MONROVIA, LIBERIA — August 10, 2026: The Liberia Standards Authority (LiSA) has partnered with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to upgrade the country’s laboratory infrastructure and strengthen Liberia’s capacity to meet international food safety and export standards.
Under the initiative, UNIDO has contracted Target Lab Systems to provide specialized technical expertise aimed at improving Liberia’s food safety compliance, strengthening laboratory testing systems, and increasing international confidence in Liberian agricultural products.
The partnership was formally advanced during a transition meeting at the LiSA headquarters in Monrovia, where UNIDO Chief Technical Adviser Isaac Donkor introduced an international technical team from Target Lab Systems to the LiSA management.
The meeting marked the immediate commencement of technical activities under the project.
The initiative will focus on two key areas, including preparing LiSA’s Food Chemistry and Microbiology Laboratories for ISO/IEC 17025 international accreditation and establishing effective management systems to ensure laboratory testing results are accurate, reliable, and internationally recognized.
According to LiSA, the project goes beyond physical laboratory upgrades, with significant attention being placed on technical procedures, quality management systems, staff capacity, and internationally accepted testing standards.
Target Lab Systems, which has experience supporting laboratory development projects with UNIDO in several countries, has deployed international specialists to assist with the implementation of the initiative.
Dr. Mohammad El-Sayed of Egypt, who has more than 30 years of experience, will provide technical guidance for the development of the Food Chemistry Laboratory. Marwa Adly, also of Egypt, will focus on accreditation-related activities, while Mohammed Hassan Ahmad, with more than 20 years of experience, will provide technical guidance for the Microbiology Laboratory.
A specialist team from South Africa is also expected to arrive shortly to provide additional support in management systems and certification.
LiSA Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Mambu, has pledged the institution’s full cooperation to ensure the successful and timely implementation of the project.
A senior LiSA technical team, including Deputy Director for Technical Services Koakun Emmanuel Myers, Chief Technical Officer Melvin Tokpah, and Head of Testing Mrs. Konah Okai Reeves, will work closely with the international consultants throughout the process.
The collaboration is expected to strengthen LiSA’s laboratory testing capacity and contribute to Liberia’s broader efforts to improve food safety, facilitate trade, and enhance the competitiveness of locally produced agricultural commodities in international markets.
Project progress will be continuously documented, while technical communication will be coordinated through the UNIDO project focal person to ensure that implementation remains on schedule.
The initiative is seen as an important step toward strengthening Liberia’s national quality infrastructure and building greater confidence in the safety and quality of Liberian products on both domestic and international markets.
