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Liberia And The European Union Reaffirm Their Strong Political Partnership

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                                                                        JOINT STATEMENT

 LIBERIA AND THE EUROPEAN UNION REAFFIRM THEIR

STRONG POLITICAL PARTNERSHIP

IN THE 11TH EU – LIBERIA PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUE

Monrovia, June 22, 2023

The Government of the Republic of Liberia (GoL) and the European Union (EU) met on 22 June 2023 for the 11th edition of the EU-Liberia Partnership Dialogue, formerly known as the Political Dialogue.

The Dialogue was co-chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, H. E. Ambassador Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah Sr., and the Head of the EU Delegation to Liberia, Ambassador Laurent Delahousse. Members of the Liberian delegation included the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Hon. Samuel Tweah; the Minister of Justice, Hon. Frank Musah Dean, Jr.; the Acting Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mr. Hassan A. Karneh; the Commissioner of the National Elections Commission (NEC), Hon. Boakai A. Dukuly. Deputy Minister for Administration/Commerce & Industry, Hon. Wilfred Bangura, Chairman of the Independent National Commission for Human Rights, Cllr. Dempster Brown, and the Chairman of the Governance Commission, Hon. Garrison Yealue. The EU Member States were represented by the Ambassador of France H.E. Mr. Michaël Roux; Ambassador of Sweden H.E. Mr. Urban Sjöström, Ambassador of Germany H.E. Mr. Jakob Haselhuber, and the Chargé d’affaires of Ireland Mr. Simon McCormac.

During the Dialogue, both parties addressed a selected number of issues of mutual interest. This exchange took place in the context of the 50th Anniversary of EU-Liberia relations. In 1973, the Commission of the European Economic Community established its first office in Liberia, which has since been upgraded to a full diplomatic mission, the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Liberia.

The EU underlined that Team Europe (EU + Member States) remains committed to supporting the implementation of the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD), as trustworthy and durable partners, delivering to the people of Liberia. On 5 June, Ambassador Laurent Delahousse and the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Hon. Samuel D. Tweah Jr., proceeded with the signature of four new support programmes of the European Union to Liberia, totaling 80 million euros / 88 million US dollars. These program will add to the EU-Liberia development partnership from 2021 to 2024, for which a total of 191 million euros / 220 million US dollars have been earmarked. 

ISSUES ADDRESSED AND DETAILS OF THE DISCUSSIONS: 

  1. Peaceful, free, fair, transparent and inclusive Elections: Both sides shared their call for free, fair, transparent, inclusive, credible and peaceful elections, which could stand out as a positive example in the region. The EU welcomed the adoption by all political parties of a new Code of Conduct, the 2023 Farmington River Declaration, committing to a fair, tolerant and peaceful electoral process. The EU also expressed its general support to the National Elections Commission and the Liberian security institutions in carrying out their mandate during the upcoming election. Upon invitation by the Government, as a way to support peaceful elections, the European Union is preparing to launch an independent Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) to Liberia, which will be announced at a later stage.
  1. Bilateral EU-Liberia cooperation: The EU has earmarked 191 million euros to Liberia for the first phase of the EU support programme from 2021 to 2024. The EU side stressed that, through the new EU cooperation instrument, NDICI – Global Europe, it aims to bring its strong partnership with Liberia to a new level. The EU side also raised its clear expectations in terms of good governance by Liberian State institutions. In this 50th Anniversary year of their relation, the EU and its Member States are looking forward to continuing and deepening their cooperation with the Government of Liberia, and all Liberian and other parties. This partnership is based on genuine needs and mutual respect, but also on transparency, predictability, proper accountability and governance by all institutions concerned in view of increasing the effectiveness of EU support. The EU and its Member States have stood and will continue to stand by the people of Liberia.

The EU and its Member States have decided to act together through “Team Europe initiatives” in two priority sectors: “Safe and Sustainable Food Systems” and “Forestry and Biodiversity”. The Team Europe initiatives ensure coordinated efforts of the EU and its Member State to increase the effectiveness of their support, aiming at making a real change for Liberians and the sectors concerned.

