Foreign Minister, Madam Marjon Kamara says Liberia has reached a point in its development drive where it would like to add value to its resources, create jobs for Liberians, and increase trade with the outside world.

“We are very pleased by the decision that was taken to visit Liberia to hold exploratory discussions and look at possibilities to strengthen collaboration in the forestry sector. We have natural resources, many of them we have been exporting as raw materials. We would like to add value by doing some processing of these materials in our country to create jobs for our people and increase trade with the outside world and forestry is one area,” she emphasized.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, Minister Kamara made the assertion when a high-level delegation from the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) State Forestry Administration and five Chinese enterprises paid her a courtesy call on Thursday, July 13, 2017. They were accompanied by Liberia’s Ambassador to the PRC, His Excellency Mr. Dudley McKinley Thomas.

She indicated that it is Government’s hope that this visit will open the door for further strengthening of collaboration with China in the development of the forest sector; but not forgetting the concerns of the environment.

“We hope that if you succeed in your discussions, you will exploit these resources in an environmentally friendly manner,” Minister Kamara urged, adding that all the investments done in this sector must be friendly to the environment ensuring that we continue to preserve this asset by reforestation.

For his part, PRC’s Deputy Director General for State Forestry Administration, Mr. Kong Ming, thanked Minister Kamara for the opportunity to meet with him and his delegation.

He said their visit to Liberia is based on President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s request to Chinese businessmen to explore investment opportunities in Liberia, during a visit to China a few years ago; and their interest is the forestry sector.

Mr. Ming said this is the first time that the PRC’s State Forestry Administration has led a delegation to Liberia to explore opportunities in the forestry sector and was pleased to be in the country.

He noted that they fully understand Minister Kamara’s concerns about adding value through processing, creating jobs as well as establishing long-term mechanisms to develop and utilize the forest in a sustained way.

The Chinese Deputy Director General for State Forestry Administration assured that they have the potential to establish a long term and sustained cooperation mechanism. “In recent years, Chinese enterprises have gained experience from investing in other countries in the areas of timber processing as well as re-establishing the timber industry garden,” he said.

He said though it is just the beginning of the visit, his delegation is interested in establishing a strong relationship and hoped that after the deliberation, they will achieve good results.

The Chinese delegation is in the country to hold exploratory discussions with the possibility to strengthen collaboration in the forestry sector. These discussions commenced at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ conference room and government’s delegation include representatives from the Forestry Development Authority, National Investment Commission and the Ministries of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry and State without Portfolio.