Monrovia – United Arab Emirates 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 jobs, fight poverty and build capacity in Liberia.
Minister Al Shamsi 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.
Minister Al Shamsi is among investors from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who arrived in Liberia on a two-day visit to explore investment opportunities.
Their following a state visit by President George Manneh Weah to the UAE.
According to a statement from the Executive Mansion, the high-power UAE delegation is in the country to explore various investment opportunities in support of President Weah’s Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD).
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 in.
The delegation including 22 top executives from UAE’s public and private sectors arrived Saturday, April 6, 2019.
The delegation, which is headed by UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said their two-day visit is based 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 UAE authority also promised President Weah their unflinching support to his development agenda by mobilizing the appropriate public and private sector actors to invest in Liberia.
Upon arrival, they began exchanging notes with their Liberian counterparts toward identifying critical areas of support to the Government and people of Liberia.
The statement further stated that the visitors have also identified other areas of interest to include capacity building, agriculture, health and small- and-medium enterprises (SMEs).
“Other sectors include road connectivity and infrastructure, education and energy,” the statement said.
During an acquaintance meeting at the Jamaica Resort facility of President Weah in Paynesville City, the visiting investors and their Liberian counterparts had discussions on possible means of investment in the country.
Entities forming part of the meeting include, National Investment Commission, Ministries of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry, Health, Education and the Liberia Electricity Corporation, amongst others.
Earlier, the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel Farlo McGill and Foreign Affairs Minister Milton Gbazohngar Finley, lauded the visitors for coming to Liberia and assured them of Government’s cooperation during their stay and in their subsequent investment endeavors to Liberia.
During his visit to the UAE, President George Manneh Weah was assured by 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 of possible investment in Liberia.