|
|
West Africa: Mano River Union Summit Opens in Monrovia
 |
|
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
Liberia Government (Monrovia)
14 May 2008
Posted to the web 15 May 2008
A one-day Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Mano River Union (MRU) gets underway Thursday in Monrovia, with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf chairing.
The MRU Summit is intended to consider concrete measures aimed at strengthening the Union's secretariat, among other issues. The leaders will also discuss peace and security in the sub-region as well as the looming global food crisis, with the aim of adopting a comprehensive approach to tackling the food crisis.
According to an Executive Mansion release, Cote d'Ivoire, which recently announced its decision to join the MRU, will formally be admitted into the Union.
As current Chair of the Union, Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will open Thursday's session with a statement. The leaders of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire will also deliver statements at the opening ceremony, following which they will retire behind closed doors for deliberations.
Meanwhile, Sierra Leone's President, Ernest Bai Koroma, arrived in the country last night for Thursday's Summit. President Koroma was received upon arrival by President Johnson Sirleaf at the Roberts International Airport in Harbel, Margibi County. Guinean Prime Minister, Lansana Kouyate, arrived Wednesday afternoon at the James Spriggs Payne Airfield in Sinkor. Prime Minister Kouyate was received by the Vice President, Dr. Joseph Boakai. Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo, is being represented by the Head of the Country's Economic Council, Mr. Laurent Dona Fologo.
Thursday's Mano River Union Summit is the first in Liberia since the ascendancy two years ago of President Johnson Sirleaf.
|
The Mano River Union was formed in 1973 to foster economic and regional cooperation between Liberia and Sierra Leone. Guinea joined the Union a few years later and has since remained an active and influential member.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copyright © 2008 Liberia Government. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Make allAfrica.com your home page | RSS Feed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top | Site Guide | Who We Are | Advertising | Search | Subscribe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Questions or Comments? Contact us. Read our Privacy Statement. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
