The President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, as head of a seven-man high-powered delegation arrives Sunday, December 16, 2012 to begin a three-day humanitarian mission to Liberia.

While in Liberia, the ECOWAS Commission President will assess the status of the Ivorian Refugees in Liberia as well as officially handover 300 tons of white rice to the Government of Liberia through Liberia's Finance Minister Amara M. Konneh, who is also Minister in Charge of ECOWAS Affairs.

Minister Konneh will in turn, handover the rice to the LRRRC and WFP for transportation to Grand Gedeh County for subsequent distribution to the Refugees. The Official Handover Ceremony takes place on Tuesday, 18 December 2012, at the Free Port of Monrovia and that will be followed by courtesy call on the President of Liberia at the Foreign Ministry.

President Ouedraogo and delegation, together with some GoL Officials, will travel to Grand Gedeh County to tour the PTP Refugee Camp to assess the status of the Refugees.

While in the county, the visiting ECOWAS President will hold meetings with the UN and other Humanitarian organizations. The delegation returns to Monrovia the same day on board UNMIL Helicopter to attend the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Foreign Ministry.

The Mission will be climax with a grand cocktail reception hosted by Minister Konneh in honor of President Ouedraogo at the RLJ Kendeja Resort. President Ouedraogo departs Liberia early Wednesday morning for Abuja, Nigeria. Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo is former Prime Minister of Burkina Faso and became the President of the Economic Community of West African States Commission in 2012.