President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has told the nation that “we deserve to live in dignity” as he returned to the country on Wednesday, September 11^th, following a week-long visit to Asia.

The Liberian leader spoke at the Effort Baptist Church in Paynesville where a brief intercessory and thanksgiving service was held to thank God for the safe travel and safe return of the President and entourage.

President Boakai used the occasion to brief the nation on his engagements in Asia where he participated in two high level summits and held bilateral meetings with his Indonesian and Chinese counterparts.

At the bilateral with Indonesia, President Boakai made the case for that country’s support for the industrialization of the Liberian oil palm sector and the establishment of an oil palm refinery for value addition. 

The President also advanced the idea of the establishment of Indonesian banks in Liberia to provide financing support to smallholder farmers, investments in energy and support for mechanized rice production to aid Liberia’s food sufficiency. The President then called for the reactivation of the Liberia-Indonesia Joint Commission as a platform for development cooperation for both countries. 

The Liberian leader is touting Indonesia as a major partner for investments in Southeastern Liberia where the Indonesian firm Golden Veroleum already has an estimated $2.2billion in oil palm investments.

At the bilateral meeting with his Liberian counterpart, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the following packages in aid to Liberia: 200million RMB grant, 30million RMB in food assistance, 6.6million RMB in debt waiver, 13million RMB for agriculture equipment and 185million RMB to expand LBS’s coverage across the country.

Both leaders then reactivated the previously stalled overhead bridge projects at the Ministerial Complex and the SKD Boulevard which are expected to start in the first quarter of 2025. The projects will cost approximately $30million.

China will also support Liberia to advance the modernization of the national electricity grid and through a private company, TBEA, construct a 75MW solar power plant in Bomi County. These are in addition to other road and bridge construction projects that China plans to undertake in Liberia for the connection and layout of county capitals across the 15counties.

The President told the nation that China will continue to be a partner to Liberia as the two countries work together to tackle economic issues to usher Liberia into the digital age. The Liberian leader was full of praises for his Chinese counterpart and admonished investors that Liberia has now turned a new page and is ready for mutually beneficial investments.

The President will, shortly, announce a team to follow up the commitments secured from his Asia trip.

In China, a China-Liberia trade and investment forum held in Shenzhen city brought together over 100 Chinese companies and investors and provided the opportunity for Liberian officials to showcase the country as an attractive destination for investments.

Various sectors of Government also signed Memoranda of Understanding covering technology, oil refinery, tourism and hospitality, roads and bridges, trade and commerce as well as an agreement advancing Liberia’s maritime programs and activities in China.

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