The Government of Liberia and the Federative Republic of Brazil on Friday, July 9, 2010, signed an Agreement for the implementation of Five Projects by the two countries. The signing ceremony took place on the 4th Floor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ambassador Sylvester Grigsby, Deputy Foreign Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Integration signed on behalf of the Liberian Government, while Mr. Pedro Veloso, Head of the Mission of the Brazilian Agency for Cooperation signed on behalf of his government.

The five projects include a Brazilian Workshop at FUNDAP, a fellow-up mission in early 2011 to Liberia to monitor and evaluate the program designed at the FUNDAP workshop, a mission of the Liberian Institute of Statistics and a Geo-Information Services to visit Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics in November 2010, and a mission of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Liberia to Brazil.

The two countries believe that the projects are important steps towards promoting the development of Liberia and the deepening and the strengthening of their bilateral relations.

In the spirit of South-South Cooperation, Brazil looks forward to working as a partner of the other developing countries, as it shares its experiences and the techniques designed by the Brazilian Institutions.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ambassador Grigsby lauded the Brazilian Government for the signing of the Cooperation Agreement, noting that the projects will provide technical and vocational assistance to Liberia and will build the capacities of Liberian youth and people with disability.

Ambassador Grigsby said Brazil has made it part of its duty as developing country to share technical skills for the promotion of South-South cooperation. He said following the visit of President Johnson Sirleaf to Brazil in April 2010, the Brazilian Agency of Cooperation sent a mission to Liberia to discuss future cooperation projects between the two countries.

He further added that due to a request of the President herself and taking into consideration previous contacts between the two Governments, the mission comprised visits and meetings with institutions in the field of Public Administration, Civil Service, Vocational training, Sports and Youth, Statistics, Education and Commerce and Industry.

Also speaking, the head of the visiting Brazilian mission, Mr. Voloso expressed delight over the signing of the agreement and extolled the Liberian Government for the warn reception and expressed his government commitment to assist Liberia in the areas of vocational training and capacity building in sports for children and disabled.
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