IPNews-Monrovia: Liberia President has sent a letter to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, for the establishment of bilateral relations between Liberia and the UAE.
President George Manneh Weah communication was conveyed by Gbehzohngar Findley, Liberian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Trokon Kpui, Liberian Deputy Minister of State, during a meeting with Dr. Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
The two sides discussed prospects of cooperation between the UAE and Liberia, and ways to advance them across a variety of sectors.
It may be recalled, A high-power delegation of major investors from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is in the country to explore various investment opportunities in support of President George Manneh Weah’s Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD).
According to a release from the Ministry of foreign Affairs in Liberia, stated that at least 22 top executives from UAE’s public and private sectors arrived Saturday, April 6, 2019 and began exchanging notes with their Liberian counterparts toward identifying critical areas of support to the Government and people of Liberia.
Sectors of interest to the visitors include political and capacity building, agriculture, health and small- and-medium enterprises (SMEs). Other sectors include road connectivity and infrastructure, education and energy.
During a reception meeting at the Jamaica Resort facility of President Weah in Paynesville City, the visiting investors and their Liberian counterparts broke into small sectorial-group meetings for acquaintance and briefing.
Technical staff and officials from the National Investment Commission, Ministries of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry, Health, Education and Liberia Electricity Corporation amongst others were available for sector-specific presentations.
The release stated that upon arrival earlier, the delegation was met on arrival by the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel Farlo McGill and Foreign Affairs Minister Milton Gbazohngar Finley, thanked the visitors for coming to Liberia. They assured the UAE investors of Government’s cooperation during their stay and in their subsequent investment endeavors to Liberia.
The visitors, under the guidance of their hosts, are making field trips Sunday, April 7, 2019, in Montserrado and nearby counties to access investment prospects and acquaint themselves with challenges of sectors under discussion.
President George Manneh Weah led a team of Liberian government officials on a weeklong state visit in the UAE and secured commitment of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, who is the son of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, ‘Father of the Nation’ and the first President of the UAE.
The UAE authority had promised President Weah during the visit of their unflinching support to his development agenda by mobilizing the appropriate public and private sector actors to explore varying investment opportunities in Liberia.
Barely two weeks after President Weah and delegation returned, the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince manifested the urgency and seriousness of his promise by dispatching 22 top business executives and members of his government to come to Liberia and find areas for possible investments.
The delegation, which is headed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said during the reception meeting they were making the 2-day visit upon the mandate of Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan pursuant to his promise to help President Weah achieve his development vision for Liberia.
The Assistant Minister for International Affairs Sultant Al Shamsi said his team is diverse in its purpose and firm to deliver on their mandate of identifying viable investment opportunities that will create job, fight poverty and build capacity in Liberia.
He said individual groups of the delegation were interested in port development and expansion, agricultural production with emphasis on food security, road connectivity and support to education and health.
His Excellency Al Shamsi said his team’s visit to Liberia would allow his government and UAE private sector spot firsthand critical areas of development support that President Weah and his government desire urgent intervention.
