The Foreign Minister of Liberia Ms.  Marjon V. Kamara has lauded the Government of the Republic of Korea for its immense bilateral contributions towards Liberia’s post-conflict and post Ebola recovery efforts.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, Minister Kamara made the assertion on Monday, October 10, 2016 when the Korean Ambassador accredited to Liberia paid a courtesy call on her at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the meeting held in the conference room of the Foreign Ministry, the two officials exchanged views on critical bilateral issues of mutual benefit to their respective governments and peoples.

 While receiving the Korean Ambassador in audience,   the Liberian Foreign Minister was extended an invitation, by His Excellency Mr. Noh Kyu-duk, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, to attend this year’s 4^th Korea-Africa Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Extending the invitation , Ambassador Noh told Foreign Minister Kamara that her Korean counterpart will also participate in the  4th Korea-Africa Summit which is tentatively scheduled for December 6 & 7, 2016 and that its venue has been moved to Ethiopia instead of Korea, where it has usually been held.

According to the release, the Korean Ambassador also   informed Minister Kamara that other African Foreign Ministers are expected to attend the upcoming Summit.

The Korean Diplomat indicated that Liberia being the Chair of the ECOWAS sub-region, Foreign Minister Kamara could also represent ECOWAS at the forum, as he hopes that the minister would accept the invitation despite her busy schedule. 

He informed the Foreign Minister, who is also Dean of the Cabinet that his colleague Ambassador accredited near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and the Chadian Foreign Minister, who is the Summit Coordinator, are working out modalities to finalize a suitable date for the Summit, taking into account other important dates on the Continent.

“We are quite sure that December 6 & 7, 2016 would be feasible for this important event and we hope that Your Excellency will be in attendance,” he told the Liberian Foreign Minister.

On other important matters concerning Liberia – Korea relations, Ambassador Noh, who is resident in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, told the Foreign Minister that Liberia’s post-Ebola recovery proposal is a very important aspect of Korea’s engagement with Liberia.

The Korea Envoy also informed Minister Kamara that he has held formal discussions with Liberia’s Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H. E. Dr. Al-hassan Conteh, who, he said, has promised to ensure that the proposal would be submitted by November of this year to Korea for its intervention.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Noh further disclosed plans to organize a two week training program for Liberian health professionals in controlling and managing infectious diseases in Liberia.

Responding to the invitation from the Korean Envoy, the Dean of the Cabinet thanked Ambassador Noh and his government for the huge bilateral assistance to Liberia particularly during the Ebola crisis.

She expressed the hope that the necessary paper works would be done in time in order that Liberia maybe adequately prepared for the upcoming summit, while at the same time informing the Korean Ambassador that an ECOWAS Summit has been scheduled for December 14, 2016.

Foreign Minister Kamara also thanked the Korean Diplomat for his personal role in cementing the cordial bilateral relations between Liberia and his country, adding that the issue of infectious disease control is a critical challenge facing the Liberian health sector.

She reflected on the past experience of the deadly Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, adding that there are many things that Liberia needs to do in order to strengthen its health sector. 

Foreign Minister Kamara used the occasion to laud the Korean Government for its decision to organize training for Liberian health professionals in order to tackle infectious diseases, stressing, “The training will greatly help our health professionals.”

The Liberian Foreign Minister assured Ambassador Noh that she would make sure that the interests and rights of the Korean investors are protected under the law through the Justice Ministry.

Foreign Minister Kamara was joined in the meeting with Ambassador Noh by Hon. Dehpue Zuo, Deputy Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Integration and Hon. Rosetta Nagbe-Jarkollie, Assistant Minister of Afro-Asian.