
The timber export helped to sustain the Charles Taylor regime. France sanctioned Liberian timber exports in July 2003, after Taylor’s exile to Nigeria. In 2019, France was found to be in violation of European Union laws to prevent illegal timber imports, as French firms had been importing large amounts of illegal timber, acquired through bribery and illegal deforestation, from a number of African countries, including Liberia.
All imports from Liberia to France are duty-free and quota-free, with the exception of armaments, as part of the Everything but Arms initiative of the European Union.
Early ethnic groups inhabiting the border region between Liberia and Guinea, dating back primarily to between the 12th and 16th centuries, include the Mande-speaking Kpelle, Loma, Mano, and Dan (Gio), alongside the Mel-speaking Gola and Kissi. These groups migrated from the north/east, established localized kingdoms, and are known for agrarian traditions and the Poro/Sande secret societies.
Early Ethnic Groups (Guinea/Liberia Border)
Kpelle (Kpwesi): The largest ethnic group in Liberia, primarily settled in central Liberia and extending into Guinea.
Loma (Loghoma/Toma): Mountain-dwelling people located along the Guinea-Liberia border, closely related to the Mende.
Kissi (Kisi): Among the oldest inhabitants, with roots in both Guinea and northern Liberia.
Mano (Ma): Migrated from the Guinea/Sudan area, settling heavily in Nimba County (Liberia) by the 14th-16th centuries.
Dan (Gio): Mande-speaking group closely related to neighboring Krahn and Mano, found in both countries.
Gbandi: Migrated from Western Sudan and Guinea in the 16th/17th centuries, settling in Lofa County, Liberia.
Common Cultural and Historical Features
Migration: Many groups migrated from the savanna region (Sudan) or the Mali Empire to the forest regions between the 12th and 16th centuries.
Secret Societies: The Poro (men) and Sande (women) societies are foundational social structures for many of these groups, including the Kpelle, Loma, and Gbandi.
Mel-speaking inhabitants: Gola and Kissi are recognized among the earliest occupants of the region before the major Mande expansions.
The Kissi people (also known as the Kisi) are a West African ethnolinguistic group residing in the border regions of Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, notably in areas like Foya District (Liberia) and Kailahun District (Sierra Leone). They are known for their strong agricultural tradition, respect for elders, and a resilient culture that has maintained its distinctiveness across these boundaries.
Early Trade at the Sorlumba border
Early trade at the Sorlumba border in Lofa County involves long-standing cross-border exchanges, primarily organized by local Kissi and Lorma communities, who share family ties across the Makona River separating Liberia and Guinea. Historically, this area is characterized by vibrant, informal trade in agricultural goods, livestock, and locally mined resources like sand.
Elements of trade and interaction at this crossing include:
Regional Marketplace: Sorlumba operates as a crucial,, albeit often informal, port of entry for traders moving goods between Foya District and neighboring Guinea.
Cultural Connection: Trade is facilitated by ethnic groups, such as the Lorma and Kissi, who reside on both sides of the border, making the trade inherently communal and familial.
Contested Resources: Current trading activities, particularly sand mining by local enterprises, have recently been impacted by territorial disputes over the exact demarcation of the Makona River.
Disruption and Tension: Trade has occasionally been disrupted by border disputes, such as in March 2026, when Guinean authorities temporarily stopped activities to assert control over the territory.
The local people in the Sorlumba border area, located in the Foya District of Lofa County, Liberia, belong primarily to the Kissi (or Gizi) ethnic group, which also extends into neighboring Guinea and Sierra Leone. Their cultural practices are deeply tied to the land, ancestral traditions, and a shared cross-border identity.
Cultural practices include:
Traditional Governance and Beliefs: The community is led by elders, with high respect for traditional leadership. While many have converted to Christianity or Islam, many still practice their traditional religion, which involves ancestor worship.
The Biriye Initiation Ritual: This is a purification ceremony for young boys and girls reaching puberty, held in a sacred forest to cleanse them and prepare them for adult responsibilities.
Unique Naming System: Kissi children are named based on their birth order. Specific names are reserved for the first, second, or third child, such as Sahr (first son), Sia (first daughter), Tamba (second son), or Kumba (second daughter).
Traditional Economy and Farming: The Kissi are known as hardworking farmers, cultivating rice as a staple crop on hillsides and in swamps. They also operate Kuu (cooperatives) for farming and labor sharing.
Art and Craftsmanship: They are renowned for making baskets and weaving using vertical looms. In historical context, they are known for the “Kissi Penny,” a form of iron currency used in trading.
Music and Dance: Cultural celebrations feature rhythmic drumming and whistling, often with a masked dance to represent spiritual beings.
The Sorlumba border area is also marked by a strong, shared identity with their counterparts in Guinea and Sierra Leone, often engaging in cross-border trade and, at times, managing shared natural resources like the Makona River.
Based on recent reports, the early trades and economic activities by local people at the Sorlumba border (a port of entry in Foya District, Lofa County, bordering Guinea) primarily involve the following activities:
Sand Mining (Sand Extraction): Local residents and contractors, such as BK Enterprise Inc., are involved in sand mining along the Makona River. This sand is utilized for local development projects and infrastructure improvement.
Small-Scale Cross-Border Trade: The local population conducts frequent, small-scale trading across the border with neighboring Guinea, which has historically been a key livelihood for residents.
Informal Border Economy: Residents engage in daily, informal commerce, which includes movement between the towns bordering the Makona River.
Rebuilding and Small Commerce: Following recent security tensions and disruptions (such as the temporary halt in trade in early March 2026), local traders continue to rebuild local infrastructure.
The trade activity at this border has recently faced disruptions due to disagreements between Liberian and Guinean authorities over the precise boundary line at the Makona River. Despite this, it remains a vital trading route for local communities, with activities returning to normal following diplomatic discussions.
The interrelationship among the people at the Sorlumba border—a crossing point between Liberia and Guinea in Foya District, Lofa County—is characterized by deeply intertwined familial, economic, and social ties, punctuated by periodic tensions stemming from territorial disputes and resource competition along the Makona River.
- Interdependent Community Life (Family and Culture)
Deep Social Ties: The border region is home to the Kissi tribe, who reside in both Guinea and Liberia, often with families living on both sides of the Makona River.
Deep Intermarriage: Residents share close social connections, including intermarriage, which makes them feel like “one people” despite the political separation.
Resilience and Daily Interaction: Despite intermittent border closures and disputes, families are deeply intertwined through long-term residency and shared cultural heritage.
- Economic Interdependence
Cross-Border Trade: The local economy relies on regular cross-border trading and interaction between the communities in Sorlumba (Liberia) and neighboring Guinea.
Shared Resources: The Makona River is crucial for both sides, with disputes arising over resources such as sand-mining operations, which have been a source of tension in early 2026.
- Current Tension and Security Dynamics
Border Disputes: Tensions occasionally arise over the exact demarcation of the border along the Makona River, with Guinean authorities sometimes claiming areas that residents believe are in Liberia.
Security Incidents: In March 2026, tense standoffs occurred, featuring incidents where Guinean soldiers crossed the river, leading to security engagements and the temporary halting of trade activities.
Local Action and Patriotism: Residents, particularly youth in Sorlumba, have shown strong patriotism, at times confronting soldiers and acting to defend their territory while awaiting official security intervention.
Return to Stability: High-level security meetings between Liberian and Guinean authorities are frequently used to resolve disputes peacefully, restoring trade and allowing people to resume their daily lives.
In summary, the population at the Sorlumba border functions as a unified community in terms of social and family life, while often finding themselves caught in the middle of broader political and territorial misunderstandings between the two nations.
