MONROVIA – The second meeting of the World Trade Organization Trade Policy Review mission to Liberia has been successfully concluded.
The meeting, held at the at the EJS Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, Paynesville, from January 30, to February 3, 2023, was in fulfillment of Liberia’s obligation under the transparency mechanism. The occasion was also in continuation of Liberia’s first Trade Policy Review process of July, 2022, following the country’s admittance into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2016.
Addressing the opening session of the meeting Monday, January 30, 2023, Commerce and Industry Minister, Madam Mawine G. Diggs, observed that the review process was aimed at providing details of Liberia’s foreign trade regime and set out the Country’s international trade vision for the ensuing years.
Minister Diggs told the gathering that the process also provided useful information for the trading partners of Liberia, the business community and other interested parties.
“This review process will help our country identify challenges and shortcomings of Liberia’s trade regime and explore the necessary remedies,” Minister Diggs said.
She observed that the Trade Policy Review process was a demonstration of the commitment of Liberia to the Rules-based Multilateral Trading System.
Minister Diggs expressed optimism about the five-day deliberations offering participants the opportunity to discuss and provide all the required information that will contribute to the completion of Trade Policy Review report on Liberia.
For his part, the head of the WTO delegation, Mr. Jacques Degbelo said the main purpose of second meeting was to finalize the report.
“We are here today to collect your information, your comments, your remarks on each section that was sent to you,” he added.
Mr. Degbelo noted that Liberia, as a Least Developed Country (LDC) belongs to the group of seven years countries. He added that as required, such report normally has to be clear as much as possible because it is usually circulated to all WTO members. He urged the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to ensure that report be as accurate as possible on grounds that any mistake made will remain there for seven years as a matter of policy.
The meeting was attended by several Ministries, Agencies and Commissions (MACs) of the Liberian Government, including the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT), Forestry Development Authority (FDA), Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA). Others are the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Public Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC), etc.
