President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has praised Sweden for its financial support to the Liberia National Secretariat for the Post-2015 Development Agenda, describing Sweden as "a good friend."

According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf made the statement Thursday, December 6, 2012 in the C. Cecil Dennis Jr. Auditorium, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, when she witnessed the signing of an agreement between the Governments of the Kingdom of Sweden and the Republic of Liberia, where Sweden provided 4.3 million Swedish crowns (approximately US$650,000) in financial support to the Liberia National Secretariat for the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

The Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Dr. Edward B. McClain, Jr., signed on behalf of the Liberian Government while the Counselor and Head of Development Cooperation of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), Ms. Gisela Strand, who's also Acting Head of Mission, signed on behalf of the Swedish Government.

In remarks, President Sirleaf pointed out of being an African leader invited to serve as one of three co-Chairs of the High-Level Panel came as a surprise, and that funds for such an undertaking were not included in the country's 2012/2013 National Budget.

The High-Level Panel was set up in July 2012 by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Its members are to advise on the global development agenda beyond 2015, the target date for the end of the Millennium Development Goals.