Liberia: Taking Control of Diplomatic Passports

editorial

As part of its Rescue activities, the Government of Liberia immediately after taking office recalled all diplomatic Passports and re-issued them where applicable.

The move was intended to control the illegal issuance and misuse of Liberian diplomatic passports, as well-known international criminals were carrying Liberian Diplomatic Passports.

Under the previous administration, the U.S. Department of State and the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested and investigated criminals, including Nigerians and ordinary Liberians with Diplomatic Passports, making the Rescue intervention not only necessary but timely.

The Boakai Administration has reviewed and updated the Foreign Service Manual and appointed Foreign Service Inspector General and Ambassadors at the country's Foreign Missions to ensure Liberia is adequately represented in other countries.

The administration is currently exploring possibilities for issuing visas on arrival to facilitate trade and commerce. An MOU has already been signed between the Liberia Immigration Service and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for the issuance of visas on arrival as a means of facilitating trade and tourism.

These interventions are also meant to give the Liberian Diplomatic Passports the dignity and respect they deserve, having been discarded by the previous government.

Liberia's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dean of the Cabinet, Madam Sara Beysolow Nyanti, went a step further in March 2024 when she announced the withdrawal of Liberian Diplomatic, Official, and Service passports issued under the July 2023 Revised Passport Regulations instituted by the previous government and reverted to the March 2016 regulations.

A seasoned diplomat with 20 years of experience working with the United Nations as Deputy Special Representative and Resident Coordinator to South Sudan, Madam Beysolow Nyanti is on a mission to revise the nation's Foreign Service.

The government is also committed to initiating a new National Development Plan and an Integrated Tax Administration System (LITAS) with 3 commercial banks (Ecobank, GT Bank, and International Bank Liberia Limited).

The Boakai administration also plans to integrate the LITAS with the Liberia Immigration Service, Ministry of Transport, and other ministries, including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Education, Mine and Energy, Labor, and the Liberia National Police, from manual to automation.

The President is keen on accelerating Liberia towards the digital age and has committed to training at least 10,000 Liberian youth in Information Communication Technology or ICT.

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