The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with relevant ministries and agencies of Government will hold a two-day retreat for the heads of its 25 diplomatic and consular missions around the world. Liberia has 21 embassies, two permanent missions and two consulates-general accredited near various capitals in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

The retreat, which runs from March 9 – 10, 2017, has as its general theme: “Promoting Liberia’s Transformation Agenda Through the Liberian Foreign Service”; and its working theme: “The Liberian Foreign Service: A Partner for Transformative Economic Development”. It will be held at a local hotel in Paynesville City outside Monrovia.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, the retreat will provide a platform for determining viable strategies and options that Liberia’s missions abroad can use to deepen engagements with host governments and the private sector in their jurisdiction to encourage investment in Liberia and enhance development partnerships, support and cooperation between respective countries.

It will deliberate on ways by which the Foreign Ministry can achieve its top three priorities overtime namely: effectively operationalizing the implementation of existing bilateral and multilateral agreements for speedy economic recovery, growth and development of Liberia; transforming the Liberian Foreign Service and improving service delivery to and relations with Liberian citizens, national agencies, and foreign nationals and institutions.

The retreat will also examine lapses of communication and coordination between the Ministry and the missions and develop strategies to bridge those gaps; develop policies which will increase trade to support priorities as set forth in the Agenda for Transformation (AfT); as well as, develop policies by which Liberia can attract technical and logistical support of the justice and security sector in view of UNMIL’s drawdown.

At the opening of the retreat, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will make a Special Statement; while during the working sessions, relevant ministries, agencies and commissions of Government, particularly Finance and Development Planning, Commerce and Industry, Justice, National Investment Commission, General Services Agency, and the National Elections Commission will make expert presentations.

At the end of the retreat, requisite plans will be developed for the effective and efficient role of the Ministry and its diplomatic missions in the implementation of Government’s AfT; clear strategies will be developed to boost economic output, including trade and investment to support Pillar Two of the AfT to generate financial, technical and personnel funding; clear strategies will be developed to address communication and coordination lapses between the Ministry and the Missions; while there will be an acceleration of the Ministry’s efforts to operationalize existing bilateral and multilateral agreements for speedy economic recovery, growth and development.

Meanwhile, in addition to the diplomatic and consular corps accredited near Monrovia, all Cabinet ministers, members of the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Public Accounts of both Houses of the National Legislature, among others are invited to grace the occasion.

This is the second time, during this administration, that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has invited the heads of Liberia’s diplomatic and consular missions to attend a retreat here in Monrovia. The first was in August 2011.