Kemayah’s Leadership Gets EU’s Confidence

MONROVIA-The European Union and its Member States in a press communiqué recognized the role played by Liberia’s Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., stating that the Republic of Liberia currently plays an important role to restore peace, security, stability, democracy and constitutional order in its Sisterly Republics in the region, the European Union reaffirms its readiness to support the Republic of Liberia and ECOWAS in these endeavors.

According to the press communique, those same values inspire the strong positions adopted by the Republic of Liberia after the illegal and unprovoked aggression of Ukraine by Russia, and its firm and decisive stance on human rights in the United Nations through the untiring diplomatic initiatives of Ambassador Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., Minister of Foreign Affairs.

“The European Union and its Member States appreciate the constructive and regular exchanges based on shared values held with Minister Kemayah as well as with the  Cllr. Musa F. Dean, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, at the fruitful exchanges in the 10th  EU-Liberia Political Dialogue and in other formats.

The EU and its Member States look forward to continuing our active cooperation to ensure the full respect for human rights and the promotion of the values of liberal democracy in multilateral fora and within the region”, the press communique further noted.

An insider who spoke to this paper said some of the many noticeable achievements of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liberia, Amb. Kemayah includes, but not limited to the following, the arrangements and setting up of Passport Application Centers have been finalized to provide passport acquisition services; including the passports to Liberians in places where there are no diplomatic or consular representation of the Government of Liberia, Pretoria, South Africa; Nairobi, Kenya; Melbourne, Australia; Minnesota, United States of America; Chicago, United States of America, New Delhi, India and Canada.

The insider further disclosed that the formal launching ceremony for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia Passport Application Centers is scheduled for Tuesday, August 2, 2022.

The diplomatic source said the Minister of Foreign Affairs issued a circular to all of Liberia’s Foreign Missions/Embassies/Consulates; directing that effective July 1, 2021; all revenue generated/collected on behalf of the Government of Liberia must be remitted to the Government of Liberia Consolidated Account at the Central Bank of Liberia; in compliance with the Financial Management Law of the Republic of Liberia.

The Minister’s excellent financial stewardship contributed to the great performance of the Ministry by exceeding revenue projections and realizing an increment in revenue collections from Passports, visas and other consular services over the Fiscal Year – July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021; Special Budget – July 1 – December 31, 2021; and January 1 – December 31, 2022.

The source said the Minister developed and placed in a gazette Regulations requiring all payments of fees for the issuance of Apostilles, Articles of Incorporation (i.e. Blue Jacket) and laissez-passers to be made to the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), and present flag receipts to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to access the desired services.

“Through the World Bank – Public Sector Modernization Project (PSMP), we have transitioned the Ministry’s Personnel Records from manual filing system (paper filing) to Digital Records Management System, DRMS (Electronic Filing System) and replaced Manual Sign-In and Sign-Out Ledgers with Digital Clock-In Devices.

The Ministry secured a total of US$240,000.00 under this program after meeting all the benchmarks set by the World Bank, which enabled us to procure 42 Desktop Computers, 11 Laptops, and currently provide full internet service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Employees’ Digital Records Management System will provide easy access to employees’ information and its proper management in real-time.

“Upon initiating the application process in October 2021 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, it was recorded breaking for President WEAH’s Administration and Liberia when following intense lobbying, Liberia was endorsed at the 41st Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union as Africa’s Candidate to serve as a Non-Permanent Member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the period; 2026-2027 at the elections scheduled to be held in 2025; Liberia was also endorsed by the African Group of Ambassadors at the United Nations in New York in January 2022”, the source continued.

The insider intoned that Japan has committed US$23 Million Dollars for the reconstruction of the Gabriel Tucker Bridge to Freeport Corridor, beginning early 2023; after Liberia received from Japan a total of 2,599.8 metric tons of rice or 86,000 bags of 30kg rice for monetization worth US$1 Million Dollars earmarked to extend the Duala Market and construct modern parking lot to decongest huge traffic along the Duala-Virginia Corridor.

“On the margins of the AU-EU Foreign Ministerial Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, Liberia, represented by its Minister of Foreign Affairs signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hungary, represented by its Minister of Foreign Affairs on October 26, 2021, for cooperation in the field of higher education. As a result, the first batch of Nine (9) Liberians have met all the requirements to pursue Bachelor and Master’s Degree Studies in the Republic of Hungary. A Team from the Embassy of Hungary in Accra is due in Liberia on August 18, 2022 to do the biometrics and visa process for the Nine (9) successful Liberians.

“Also, the Government of Hungary commits to provide US$50 Million credit facility in Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the Government of Liberia to be invested in the energy, ICT, agriculture, water, and sanitation sectors, including youth and women empowerment programs.

“As part of the Minister’s ongoing reform initiatives, we secured GOL-LPA scheme for employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Our staff at the home office and the Foreign Service have the opportunity to acquire building materials and other items to build homes and improve their lives prior to retirement. As it stands, Forty-Two (42) employees are currently benefiting from the MOFA-LPA Scheme; and 100 employees have benefited from the Salary Advance Scheme from EDEN360 Company”, the source said.

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