Monrovia, Jan. 22 -- As global aid declines and geopolitical priorities shift toward "country-first" policies, Liberia must urgently rethink how it manages its natural resources or risk long-term economic stagnation, according to social researcher Dr. Clarence R. Pearson, Sr.

Dr. Pearson says Liberia is entering a decisive moment in its history, one shaped by the fading era of generous donor assistance and the rise of more transactional global partnerships. In this new environment, he argues, small economies like Liberia can no longer rely on goodwill but must build disciplined systems that convert national assets into sustainable national capacity.

"At this point, natural resource governance is no longer a technical sector issue," Pear...