The UNDP Country Office in Liberia was established in 1967. Currently, eight other UN agencies are represented in Liberia: the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Information Center (UNIC) and the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA). 

Additionally, there is a United Nations Office for Peace Building (UNOL), headed by the Representative of the Secretary General (RSG). As a result of the country’s inability to service its loans, the Bretton Woods Institutions (including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank) closed their offices in Liberia in the mid-eighties, a substantial arrears have accrued. Since then the UN System, together with the European Union (EU) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), have been the major donors. UNDP office in Liberia also serves as the base for the UN Resident Coordinator and the UN Humanitarian Cordinator, as well as the Designated Official for overseeing security issues.

When the civil war broke out in late 1989, UNDP was in the midst of implementing its Third Country Programme (CP) strategy for Liberia that had three primary objectives: improving the management of the public sector; developing agriculture and the rural sector; and supporting private sector initiatives. Due to the persistence of the crisis and the request of the Government, the CP was extended to the end of 1991. Since then, assistance has been given on a project by project basis, oriented towards four main areas of intervention:
i) provision of humanitarian relief support;
ii) resettlement and socio-economic reintegration of the displaced population;
iii) governance and capacity building; and
iv) reconstruction planning.

UNDP played an important role during the transition period in the co-ordination of humanitarian assistance and provided effective support to the peace building efforts and the electoral process, which ushered in the current democratically elected Government. It also provided direct and indirect support to resettlement and reintegration of displaced people and ex-combatant, through humanitarian assistance, community infrastructure rehabilitation and creation of sustainable livelihood opportunities, particularly for the poor, and supported government's resource mobilization initiatives. In addition, UNDP has provided capacity-building support for key Government institutions and NGOs, and given valuable assistance to reconstruction planning, environmental assessment studies and promoting gender equity.

UNDP's support to Liberia has continued within the framework of Countries in Special Development Situations (CSDS), and has focused on the consolidation of peace and democracy by promoting national reconciliation and conflict prevention.