MONROVIA – The Special Representative of the President of the ECOWAS Commission to Liberia, Ambassador Josephine Nkrumah, has welcomed Liberia’s interest in hosting two key regional institutions of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The two institutions are the West African Health Organization (WAHO) and the ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre (EYSDC). Liberia is competing with several countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, and Benin, to secure hosting rights.
In an exclusive interview on Tuesday, May 20, at her ECOWAS Commission office in Monrovia, Ambassador Nkrumah aligned Liberia’s ambition with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s broader foreign policy objective of restoring Liberia’s relevance on the international stage.
“First and foremost, I would like to relate this to the President’s pronouncement when it comes to Liberia’s standing in international organizations. In that regard, I’m happy to see Liberia express interest in hosting these two agencies here,” she said.
Financial Obligations a Factor
While expressing optimism about Liberia’s bid, Ambassador Nkrumah emphasized that the government must address all outstanding financial commitments to the ECOWAS bloc to strengthen its case.
“I know a lot of it will also turn on whether we fulfill all of our commitments to ECOWAS,” she said.
Despite existing minimal arrears, Ambassador Nkrumah commended Liberia for staying current with its remittances of the ECOWAS community levy, collected through the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS).
Technical Assessment Conducted
Liberia’s bid was further bolstered on April 24, when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted an eight-member Technical Assessment Team from ECOWAS. The team conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the country’s preparedness to host one of the permanent headquarters of regional institutions such as WAHO, EYSDC, and the ECOWAS Water Resources Coordination Centre.
While the assessment report has yet to be made public, government officials say the visit marked a significant step forward in Liberia’s efforts to position itself as a regional hub for development and integration.
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