Liberia and Australia have agreed to establish diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level. The decision was reached last week when Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Australian Prime Minister, Keivin Rudd, held discussions at the Liberian Mission in New York, the United States. Modalities for the implementation of the agreement are to be worked out through foreign ministry authorities of the two countries.

During the discussions, the Liberian President briefed Prime Minister Rudd on the progress Government has made in pursuing its development agenda. Despite some noticeable gains, the Liberian leader acknowledged, the country's destroyed infrastructure continues to negatively affect its ability to attract more foreign investment. Unemployment, limited capacity, corruption and a weak judiciary, she stressed, are also among factors which continue to impede the country's progress. President Johnson Sirleaf, however, pointed out that Government is instituting measures to confront the shortcomings, which she attributed to years of neglect and mismanagement.

The President informed Prime Minister Rudd of the enormous investment opportunity Liberia offers and urged Australian companies to take advantage of the potential. An Australian company, Woodside, is among a number of companies engaged in oil exploration in Liberia. President Johnson Sirleaf expressed the hope that more Australian companies would participate in Liberia's infrastructure development programs.

The Australian Prime Minister, for his part, acknowledged that Africa has been 'off the radar' in Australia's foreign policy and said his country intends to put the relations back on track.

Meanwhile, Australia has agreed to train Liberians in the fields of mining, engineering, and agriculture beginning in 2009. Prime Minister Rudd promised that his country will consider making a modest contribution to Liberia's Infrastructure Fund. He said Australia will work with Liberia to meet some of its short and long term development goals.

Among other high level meetings held last week in New York, the Liberian President also held talks with the President of Finland, Tarja Halonen, to discuss, among other issues, next year's International Women's Colloquium scheduled to be held in Monrovia in March. President Halonen is serving as co-host of the Colloquium.

The Liberian President also held discussions with the Prime Ministers of Morocco, Guinea, Denmark, Israel, as well as the President of Senegal, Mr. Abdoulaye Wade. The leaders discussed ways of enhancing cooperation between Liberia and their respective countries.

The President also met and held informal discussions with President John Kufuor at a reception hosted by the Ghanaian leader in New York. The leaders were in New York, the United States, to attend the 63rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly. The Liberian leader and delegation have since returned home.