India and Liberia Hold First Round of Foreign Office Consultations
The first round of the FOC took place in Monrovia
The first round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between India and Liberia took place in Monrovia. The meeting was attended by top officials of both the countries. The consultation held on December 17 was co-chaired by Sewala Naek Mude, Additional Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, and Sara Besolo, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia, Sara Besolo Nanti, a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs said.
During the visit, Mude also met Vice President Jeremiah Capan Kong and Minister of Health and Social Welfare Louise M Copoto, among other ministers. In an important gesture, the Liberian Ministers expressed deep appreciation for India's efforts in making the African Union a permanent member of the G20.
Africa Union to Strengthen Global South's Position
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Liberia was also an active participant in the Voice of the Global South Summit hosted by India and the ministers recognised that the membership of the G20 for the African Union will strengthen the position of the Global South at the forum. During the FOC, both sides comprehensively reviewed the entire gamut of India-Liberia bilateral relations, covering key areas of bilateral cooperation including trade, investment, mining, agriculture, health and pharmaceuticals, education, capacity building and people-to-people exchanges.
India and Liberia Enjoy Warm and Friendly Relations
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the two countries agreed to further deepen and diversify bilateral relations in key areas of contemporary relevance such as digital public infrastructure, energy development and development cooperation. India and Liberia enjoy warm and friendly relations. There have been regular visits from both sides. The opening of India's Resident Mission in Monrovia in 2021 has led to more interaction. India-Liberia bilateral trade has recorded USD 256 million during 2023-24, a significant part of the bilateral trade was India's exports to Liberia.
Liberia is Beneficiary of Duty-Free Tariff Scheme
Also, Liberia is a beneficiary of the Duty-Free Tariff Preference Scheme extended by India which will facilitate Liberian exports of timber, vegetable oil, rubber and other commodities to India. There is significant potential in other sectors, particularly agriculture, mineral exploration and pharmaceuticals.
More than 200 Indian companies are operating in Liberia in various sectors including automobiles, mining, healthcare, electronics, pharmaceuticals etc. Liberia is a member of the International Solar Alliance. India and Liberia agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi on a mutually convenient date.
[Agency]