The Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. B. Elias Shoniyin, has expressed gratitude for Nigeria’s contribution to the peace and stability that Liberia now enjoys.

“Knowing that you all are from Nigeria, a country that is so close to the hearts of so many Liberians not just at the governmental level but also the people to people interaction and exchanges. More importantly, Liberians remain grateful for Nigeria’s contribution during Liberia’s civil war in the 1990s. We remember the blood of Nigerians that was spilled on this soil to enjoy the peace we now enjoy and we recognize that,” Acting Minister Shoniyin said amidst rapturous applauds.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, Mr. Shoniyin made the assertion at the Gabriel L. Dennis Foreign Service Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, July 5, 2017, when he welcomed 13 participants from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Abuja, currently undertaking an Executive Intelligence Management Course in the country.

The one-week tour is intended to study the relationship between the Executive and the Legislative branches of the Liberian Government under the theme: “Executive - Legislative Relations:  Gap, Challenges and Prospects.” They will also look at security, governance and development issues of bilateral importance to both countries.

Acting Minister Shoniyin thanked the Nigerians for their support and noted that if their government had not gotten the support from the population, the peace that we now enjoy in Liberia would not have happened. “We continue to remain grateful to the people of Nigeria for their support,” he said.

He used the opportunity to provide his perspective on the collaboration between the Executive and Legislative branches of the Liberian Government.

Providing a synopsis of the study tour, the director for research at the ISS, Abuja, and team leader, Mr. Adamu A. Dodo, FSI, said that considering the theme, they have identified that Nigeria has challenges in these areas and there was a need to look at Liberia’s model.

Mr. Dodo indicated that the choice of Liberia was not by accident as it is one of two countries on the continent that was never colonized and has a robust democratic system. “We want to know how Liberia has been able to come out of its crisis and is forging ahead; even getting stronger and better as well as what methods, efforts and divisions that were executed to bring Liberia to its level of development,” he said.

He indicated that there are three other teams undertaking a similar exercise in Ghana, Togo, and Senegal.

Lectures commenced with the Inspector-General of the Liberia National Police, Col. Gregory Coleman. He was followed by the President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Mr. Armah Zulu Jallah, and later the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honorable J. Emmanuel Nuquay.

The Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Mr. Sylvester Grigsby also made a statement during the first day of the deliberations.

On Thursday, July 6, 2017, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Liberia, Cllr. Frederick Cherue will lecture the delegation followed by the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mrs. Julia Duncan Cassel. The Commissioner of the Liberia Immigration Service, Cllr. Lemuel A. Reeves will conclude the day’s activities.

The Chairman of the Governance Commission, Dr. Amos Sawyer; the President of the Press Union of Liberia, Mr. Charles B. Coffey, Jr.; and the Chairman of the National Elections Commission, Cllr. Jerome G. Korkoya will address the delegation at separate times on Friday, July 7, 2017.