President Joseph Nyuma Boakai met with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), on Saturday, February 15, 2025, during the 38th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The high-level discussion centered on enhancing Liberia’s integration into the global trading system and strengthening the country’s economic diversification efforts.
During the meeting, President Boakai expressed his government’s determination to align Liberia’s trade policies with its national development priorities. He emphasized the importance of deepening the country’s participation in multilateral trade forums and ensuring that Liberia’s trade policies contribute to the nation’s overall economic growth. Boakai also highlighted the need for increased technical assistance and capacity-building programs to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Liberia. These businesses are crucial for job creation and economic expansion, and Boakai stressed that they must be empowered to compete on international markets.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala commended Liberia for its steady economic growth and the commitment shown by the Boakai administration to implementing trade reforms. She expressed the WTO’s readiness to support Liberia in maximizing the benefits of global trade and highlighted the significance of enhancing regional trade, particularly under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Okonjo-Iweala encouraged Liberia to take advantage of WTO-led initiatives to strengthen trade resilience amid global economic challenges.
Both leaders underscored the importance of a rules-based global trading system and reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening cooperation between Liberia and the WTO. The meeting concluded with an agreement to explore further avenues for collaboration, including technical support for trade policy formulation and private-sector engagement.
For President Boakai, Liberia’s active role in both regional and global economic dialogues is crucial for fostering sustainable development and driving the country’s long-term economic transformation. The discussions with Dr. Okonjo-Iweala mark a significant step in advancing Liberia’s economic agenda and positioning the country as a competitive global player.
