FLASHBACK: Weah being received by Pres. Macron last week in Paris
MONROVIA– President George Manneh Weah returned to Liberia on Saturday, June 3, 2021 after several days of official visit to Paris, France.
According to the Liberian News Agency (LINA), President Weah commended the government and people of France for that country’s continued support to Liberia’s development drive, especially in the areas of capacity-building, infrastructure development and sports.
The Liberian Leader also expressed profound gratitude for President Emmanuel Macron’s “gracious support” towards Liberia’s engagements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank which, he said, has greatly contributed to the improved fiscal and monetary policy implementation and efficiency the country now experiences.
President Weah, according to an Executive Mansion statement, made the remarks during a special bilateral meeting with the French President at the Elyseè Palace in Paris on Thursday.
The release stated that the Liberian Leader informed his French counterpart that his Administration continues to work in close collaboration with these international financial institutions, “which sometimes require the formulation of difficult policies, such as the Salary Harmonization Policy.”
He cited that the policies have been required to make the “necessary corrective measures and structural adjustments” for the good of the Liberian economy.
It noted that he called for the continuation of the Franco-Liberia relationship, including the strengthening of collaboration between the French Military and the Armed Forces of Liberia on the Malian peacekeeping mission.
“In this regard”, he said, “it is important to note that the Liberian contingent has now been tasked with providing Base Security for the Timbuktu outpost and, as such, more modern equipment and logistics are urgently needed.”
Pres. Weah enumerated many other supports the French government has rendered to Liberia in recent months, including funding for capacity development, sports, the resumption of flight by Air France, the construction of a new building for Alliance Francaise Institute, and the increase in activities by French businesses and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
Relative to ongoing efforts by the Liberian government to curb the further spread of COVID, President Weah thanked President Macron and the Government and People of France for “generously providing” a number of ventilators and several thousands of testing kits.
He told his counterpart that Liberia would need millions of additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines to help fight the spread of the virus.