The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency Ambassador Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., has proposed a joint commission for bilateral engagements between the Republic of Liberia and the Federal Republic of Germany.
Minister Kemayah said the commission will foster and follow up on bilateral, economic, technical cooperation between Liberia and the Federal Republic of Germany.
Foreign Minister Kemayah made the proposal recently when he held discussions with the Federal Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany, H.E Annalena Baerbock, at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin, Germany.
Foreign Minister Kemayah recalled the active role played by a German investment group from Düsseldorf that operated the formal Bong Mining Company in Bong Mines, and called for more German-Liberia partnerships.
The meeting was centered on the experiences and challenges in the areas of gender equality, climate change, human rights, women, and youth empowerment, female genital mutilation (FGM), and forest cooperation.
The Liberian Foreign Minister extended profound thanks and appreciation to the government and people of the Federal Republic of Germany for the developmental support rendered Liberia over the years.
Ambassador Kemayah highlighted the achievements of H.E President George Manneh Weah and his government, and outlined the challenges being faced by Liberia.
He also underscored the need for support in the areas of climate change, gender equity with a focus on women empowerment and women’s political participation, youth empowerment initiatives with emphasis on at-risk youth and technical and vocational skills training, health, the justice system, infrastructural development and sporting programs using sports diplomacy.
Commenting on climate change, Foreign Minister Kemayah, reiterated the point made by President Weah at Cop27 in Egypt that the in-equity and imbalance between countries with high and low emissions concerning climate change still remain high, further emphasizing President Weah’s point that the financial flows continued to be disproportionate and unfair to low-emitting countries.
Ambassador Kemayah called for Germany’s support for the position of Africa on climate change, which was made at Cop27 in Egypt, and adaptation programs for Africa.
Foreign Minister Kemayah assured his German counterpart that Liberia remains committed to the protocols and conventions on climate change, stating that no country today is immune from the increasingly devastating effects.
Meanwhile, H.E Ambassador Kemayah said Gender equality and women remain a priority under the leadership of H.E President George Weah. He recounted the numbers of females appointed in the Liberian government and said that President Weah, who is Liberia’s feminist-in-Chief, will leave no stone unturned in seeing to it that women and girls’ rights are respected in the Liberian society.
The Foreign Minister also spoke on the law passed by the National Legislature on a 30% quota for women’s political participation.
Commenting on youth empowerment, Minister Kemayah noted that the youth constitute over 60% of the country’s population, and called for support in the areas of technical and vocational training.
He also called for assistance in the area of mental health to help vulnerable and underprivileged youth who are prone to substance abuse.
The minister also highlighted the issue of sports diplomacy, which he said will be beneficial to the young people, and create hope where there is despair.
For her part, German Foreign Minister, H.E Annalena Baerbock, welcomed and thanked Foreign Minister Kemayah for honoring her invitation to visit Germany. She said Liberia is a strategic partner, and thanked the country for its stands on the crisis in Ukraine and on global issues. Foreign Minister Baerbock noted that Germany will always remain grateful to Liberia.
She noted that her office will continue to support Liberia and be more engaged with the country through the Liberian embassy in Germany and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Liberia in strengthening the bilateral and foreign policy objectives of both countries.
Foreign Minister Dee Maxwell Saah Kemayah and Minister Annalena Baerbock concluded with a commitment to continue to work together for the further enhancement of the foreign policies of their two countries.
Foreign Minister Kemayah was accompanied by the Ambassador to Germany, H.E Younger Telewoda, Deputy Chief of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lawrance Amajie, Minister Counsellor, Press and Public Affairs, Liberian embassy, Germany, Augustine Hamelberg, and Charles Allen, Counsellor, Liberian embassy, Germany.
The two Foreign Ministers met in Berlin on Wednesday at the German Federal Office after the opening ceremony of the 8th Congress Against the Death Penalty in Berlin, Germany, from November 15—18, 2022.
Liberia and Germany have enjoyed long-standing diplomatic and bilateral relations, dating back to 1855. During this time, the hanseatic cities of Lübeck, Bremen, and Hamburg immediately emulated a wise decision by the United Kingdom to recognize Liberia’s independence and opened a joint consulate in Monrovia.