The Government of the Republic of Cote D’Ivoire has released fourteen Liberians, who were arrested and detained following the attack on the Abobo Military Base on the night of April 20-21, 2021.
As part of his concern to maintain a stable region, the Liberian Chief Executive on Thursday, May 6, 2021 dispatched a special delegation, headed by the Liberian Foreign Minister, Dee-Maxwell Kemayah, along with the Minister of Justice, Cllr. F. Musa Dean and Gen. Daniel Ziakahn, Minister of National Defense among others to Cote D’Ivoire on a facts finding mission.
While in Abidjan, the Liberian Foreign Minister and delegation on Friday, May 7, 2021 met with Ivorian Minister of Defense, Téné Birahima Ouattara and the Minister of Justice, where they held an indoor meeting, relative to the recent attack where the Ivoirian authorities provided update to their Liberian counterparts on the situation about the attack on the Ndotré Military Camp.
Minister Ouattara said they have no intention to hunt down Liberians living in Cote d’Ivoire, noting that Cote d’Ivoire and Liberia are two countries with a common history and culture. “These two peoples have a duty for both populations to live in tranquility. This visit comes at the right time, because it allows us to define together the rules to ensure security at the level of our common borders, to avoid the recent situation experienced in Abidjan,” President Quattara stated. .
Minister Kemayah said the Ivorian Minister of Defense explained to them that the arrest of some Liberians was not a witch-hunt or pursuing the Liberians, who are living peacefully in Cote d’Ivoire, reiterating that Liberians will continue to live in Cote d’Ivoire without any molestation.
Minister Kemayah further said that what happened in Abidjan recently will not divide both countries; on the contrary, it will strengthen our relations, and he reassured the Ivorian authorities that Liberia will not serve as a rear base for terrorists and armed groups in order to destabilize Côte d’Ivoire.
He reiterated that the government of Liberia is committed to ensuring that no inch of its territory will be used as a Launch-pad for insurrection in the Mano River Union Basin.
The Liberian chief diplomat used the occasion to reassure Ivoirians living in Liberia that they will continue to enjoy freedom of movement in the country at all times, without any form of harassment from the Liberian authorities.
“Liberia is working towards strengthening relations between the two countries; Liberians living in Côte d’Ivoire must be peaceful and don’t come in conflict with the Ivoirian law,” he emphasized.