MONROVIA – On Thursday, April 26, 2023, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dean of the Cabinet of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency Ambassador Dee Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., officially launched the “Liberia Young Diplomats in Training Initiative” at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism in Monrovia.
By Lennart Dodoo, [email protected]
“Today’s launch is a continuation of efforts to raise the standard of Liberia’s foreign policy and foreign relations by training a professional, dedicated and patriotic corps of officers to serve in our foreign service and at home at the appropriate time, whether now or in the future,” Min. Kemayah said.
The program aims to provide training opportunities to young Liberians who are interested in pursuing a career in diplomacy but lack the financial means to do so. The initiative is part of the government’s efforts to raise the standard of Liberia’s foreign policy and foreign relations by training a professional, dedicated, and patriotic corps of officers to serve in the foreign service both at home and abroad.
The first cohort of 25 young Liberians, selected based on merit through a competitive and transparent vetting process, will depart for the People’s Republic of China on May 7, 2023, for a three-week training program. The initiative targets young men and women from all 15 counties of Liberia at university level and above.
Amb. Kemayah: “The First Cohort of Twenty-five (25) Young Liberians will depart Liberia on May 7, 2023, to the People’s Republic of China for Three weeks to attend a short-term Diplomatic Training, titled: “Seminar On Enhancement Of Diplomatic Capacity For Liberia”, at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, from May 9 to be specific to 29, 2023. This First Cohort is comprised of a total of 25 participants, 14 of whom are females, which aligns with our uncompromising vision and resolve to enhance women’s empowerment and Eleven (11) Young Males drawn from the 15 counties of Liberia, as I indicated at University Level or beyond.”
During the press briefing at the Ministry of Information, Ambassador Kemayah Sr. highlighted the importance of Liberia’s foreign service and its evolution over time. He noted that prior to the administration of the late President William V. S. Tubman in 1944, Liberia’s foreign service was mainly staffed by foreigners, with few exceptions. President Tubman reversed this by sending young Liberians to Washington, D.C., to be trained as foreign service officers. Their return marked the beginning of the Foreign Service Institute, which has been training aspiring Liberian diplomats since.
The Foreign Service Institute was revitalized in 1988 by the late President Samuel K. Doe, who aimed to have a technocratic foreign service filled with career professionals with specialized disciplines.
Under the current administration of President George Manneh Weah, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ objective is to prioritize and attract support and assistance for Liberia’s rapid post-war development. The focus is on economic and development diplomacy, which the “Liberia Young Diplomats in Training Initiative” aims to enrich by providing training opportunities to the country’s most talented young men and women.
“The key objective of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liberia under our watch is to progressively prioritize and attract support and assistance for Liberia’s rapid postwar development, as we have been doing since our ascendency to this Office. Today, under the astute and dynamic Leadership of His Excellency President Dr. WEAH, who is the Chief Architect of Liberia’s Foreign Policy; our focus is economic and development diplomacy. We are enriching previous programs by proudly launching the “Liberia Young Diplomats In Training Initiative,” he said.
Ambassador Kemayah Sr. expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs team for their dedication to serving the Liberian people. He also recognized the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Worker’s Association, the respective leaderships of the institutions where the first cohort of young diplomats came from, and the members of the fourth estate media.
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