Monrovia – The Liberian government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has held a one-day honorary consul retreat with its Honorary Consul Generals at the Boulevard Palace Hotel in Sinkor.
Report by J. H. Webster Clayeh, [email protected]
The July 24, 2018 Honorary Consul Retreat aimed at explaining the new administration of President George Manneh Weah’s ‘pro-poor policy’ and how they as Honorary Consuls can work to attract investment that will bring development to the country.
Speaking to journalists during a press stakeout, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Gbehzohngar Milton Finley, said the Government of Liberia is seeking a corporative partnership with the Honorary Consuls to change the mode of economic development of the country.
Tourism, industrialization, promotion of the country’s interest abroad especially in countries that Liberia does not have embassy and for Liberians, who do not have access to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs outside their country were some of the things highlighted during the Honorary Consul Retreat.
“The President has set an economy agenda for the Liberian people. The ‘pro-poor agenda’ is that agenda that is going to attract businesses for the Liberian people,” Foreign Minister Findley indicated.
“We are going to partner with the Honorary Consuls; we are going to look at what they have been doing for Liberia and we are going to even ask them to do more for Liberia.”
Also, the Dean of Liberia’s Honorary Consuls, Mr. Alexandros N. Soutos, Consul of Liberia in Athens said he was happy to be in Liberia.
Soutos added: “This retreat is extremely important; it shows the different opportunities the country gives to the world.”
He continued: “We are very proud to have over 1000 Greek-own vessels with the flag of Liberia.”
According to him, Liberia has the second largest fleet in the world; adding: “These are the main ambassadors of Liberia worldwide. You cannot even imagine how important it is for the world to see vessels flying the Liberian flag. Liberia is widely known around the world.”
Adding up, the Consul General in Minnesota, USA, Mr. Jackson K. George, Jnr., urged Liberians out of the country to work with the President in promoting the government’s pro-poor agenda.
He added: “We have more people in Minnesota who are really helping to transform this country.”
Speaking earlier, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Minister Samuel Tweah, told the Honorary Consuls that the main challenge Liberia and other African developing countries are facing today is that their economies squarely depend on the sale of the raw materials on the outside world for the past 75 years.
Tweah said, “This country, along with other countries and partners, has not been able to solve this problem. African countries have resources; they send those resources to the outside world, they generate revenues and increase their budgets.”
According to the nation’s Finance Minister, when the prices of those resources collapse, the economies of African countries will fall as well.
He further stated that the fundamental transformation that has to do with Liberia is that in the next one or two decades, stakeholders have to change that structure of the economy.
Min. Tweah: “The government, the private sectors, all development partners are moving towards this new timeline where we will not be exposed to the vulnerability to the world market.”