In an effort to boost the investment climate and stimulate economic growth for Liberian and Moroccan businesses, Foreign Minister, Ambassador Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., led an eight-man delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on an official working visit to the Kingdom of Morocco in order to seek partnership for Liberian companies and their Moroccan counterparts and to solicit support for youth and women empowerment in the field of vocational and technical skills.
During the visit, the delegation met with the President of the Confederation Generale des Entreprises du Maroc (CGEM) or Confederation’s International Relations Center in Casablanca, Morocco, Chakib ALJ, who used the occasion to commend the Liberian delegation for signing the roadmap that defines the framework for the multi-sectoral cooperation between the two countries and the hydro-carbon agreement, noting that these joint action proved that both countries have a strong will to move forward with their economic and trade relations, with a new partnership that will create jobs and add value to the natural resources in Africa.
ALJ said Liberia has a lot of potential in several sectors, such as agriculture, mining and tourism, and that Liberia is strategically located for investment.
He disclosed that they are willing to support the “Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD)”, the flagship program of President Dr. George Manneh Weah, which include the development of infrastructure and agriculture development to increase food production.
For her part, Loubna Tricha, Director General of the Office of Vocational Training and Labor Promotion (OFPPT), told the delegation that about one hundred Liberian youths are undergoing language training in French to be enrolled into the next round of training in Morocco in various fields of study.
Tricha said Morocco is deeply engaged into the South-South dynamic, in order to strengthen vocational skills in Africa, stating that when the COVID-19 is over they will send experts to Liberia to do more for the youth in Monrovia.
“We have partnership agreements with about 20 African countries and have projects in eight countries, hoping that Liberia will be the 21st country to collaborate with OFPPT,” Tricha said.
The delegation also visited Ambassador Mohamed Methqal, Director General of the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation (AMCI), who mentioned that since 1999 His Majesty, King Mohammed VI, has made South-South cooperation one of the main pillars of the Kingdom’s foreign policy and has given the African continent a privileged place, since it placed diplomatic action as a priority.
Ambassador Methqal said the Sovereign is personally committed to the emergence of Africa through the implementation of a set of actions, initiatives and projects with a strong social and human impact.
“To support this Royal Vision, the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation (AMCI), which acts in close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, since its creation in 1986 has worked to help strengthen Morocco’s relations with the countries of the African continent,” Director Mehtqal further stated.
He said the Moroccan International Cooperation greatly contributed to the formation of generations of African officials: ministers, ambassadors, engineers, lawyers and technicians, noting that the list of Africans in positions of responsibility and who benefited from services of this institution, under the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is long.
Responding separately to the head of the various groups, the Liberian Chief Diplomat called on the authorities of the entities to far track activities in order for the people of Liberia to see movement on the ground.
Minister Kemayah used the visit to propose a Liberia-Morocco Investment Forum in the not-too-distant future to create opportunity for the two countries, saying that he wants to see Liberian and Moroccan businesses at the forum exchanging views as it relates to the opportunities both nations have to offer.
The delegation was opportune to view several video presentation at all of the entities visited to see firsthand activities relating to their work and function.