By Bill W. Cooper
Ahead of his first US-Africa Business Summit in Dallas, Texas this week, Liberians are now contemplating whether President Joseph Boakai will engender his ARREST Agenda to attract more foreign investments and promote economic growth in Liberia.President Boakai came to the Liberian presidency in 2023 after defeating former President George Weah in a runoff election, on an ARREST agenda, which stands for Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation and Tourism.
The President’s comprehensive plan aims to address the key challenges facing the country and create a more prosperous and stable future for its citizenry after 200 years of existence as a nation.
With much anticipation and optimism from Liberians across the country and in the diaspora, the Liberian Leader and his entourage, over the weekend, arrived and were welcomed at the airport by the president and members of the Liberian community in Dallas, United States.
Those forming part of the President’s delegation include senior government officials who will participate in various panels and networking events, as their goal is to attract tangible investments and partnerships that will contribute significantly to Liberia’s economic development.
The U-Africa Business Summit, the Corporate Council on Africa’s (CCA) premier annual event, stands as a vital platform for deepening US Africa business ties across key sectors, including agribusiness, energy, health, infrastructure, trade facilitation, ICT, and finance.
The event also brings together key business and government leaders from across Africa and the United States to hold discussions on enhancing trade and economic partnerships, as it will provide a vital platform for Liberia to showcase its business potential to explore opportunities for increased investment in key sectors such as energy, agriculture, and technology.
Boakai’s address at the summit comes at a critical time for Liberia, as the country continues to recover from the devastating effects of the Corona Virus pandemic and its ongoing challenges in areas such as infrastructure development, energy access, and job creation.
But in his first address to the summit, it is expected that the President will highlight the progress and challenges the country has been engulfed with in recent years, ranging from healthcare, education, and governance, to rule of law, corruption, and broken infrastructure, among others.
Also, the President will outline his government’s plans to further strengthen the country’s economy and attract investment from international partners, as one of the key priorities of his ARREST agenda is agriculture, after recognizing the importance of the sector in driving economic growth and reducing poverty in Liberia.
The President is expected to also emphasize the need for increased investment in agriculture, including support for smallholder farmers and the development of agribusinesses, ensuring that the country graduates from subsistence farming to mechanized farming.
Boakai might also focus on the importance of infrastructure development, particularly in the areas of roads and renewable energy, highlighting his government’s vision to improve the country’s transportation network and expand access to clean and reliable energy sources, which are essential for economic development and job creation.
Sanitation, which is another key component of the ARREST agenda, might be another priority that the Liberian leader will be selling to his counterparts, owing to the challenges facing the sector in the country.
As for rule of law, it is not a secret that Boakai will discuss his government’s efforts and vision to strengthen the country’s judiciary system to ensure justice is dispensed fairly, and that the fight against corruption, which is critical for attracting investment and promoting economic growth, yields the needed result.
President Boakai might also highlight the role of technology and education in driving economic development in Liberia, and is expected to discuss the government’s plans to expand access to technology and improve the quality of education in the country, which are essential for building a skilled workforce and promoting innovation and entrepreneurship.
In summary, the President’s address at the US-Africa Business Summit is expected to showcase Liberia’s potential as a destination for investment and highlight the government’s commitment to creating a more prosperous and stable future for its citizens.
By promoting the ARREST agenda, President Boakai hopes to attract new partnerships and resources that will help Liberia achieve its development goals and improve the lives of its people.
Meanwhile, Liberia’s participation in the US Africa Business Summit is expected to further expand and strengthen its bilateral relations with the United States, and will highlight the country as a leading destination for business in West Africa.
Boakai’s participation underscores Liberia’s commitment to engaging with global partners to drive economic progress and improve the livelihoods of its people, especially so that the summit has, for the past 30 years, been crucial for forging partnerships, exploring new business avenues, and shaping policies that promote robust US Africa trade and investment relationships.
