HOUSTON, TEXAS — August 25, 2026 — The Office of the Special Envoy for U.S. Trade & Investment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia, officially launched the Invest in Liberia Roadshow on Tuesday in Houston, Texas, convening a focused group of U.S. private-sector leaders and government partners for the first stop of a multi-city U.S. investment engagement.
Led by Hon. Isaac E. Taggart, Jr., Special Envoy for U.S. Trade & Investment, the inaugural Houston session was designed as a private, transaction-oriented engagement focused on bringing specific Liberian investment opportunities directly to U.S. markets where relevant capital, technical expertise, operating capability and transaction experience are concentrated.
The Houston stop placed particular emphasis on energy and enabling infrastructure, positioning Liberia’s growing power requirements not simply as a development challenge, but as an opportunity to build the infrastructure necessary to support industrialization, value-added production and broader economic growth.
“Our approach is intentional. We are taking specific, investment-ready opportunities into U.S. markets where the capital, capability and expertise already exist, and creating a clearer pathway from conversation to diligence, structuring and ultimately investment,” said Special Envoy Taggart. “Houston is the first stop, but the objective extends well beyond a single meeting. We are building a sustained pipeline of serious commercial engagement between Liberia and the United States.”
The Special Envoy was joined virtually by Hon. Dan Maxwell, Jr., Director of Investment Promotions at Liberia’s National Investment Commission, who provided perspective on Liberia’s investment environment and the Government’s efforts to facilitate private-sector participation.
The session also featured participation from Deidra Fair James of the Millennium Challenge Corporation and Peter Tataris of the U.S. Commercial Service, providing perspectives on Liberia’s development and commercial landscape and the broader U.S.–Liberia economic relationship.
The discussion was moderated by Christopher Olson, Vice President at Weatherford, who helped guide a substantive exchange around Liberia’s energy investment opportunities and the practical considerations required to move projects toward execution.
Representatives from ExxonMobil, Baker Hughes, Weatherford, Puffer-Sweiven, Ryder Scott Company, Lummus Consultants, and other firms participated in the closed-door session, bringing experience spanning energy operations, engineering, technical services, project development and transaction execution.
From Investment Promotion to Investment Execution
The Invest in Liberia Roadshow is structured differently from a traditional investment conference or general promotional campaign.
Rather than convening large audiences around broad presentations, the initiative is designed around curated, closed-door engagements with companies, investors, operators, advisers and U.S. government partners whose capabilities align directly with specific opportunities in Liberia.
The Houston discussion examined Liberia’s energy and infrastructure requirements within the context of the country’s broader economic ambitions, including the need for reliable power to support industrial development and increased private investment.
The Roadshow forms part of the Special Envoy’s broader mandate to deepen U.S.–Liberia commercial relations, mobilize private capital, connect credible projects with appropriate U.S. partners, and help move opportunities through the investment lifecycle—from initial engagement to diligence, structuring, financing and implementation.
Strategic Partnership in Houston
The inaugural stop was co-hosted by the Bilateral Chamber of Commerce and Clifford Chance, whose support helped convene the targeted group of Houston-based industry and investment stakeholders.
Special Envoy Taggart expressed appreciation to Aida Araissi of the Bilateral Chamber of Commerce, Adebola Akisanya of Clifford Chance, and Suki Kovacevic for their partnership in developing and executing the Houston engagement.
“The strength of this model is the quality and relevance of the people around the table,” Taggart said. “We are not measuring success simply by attendance. We are focused on whether the right institutions are engaged, whether serious opportunities enter diligence, and whether those conversations ultimately translate into capital, partnerships and projects on the ground in Liberia.”
Houston Marks the Beginning
Houston represents the first stage of a broader U.S. roadshow that will engage additional American commercial and financial centers, with each stop tailored to sectors and opportunities that align with the capabilities of that market.
Future engagements will focus on areas including energy and power, critical minerals, ports and logistics, manufacturing, agriculture and agro-processing, strategic infrastructure, and institutional capital.
The initiative reflects the Government of Liberia’s effort to engage the U.S. private sector with greater precision—moving beyond general expressions of investment interest toward commercially grounded discussions around specific opportunities, counterparties and pathways to execution.
“Houston was the first stop. Now, we build from here,” Special Envoy Taggart said.