President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has called on leaders in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to support women candidates in upcoming elections in a number of member countries of the Community. If exercised successfully, the President noted, the measure will help to promote women empowerment in the region.
According to an Executive Mansion release, the President spoke Monday in Abuja, Nigeria, at the 34th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS.
The President said ECOWAS has been very successful, describing the economic grouping as an important vehicle towards the realization of a union government of Africa.
The Liberian leader noted the gains made by the West African community thus far, including its role in ending the civil wars in Sierra Leone and Liberia as well as the progress made in Cote d’Ivoire towards the restoration of peace.
At the end of the summit, the Heads of State of ECOWAS among other issues, noted with concern the prevailing high cost for food and expressed satisfaction at efforts made individually by member states to address this challenge. The leaders further commended the ECOWAS Commission for facilitating an emergency regional consultative meeting on the issue.
They noted that the food crisis provided a window of opportunity for ECOWAS member states to redouble efforts to effectively implement the ECOWAS Common Agricultural Policy and Regional Strategy for short, medium and long-term food security.
They also reviewed the performance of the West African economy, noting the improved macroeconomic management as well as improving governance practices in member states.
The ECOWAS Heads of State have, meanwhile expressed concern over the slow pace in attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), particularly in light of the persistent rise in the price of crude oil, petroleum products and food.
The sharp increases, the leaders noted, have had adverse budgetary implications on the economies of most member states.
ECOWAS Heads of State stressed the importance of regional infrastructure for the scaling up of the economic development and integration process. Ivorian Presidents Laurent Gbagbo and Joao Bernardo Vieira of Guinea Bissau have been designated to coordinate the efforts of the ECOWAS Commission in the development of regional infrastructure, transport and energy framework.
On the economic front, the ECOWAS Heads of States urged member states to effectively implement the protocol on free movement of persons and goods, the right of residence and establishment, ensure the harmonization of the ECOWAS passport and guarantee equal treatment of refugees and other ECOWAS citizens.
The Heads of States also took note of the pending elections scheduled to be held later this year in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone and urged all stakeholders in these ECOWAS member states to ensure the conduct of credible, transparent, free and fair elections.
President Sirleaf and entourage returned home Monday night at the end of the ECOWAS Heads of States Summit. The President leaves the country Tuesday, to participate in the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) Forum scheduled to convene in Berlin, Germany beginning June 25-28.
Govt's response to global commodity price increase
The government of Liberia wishes to provide the public with the following update on its ongoing response to the Global Commodity Price increases.
RICE
Short Term
As a result of negotiations with the governments of China, India, Japan and the United States, there will be no shortage of rice on the local market. This meets the Government’s policy on availability.
The current official retail price per 100lb. bag of rice is US$31.00. As a result of oil and freight increases, there is likely to be an increase to around US$35.00 when new negotiated stocks reach the market. This compares with current average price of US$45.00-US$50.00 and above in neighboring countries. Despite this increase, the Government policy on affordability is still partly met.
MEDIUM TO LONG TERM
There is a general consensus that the real solution to sustainable availability and affordability of rice is increase in domestic production.
Toward this end, the government has:
- Concluded, with Legislative ratification, a US$30 million Concession Agreement for mechanized large scale rice production on 15,000 hectares acres primarily in Lofa and Nimba counties.
- Negotiated a US$2.5 million Concession Agreement for mechanized large scale rice production on 5000 acres in Grand Cape Mount County.
- Reached an understanding with the Chinese Government for mechanized rice production on 300 acres in Bong County.
- Concluded negotiations with the World Bank for US$10 million to support rice and other food production through a cash-for-work program, continue action of the World Food Program (WFP) lunch feeding in schools, seed multiplication and provision of post harvest facilities.
- Provided US$250,000 to purchase and distribute rice to farmers for this planting season and allocated US$500,000 to buy from farmers their surplus of paddy rice for milling after upcoming harvest.
- Increased by 70 percent the budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Agriculture to facili
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