The All-Liberian Conference on Dual Citizenship (ALCOD) is calling on President Joseph Boakai to consider as one his of legislative agendas to remove the restrictions in the current dual citizenship law.
ALCOD Eminent Chairman, Emmanuel Wettee, said, “ALCOD is willing to work with the office of the President to help set up the agendas which will include all Diaspora Liberians.
“Key are out of country voting, Diaspora Free Zone, Diaspora Economy Village,’ and making ‘once a Liberian, always a Liberian’ constitutional,” he said.
Wettee, at the same time, also welcomed President Joseph Boakai’s announcement of his plan to begin to host an annual “Diaspora Conference on National Development.”
In his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) to the 55th National Legislature on Monday, January 29, 2024, Boakai proposed an annual Diaspora Conference on National Development, and described Liberians in the diaspora as an integral part of the nation.
“Our Liberian brothers and sisters in the Diaspora are an integral part of our nation – they are an extension of our national pride because they share in our nation’s happiness and sadness.
They are readily responsive to the needs of family members and friends in times of difficulty,” the President said.
“Liberians in the Diaspora have a stake in the future of Liberia and my administration will be intentional about ensuring that their stake in Liberia is fully harnessed. I have therefore proposed an annual Diaspora Conference on National Development,” he added.
ALCOD’s Eminent Chairman, Emmanuel S. Wettee, said President Boakai has been a longtime advocate for dual citizenship and Liberians on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED).
“Between 2006 and 2008, then VP Boakai joined The Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA) to advocate for Liberians on TPS/DED to be granted Permanent Residence status in the US.
Then Vice president Boakai continued this immigration advocacy beyond 2008 and whenever he was in the US, he met with city, state and federal officials in Rhode Island, Minnesota, and other states, to make the case for Liberians,” he said.
Wettee disclosed “Liberians on TPS/DED then are now benefiting from Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness (LRIF) and becoming permanent residents.”
“Other Liberians benefiting from LRIF are those continuously present in the United States of America since November 20, 2014,” he said.
