The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia, through its Foreign Service Institute (FSI), has begun a 12-day Protocol Training for Protocol Personnel across the Government of Liberia.

Mr. John S. M. Yormie, Jr, Officer-In-Charge of the FSI, said the training comes as result of a mandate from H.E. Mr. Gbehzohngar Milton Findley, Minister of Foreign Affairs, who, too, is acting on a Legislative mandate to respond to some protocol gaps in the country.

“In this light, the major training arm of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to make a robust and proactive all-important national call,” Yormie said.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, the 12-day training is intended to deepen the knowledge and skills of Protocol Officers and other personnel of government assigned at the Offices of the President and the Vice President. The training will also incorporate protocol staffs of the Legislature, the Judiciary as well as the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, State for Presidential Affairs, Internal Affairs, Defense and Finance and Development Planning. 

The workshop also covers Chiefs of Office Staff, Administrative and Special Assistants, Research Analysts and Research Assistants at the National Legislature.

The skills-upgrading workshop focuses on thematic areas including the structures and functions of the Office of the President, the Vice President, the Legislature and the Judiciary.

Participants are going to be trained in Protocol and Etiquette, Diplomatic Communication Writing, including Note Verbale, Memoir and regular official communications.              

Participants will also be drilled through foreign policy and channel of implementations, national conferences, diplomatic negotiations and functions, etc.

Ambassador George W. Wallace, Jnr.  Advisor to the President on Foreign Affairs, Dr. Professor Augustine M. Konneh, former Director General, FSI, Ambassador Robert Y. Lormia, Ambassador-At-Large, Hon. J. Emmanuel Bowier, Lecturer at the FSI and Cllr. Deweh Gray, Deputy Minister for Legal Affairs are expected to serve as key facilitators for the training. 

As part of his immediate action plan, Foreign Minister Findley, during his confirmation hearing, at the Liberian Senate, promised to conduct training for all protocol officers across government ministries and agencies in order for them to be more effective during state functions.

Also speaking during the formal opening of the workshop, the President’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs, who gave a brief background and significance of protocol, told the gathering that they had not brought in those protocol officers together to begin correcting them but to add on to what they already know.

“The reason why this institute was established was that the representation of Liberia [in the Foreign Service] was done by foreigners, including white people representing Liberia as Minister Plenipotentiaries,” he narrated.

According to him, when President William V. S. Tubman was inaugurated, he decided that Liberia must be represented abroad by Liberians and so he sent to Washington D.C. 10 Liberians, who were working in the Foreign Ministry to enter the Foreign Service Institute of the US and acquired training in diplomacy.

He stated that President Tubman realizing that it would have been very expensive sending people every now and then out of the country for foreign training, the Foreign Service Institute was established and its class was first used to be held at the College of West Africa (CWA).

Ambassador Wallace said that the first 40 Liberians, who were trained, were all sent on Foreign missions abroad.

He told participants at the workshop that a protocol officer is one who is soft-spoken and that they should try to cultivate such virtue.

Representing the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Minister for Legal Affairs, Cllr. Deweh E. Gray, said the workshop is further intended to give all government functionaries an eye opener and insight to the rules and guidance for good behaviors, planning official events and interacting with citizens and international guests.

“Many times, we think that Protocol is just about the Foreign Ministry but this aspect of the workshop will cut across all government agencies. So, all of us are here over the next few days to listen to some of the rules of engagement as we perform our various duties in our offices,” Cllr. Gray emphasized.