The EU expressed concern over the rapid rate of deforestation. Both sides convened that the results of the Forestry and Climate Forum in February 2022 and the 10th Joint Implementation Committee of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forestry in June 2023 must be implemented. The EU side stressed that with the new EU deforestation legislation, only certified timber and agricultural products will have access in the future to the European market.

  1. Human Rights: The EU recognized the Government of Liberia’s commitment to comply with Liberia’s international Human Rights obligations and the actions undertaken in this regard. In follow up to the conclusions of the most recent session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on Liberia, this year’s dialogue attached a particular emphasis to the importance of continuing the fight against the high levels of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) to which Liberian women and girls are exposed. On the issue of female genital mutilation (FGM), both parties welcomed the decision to ban FGM in Montserrado County proclaimed by the Head of the National Council of Traditional Chiefs and Elders of Liberia (NACCEL), chief Zanzan Karwor, on 6 February, as well as decision by the Traditional Chiefs and Elders of Liberia in February 2022 to suspend throughout Liberia the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) for a period of three years. The EU also encouraged the Government to lead in implementing other measures on the social, economic and cultural fronts, particularly at the community level, that are necessary to make headway in the fight against FGM. The EU and its Member States remain committed to continue working with Government of Liberia, its institutions and the traditional communities, chiefs and elders in this regard to support the full implementation of this decision.

The European Union welcomed the fact that Liberia reversed, for the first time in five years, a negative trend in the World Press Freedom Index from Reporters Without Borders and hoped that this positive trajectory for media and civil society would continue without setbacks.

  1. Foreign Policy: The Republic of Liberia presented its candidature to the United Nations Security Council for the biennium 2026-2027. Both sides had an exchange on their strong and active foreign policy cooperation between the European Union and the Republic of Liberia built on shared values, and their joint efforts multilaterally and regionally to promote peace, human rights, the values of liberal democracy and respect for international rule of law.

Both parties condemned in the strongest possible terms Russia’s unprecedented military aggression against Ukraine – an independent and sovereign State – in flagrant violation of international law and the core principles on which the international rules-based order is built. Both parties called on Russia to immediately cease the hostilities, withdraw its military from Ukraine and fully respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence. Russia’s aggression was also affecting the global economy, driving food, fuel and gas prices up. The EU and its Member States and others will support humanitarian partners, such as the World Food Program, to sustain food security.

Both parties reaffirmed their support for the transition processes to return to constitutional democratic order in the Republics of Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso, in close collaboration with ECOWAS.

  1. Business and investment climate: The Republic of Liberia presented its candidature to the United Nations Security Council for the biennium 2026-2027.

The EU is currently formulating a 25 million euro / 27 million US dollar programme on private sector development in Liberia that will build market-driven, green and inclusive value chains, creation of Liberian jobs and sustainable development. Both sides had an exchange on the need for improvements in the regulatory environment, transparency and governance to facilitate the establishment of more private companies and creating more Liberian jobs.

As Team Europe, the EU and its Member States are investing in youth skills development and the matching of supply and demand on the labour market through their coordinated Technical Vocational Education and Training Programmes (TVET). Currently, the combined Team Europe in TVET in Liberia investment is 85 million US dollars.

The EU welcomed the 1st Trade Policy Review of the Republic of Liberia in the World Trade Organisation since its accession in 2016.

The EU informed about its new regulation creating a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Both sides agreed to revert to this issue in their next dialogue.

  1. Recognition of the Liberian Official Passports and the issue of Schengen visas: 

Liberia recalled its position on the recognition of Liberian Official Passports and issuance of Schengen visas within Liberia. The EU presented expected progress in the delivery of Schengen Visas in Monrovia by the French Embassy in Abidjan.

Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to continuing to hold regular Political Dialogue meetings and following-up on their conclusions. They agreed that the next (12th) EU-Liberia Partnership Dialogue would take place in the first half of 2024.

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