The Government of the Republic of Liberia and the European Union met today February 7, 2020 for the Eighth edition of the EU-Liberia Political Dialogue. This meeting was held under Article 8 of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific States for the period 2000-2020, which enables the establishment of a platform for regular and comprehensive political dialogue. The 8th EU-Liberia Political Dialogue was co-chaired by the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Henry B. Fahnbulleh, and the Head of the EU Delegation to Liberia, Ambassador Hélène Cavé.

Both parties exchanged views related to a number of themes, including the state of the economy; an enabling business and investment climate for private sector development, broad-based economic growth and job creation; good governance, accountability and transparency; human rights; the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; electoral reform; TRC's recommendations; the negotiations for a new agreement to replace the Cotonou Partnership and future EU cooperation in Liberia; Brexit; and the Coronavirus.

Members of the Liberian delegation included the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Hon. Samuel D. Tweah Jr.; Minister of Commerce and Industry, Prof. Wilson Tarpeh; Minister of Justice, Cllr. Frank Musa Dean; Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Williametta Piso Saydee Tarr; Minister of Health, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah; and Heads of representatives of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, Governance Commission, General Auditing Commission, National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority, National Investment Commission, and National Election Commission.

Representing the European Union were the Ambassador of France, Terence Wills; Ambassador of Germany, Hubert Josef Jaeger; Ambassador of Ireland, Lesley Ni Bhriain; Ambassador of Spain, Ricardo López-Aranda Jagu; Ambassador of Sweden, Ingrid Wetterqvist; Deputy Head of Mission of Denmark, Birgit la Cour Madsen; and First Secretary of the Embassy of The Netherlands, Gijs Bakker.

During the dialogue, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning Hon. Samuel Tweah, and the Head of the EU Delegation to Liberia, Ambassador Hélène Cavé, signed a Financing Agreement for a EU Technical Cooperation Facility/Support to the National Authorizing Officer (NAO) and Aid Management and Coordination Unit (AMCU) at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), in charge of assisting current and future EU-Liberia development cooperation and reinforcing the aid coordination system, amounting to 3.5 Million Euros. Two other programmes funded by the EU will be signed very soon, on Rural Electrification, prioritizing the South-East (42 Million Euros), and on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for young people in Liberia (12 Million Euros).

At the end of the dialogue, both parties reaffirmed their support to a regular exchange of views and follow-up on the conclusions reached in the course of these regular political dialogues. The parties reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening their relationship and expressed the desire that the 9^th EU-Liberia Political Dialogue would take place in the second half of June 2020.