The Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has addressed the Equity for Africa Summit organized by the Liberty University in Washington DC, the United States.
Serving as one of the Panelists via visual presentation on April 14, 2021, the Vice President spoke on the theme: “Good Governance, Making a Difference”.
In her presentation, Madam Taylor asserted that Good Governance encapsulates fundamental values that define a common vision of democratic governance; and it makes a difference when the tools, processes and structures required making policies transparent, participatory and accountable are utilized.
In a press statement signed by the Vice President’s Public Affairs Director, Solomon A. Ware quoted VP Taylor that the citizens of Liberia now have a better appreciation of the Nation’s development initiatives through open government process, and as a means of making a difference in good governance, Liberia ratified the African Common Agenda (ACA) on the SDGs and the African Peer Review Mechanisms (APRM) to evaluate and monitor its good governance portfolio.
The Vice President affirmed that Liberia’s investment climate is ripe with abundance of untapped natural resources and called on United States investors to explore investment opportunities in Liberia.
Madam Vice President also recounted that Liberia has three trade and investment agreements with the United States under which the United States enjoys duty-free preferential trade benefits.
She named the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), and the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) as the three trade and investment agreements currently between Liberia and the United States.
The Vice President proffered that Liberia is currently at the Stage of Investment having experienced political stability for more than 15 years.
She reaffirmed President’s Weah pronouncement that Liberia is opened for business and the government is strengthening its institutions to eliminate barriers to foreign direct investments.
Vice President Howard-Taylor also shared the panel with His Excellency Nana Akufo Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana and His Excellency Yemi Osibanjo, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Equity for Africa Summit is an annual event organized by the Liberty University which seeks to create a platform for African Governments to interact with United States investors and Politicians with an agenda to foster trade and investment cooperation between the United States and Africa.