10 November 2009
President Ellen Johnson has commended the Government and people of China for their continued support to Africa's social and micro-economic development. The President described China as a strategic partner to Africa and Liberia in particular.
The Liberian leader told the opening session of the "Forum for China Africa Cooperation", Sunday in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, that China has made enormous contributions to Liberia's recovery.
According to an Executive Mansion/ELBC dispatch from Sharm el-Sheikh, President Sirleaf told the forum that through a series of bilateral cooperation agreement, the east Asian nation expanded teaching facilities at the University of Liberia's Fendell Campus and established of an anti-malaria treatment center at the JFK hospital in Monrovia, constructed a modern hospital in Tappita in Nimba County, and constructed primary and secondary schools across Liberia.
Another important area of Liberia's recovery affected by Chinese goodwill, she said, was the construction of roads and streets across the country. She then noted that total Chinese investment under the auspices of the Union Mining Concession in Bong Mines, western Liberia, amounted to US $2.5 billion.
Regarding the Chinese government partnership with the rest of the continent, the President said, Africa was in a better position now to weather its resources than ten years ago, when it was faced with too many constraints including internal civil crisis. She said with prudent micro-economic reforms combined with favorable external environment, Africa is now enjoying considerable growth rate.
These reforms, the Liberian leader said, have strengthened fiscal imbalances and reduced inflation, while many African countries have also benefitted from substantial debt reliefs which have resulted in low debt service export ratio in many countries. The Liberian President noted that Africa democratization process is also well underway.
The Liberian leader told the Forum that Africa remains the world's largest frontier in terms of natural resources and its potential contribution towards addressing global warming and climate change. She described the Forum as an important mechanism for the development of Africa including Liberia, noting the relations between the two countries will continued to be strengthened based on bilateral and multilateral programs and mutual respect.
Meanwhile, African countries attending the Fourth conference on the Forum for China/Africa Corporation (FOCAC) have also commended china for its continued support to Africa, the Presidents Zimbabwe, Sudan, Egypt, DRC, Rwanda among others said over the last thirty years, China has become a beacon of hope for the growth of Africa.
President Sirleaf was accompanied to the conference by Chinese ambassador to Liberia, Zhou Yu Xiao and Foreign Minister Olubanke Akerele, among others. It may be recalled that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf arrived in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on Saturday, to participate in the opening ceremony of the Fourth Ministerial Conference of China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), taking place on 8-9 November.
The President, Saturday, held bilateral talks with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao during which she enumerated the many ways in which Liberia has benefited from its partnership with China since the 2006 Beijing Summit of FOCAC. She identified agriculture, health, education, and infrastructure as areas of concentrated effort, noting that all of that had made a big difference to Liberia's development agenda.
Chinese companies were also making an important impact in the private sector, the President said, citing two that were involved in constructing road and bridges with World Bank financing.
Referring to China Union, a company that won the bid for the revitalization of Bong Mines, but which was now unable to fulfill the terms of the contract, the President sought Mr. Wen's support in getting the China Development Bank to partner with China Union to enable the project to proceed.
Government needed payments to be made for its budget, the President emphasized. Responding, Premier Wen pledged that China would do all it could to help Liberia's post-war recovery. He said that the China Development Bank was working on a plan, and was sending a task force to Liberia so that early agreement could be reached regarding payment, in order for the China Union project to get under way. Premier Wen also announced that China would provide an additional 50 million Yuan to Liberia for mutually agreed projects.
The FOCAC Conference brings together Chinese and African leaders to review the implementation of agreed actions since the 2006 Beijing Summit. At that time, Chinese and African leaders agreed to forge a new type of strategic partnership, and China announced a series of measures it would take to enhance its cooperation with African countries.
The Conference is also expected to agree on a new Action Plan for China-Africa partnership and cooperation over the next three years (2010-2012). Chinese Premier Wen is expected to announce further measures to assist Africa, aimed at forging ever-closer ties. The first FOCAC was held in 2000.
The Liberian President left Monrovia on Friday morning for Egypt, with a stopover in Tripoli, where she held discussions with the Libyan Leader, Col. Mouamar Qadhafi. Madam Johnson Sirleaf was met upon arrival in Sharm El Sheikh by the Minister of Electricity and Power of Egypt, Mr. Hassan Younis, other dignitaries, and members of the Liberian delegation to the Conference.
That delegation includes the Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E Olubanke King-Akerele; Ambassadors Konah Blackett and Neh Dukuly-Tolbert, accredited to Egypt and China, respectively; Ambassador Edward L. Dunn Jr., Chief of Protocol; and Hon. George Wisner, Assistant Minister, Bureau for Afro-Asian Affairs, among others.
President Johnson Sirleaf will arrive back in Monrovia on Monday, in time to witness the tomorrow's election for a new Senator to represent Montserrado County.
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