The Liberian Government had a farewell reception and an investiture ceremony for H. E. Ambassador Harrison Oluwantoyin Solaja, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), whose tour of duty has come to an end in Liberia after four years.

 Amb. Solaja was praised for rallying the AU to send goods and persons in Liberia to help in its Ebola fight in 2014. Speaking during the farewell reception, Acting Foreign Affairs Minister B. Elias Shoniyin said the AU is regarded as one of Liberia’s Ebola Champions because it worked assiduously hard to stamp out the virus. Mr. Shoniyin stated that Ambassador Solaja worked hard to facilitate and deepen Liberia’s relations with the AU; adding: “in his four-year journey in Liberia, we accomplished a lot together.”

He heaped praises on the AU and Ambassador Solaja, who he said did an enviable work in putting Liberia’s agendas on the front burner of the AU. According to the Acting Foreign Minister, the Government of Liberia continues to enjoy both diplomatic and multilateral relations with the AU and the African Union Commission,” the Acting Minister stated.

“Among the many contributions of the African Union Liberia’s economic development, Liberians remember the urgent response to the Ebola outbreak in MRU region, when the African Union convened an Extraordinary Executive Session on 8 September 2014, during which time Member States were called upon to urgently lift all travel bans and restrictions on the Ebola-affected countries.

 Beyond this call, the Commission scrupulously follow-up and requested Member States to manifest their solidarity by the resumption of flights and abandoning border closures.”

“Today, we celebrate the more than 835 volunteers from across Africa, who availed themselves to service in the affected countries, out of which 339 served in Liberia. Their humanity led them to the hot spots and guided them, that not a single volunteer contracted the disease. Beyond the financial contributions of many AU member states, the deeds of contributing countries to the intervention of ASEOWA will never be forgotten, as they form part of the great history of Africa’s response to its own problem,” Minister Shoniyin commended the continental body.

He further stated the AU also provided US$500,000 to the three affected countries as direct support and further advocated for debt cancellation for Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone in order to alleviate the impact of the Ebola crisis on their economies and to facilitate recovery and development. Responding, Ambassador Solaja, who assumed office in October 2011, remembered that when the deadly Ebola virus was raging in Liberia in July and August of 2014, a solution had to be found to the “mysterious health and humanitarian disaster.”

“With the support of partners, including the African Union Support of Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA), Health Volunteers deployed under the auspices of the AU, the resilience of Liberians prevailed leading to the containment of the disease,” he said.

He also stated that the AU spent about US$37 million, through contributions from partners and the African Private Sector, in the deployment of about 850 AU health volunteers, and provision of needed logistics to fight the deadly virus in the three Mano River Union affected nation.

Before he had come for the farewell reception, he had earlier paid a courtesy on Acting Foreign Minister Shoniyin.

Ambassador Solaja was presented with many gifts by Liberian Government officials and institutions during the reception ceremony. He also had the time to say goodbye with fellow diplomats and others, who cued up to  have a hand shake with him.