The 2^nd edition of the EU – Liberia Political Dialogue takes place Monday, February 17, 2014 at 10 am at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Capitol Hill.

The Dialogue is in line with Article 8 of the Cotonou Agreement which states that the EU and member states of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries which include Liberia shall regularly engage in a comprehensive, balanced and deep political dialogue leading to commitments on both sides.  The Dialogue aims to enhance development cooperation between the EU and the Republic of Liberia.

Monday’s 2^nd edition will focus on International and Regional Agenda, Good Governance, Democracy, Peace, Security, Biodiversity and Conservation, Economic Cooperation, Trade, and follow up on previous meetings. Among major issues to be followed up is the issue of the Schengen Visas in Monrovia.

The 2^nd EU – Liberia Political Dialogue will be led on the Liberian side by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan with the participation of several ministries and agencies of the Liberian Government to include the Ministries of Finance, Defense, Justice, Finance, Internal Affairs, Commerce and Industry, Youth & Sports, Forest Development Authority, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Governance Commission, National Elections Commission, Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission and the Independent National Commission on Human Rights.

Ambassador Attilio Pacifici, head of the EU Delegation to Liberia, will lead the EU team of discussants that will include EU accredited ambassadors to Liberia including the ambassadors of France, Germany, Sweden, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

The EU-Liberia Political Inaugural Edition held on November 22, 2012, under the Theme: “Regional and Global Issues” focused on Peace, Security, Democracy in the region, International Criminal Court (ICC) – Mano River Union, ECOWAS and the AU, Regional and Global Trade Schemes, including Economic Partnership Agreement, Climate Change, and Sustainable Energy.

 The Dialogue was officially launched on June 21, 2012 by Her Excellency, Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia and Dr. Nicholas Westcott, Managing Director for Africa in the European External Action Services, which inaugural edition was held November 22, 2012 at the Cecil Dennis Auditorium, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.