By: Peter Darblo | Contributing Reporter Gbarpolu County
Tubmanburg City, Bomi |Feb. 24, 2026|The United States Embassy in Liberia, through its Public Affairs Section, has begun a two-day fact-finding engagement with the Western Region Journalists Association (WReJA) in Western Liberia.
Speaking at the opening of the engagement, Mr. Raymond Stephens Director for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy, said the purpose of the visit is to identify key issues affecting media practitioners and institutions in the region, particularly following the suspension of funding support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) by the administration of Donald Trump.
According to Mr. Stephens the fact-finding mission is centered on assessing the sustainability of media institutions, strengthening capacity-building initiatives, and addressing journalists’ welfare concerns in the wake of the suspension of USAID-supported media projects in Liberia.
He emphasized that understanding the current challenges faced by media institutions will enable the Embassy to explore possible avenues of engagement and support within available frameworks.
For his part, Melsohe Roberts, Chairperson of WReJA, commended the U.S. Embassy for the initiative, noting that the visit comes at a critical time when several media institutions are struggling to remain operational due to the withdrawal of donor support.
Mr. Roberts outlined major challenges confronting journalists in Western Liberia, including poor welfare, low compensation, institutional sustainability issues, and limited access to professional capacity-building opportunities.
He stressed the need for renewed partnerships and innovative support mechanisms to ensure the growth, independence, and resilience of the media sector in the region.
The two-day engagement is expected to conclude with recommendations aimed at strengthening media development and promoting press freedom in Western Liberia.
