As Liberia pursues its dream of becoming a middle income country by 2030, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is encouraging British investment with a keen interest in exploring business opportunities in Liberia, aimed at contributing to the country’s recovery plan.

She said government’s concentration in the post-Ebola recovery is now focused on four key areas - infrastructure, agriculture, health and education. “To this end, we anticipate that such investments would be directed to the manufacturing industries, especially in the value chain,” the Liberian leader urged, adding that this will enhance job creation, and alleviate the unemployment rate.

According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf made the assertion when she received the Letters of Credence from the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland accredited to Liberia, His Excellency Mr. David Belgrove.

She extolled the excellent relations currently subsisting between the two countries, and noted that the presentation of his Letters of Credence further indicates a renewed strengthening of Liberia – United Kingdom ties.

President Sirleaf assured Ambassador Belgrove of her fullest cooperation and that of the Government and people of Liberia during his tenure of service near this capital.

The Liberian leader used the occasion to convey to her counterpart, the Rt. Honorable Mr. David Cameron, through him, heartfelt congratulations for his reelection as Prime Minister and Head of the 56th Parliament of the United Kingdom.

“May I also through you, express warm wishes of good health to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, and to the People of the United Kingdom, sustained peace and prosperity,” President Sirleaf said.

For his part, Ambassador Belgrove, who earlier served here as the United Kingdom’s representative in Liberia from 2010 – 2012, expressed his government’s deepest sympathy for the thousands of lives lost as a result of Ebola virus disease; but also his country’s admiration for having achieved the “Ebola free” status.

He said though at the moment they are a small embassy, he expects to get additional colleagues from the British Department for International Development (DFID) who will work with the embassy and the Liberian Government on its recovery programs and what interventions they make next.

Ambassador Belgrove agreed with President Sirleaf on the need to encourage private investment partnership and sees his task as encouraging the United Kingdom private sector to invest in Liberia. “We very much looking forward to working with your government in all of those areas. I will definitely make those my priorities,” he assured.

Liberia–United Kingdom relations have remained excellent since that country recognized Liberia’s independence and extended a hand of amity and support in 1848. UK was the first country to recognize Liberia’s independence at a time when the country needed highly coveted international recognition to validate its sovereignty and independence.

Since the UK reopened its embassy in the country on March 18, 2013, DFID has supported ongoing projects aimed at supporting Liberia’s Agenda for Transformation including further support for infrastructure through the World Bank – Liberia Reconstruction Trust Fund; support to the European Union road maintenance project being implemented under EDF10 and EDF11.

They have also supported Liberian security sector reform with specific reference to assistance provided by Her Majesty’s Armed Forces to the Liberian army; support to civil service reforms and the Liberia Institute of Public Administration; governance and the rule of law through the African Governance Initiative (AGI) found and sponsored by Mr. Tony Blair; contributed immensely to Liberia’s judiciary system and girl’s education, including much more.

The UK-based Save the Children, an international children’s charity, has been in Liberia over a protracted period and has reached out to over 180,000 Liberian children facing hunger and poor health conditions.

Action Aid, another UK-based NGO, began work in Liberia in 1996 and at present it continues to provide assistance to Liberia in areas of food security, women’s rights, HIV/AIDS prevention, governance, education and emergencies.

As regards the UK’s respond to the Ebola outbreak in the region, the UK has been a big contributor to the fight against the Ebola virus though with emphasis on Sierra Leone. In August 2014, the UK Government approved funding support in response to the Regional Plan for Ebola in West Africa; the Government of Liberia’s Ebola Action Plan; the accelerated Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak Immediate Response in West Africa; they also approved further funding of US$10 million encompassing US$8.3 million in addition to earlier funding of US$1.5 million to help strengthen coordination capacity in Liberia and Sierra Leone, support UN agencies in coordinating the response to the crisis and increase the case management response.

The UK remains the biggest bilateral donor to the UN Ebola Multi-Partner Trust Fund and has committed to present US$31.8 million. To date, UK’s contribution to the Ebola fight amounts to approximately US$1 billion.

Ambassador Belgrove replaces Ambassador Cochrane-Dyet who departed the country on March 20, 2015.