The President of Liberia, Dr. George Manneh Weah, has met with Lakshmi Mittal, Executive Chairman of ArcelorMittal, in Doha, Qatar, and held discussions centered around resolving all outstanding issues relating to the Revised Mineral Development Agreement (“MDA”) to be signed between the Government of Liberia (GOL) and ArcelorMittal (Liberia) Ltd.
Accordingly, President Weah has appointed, with immediate effect, a Special Presidential Committee of the Government of Liberia (GOL) to work with an ad-hoc committee that is to be established by Mittal to resolve all outstanding issues relating to the MDA.
Those appointed on Tuesday, November 29, 2022 to the Special Presidential Committee are Ambassador Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dean of the Cabinet, Chairman; Emanuel L. Shaw II, Advisor to the President, Member; and Cllr. Archibald Bernard, Legal Advisor to the President, Member and Secretary to the Committee.
In a letter addressed to the Chairman, the President has mandated the Committee to meet with and engage any and all relevant authorities of the Government of Liberia (GOL) and ArcelorMittal and any other stakeholders, either individually or collectively, whenever and wherever deemed appropriate in the sole discretion of the Committee, in order to ensure the finalization and implementation of the above-mentioned MDA within a reasonable time frame, and report back to his Office with its findings, recommendations and advice.
The Liberian Leader has further directed the Special Presidential Committee to work assiduously and collaboratively in the discharge of its duties and responsibilities, in order to find a durable solution that will have due regard to the legitimate interest of all parties, while always upholding and protecting the supreme national interest of the government and people of Liberia.