Monrovia, Liberia – Sara Beysolow Nyanti, the foreign minister of Liberia, has praised the Japanese government and people for the note exchange and grant agreement worth 43 million yen, which will extend the Japan Freeway, a road corridor connecting the Gabriel Tucker Bridge and the Freeport of Monrovia.
Foreign Minister Beysolow Nyanti expressed her curiosity and admiration for Ambassador George W. Wallace’s explanation that the table was not merely surface-level; rather, it was a representation of diplomacy at its core, discussing decades of relationship and the effects Japan has had on Liberia.
The fact that there are current leaders and diplomats who have profited from Japan’s investment in Liberia, as well as the signing of infrastructure development agreements, are indications that Japan is interested in the country holistically, according to Foreign Minister Beysolow Nyanti. She gave the ambassador’s delegation her word that Liberia and Japan would continue to strengthen their current relationship.
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has stated the priorities, which include roads, agriculture, tourism, education, sanitation, and the rule of law, the Dean of the Cabinet told the group. Fundamentally, all of these things are pointless if women cannot access roads for agriculture.
The signing is a manifestation of the Japanese government’s long-term commitment, as the chief diplomat for Liberia pointed out, and the country looks forward to strengthening its partnership with Japan.
Minister Beysolow Nyanti continued that these social economic infrastructures are focused on creating jobs, income generation, and sustainable livelihoods beyond just aid during the signing ceremony of the Exchange of Notes and the Grant Agreement for the extension of the Japan Freeway, the road corridor between the Freeport of Monrovia and the Gabriel Tucker Bridge, on Monday, March 5, 2024 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
As for the Japanese government, it recognizes the significance of this project to Liberia, which is why the Japanese Parliament is making every effort to finalize the necessary procedures for the project to start, according to H.E. Mr. Mochizuki Hisanobu, the ambassador of Japan to Liberia.
In order for JICA and the project’s consultant to have all the information they need to help the Parliament finish its internal procedures, Ambassador Hisanobu stated that Monday’s signing ceremony for the detailed design is necessary. He also noted that Japan recognizes the significance of building a strong infrastructure foundation and the potential role it may play in boosting and stimulating the economy.
Ambassador Hisanobu emphasized that a primary focus of the Tokyo International Conference on Africa Development (TICAD) has been infrastructure development, and Japan has always vowed to support the development of infrastructure in Africa.
One of the main tenets of Japanese-Liberia collaboration, according to Ambassador Hisanobu, is the development of infrastructure on a bilateral basis. “We started work on Phases 1 and 2 of the Japan Freeway, formerly known as Somali Drive, in 2013 and 2016, respectively.
Thanks to the cooperation of all parties, especially JICA and the Ministry of Public Works of Liberia, these two phases were successfully completed. In addition to the excellent Phases 1 and 2 of the Japan Freeway, we are now formalizing a new procedure, as stated by Ambassador Hisanobu.
According to the Japanese Ambassador, as Liberia continues to meet its development targets, more development projects and technical assistance will be required in order to realize this vision. The ambassador noted that over the years, the bilateral cooperation between Japan and Liberia has witnessed the actualization of various key technical support and infrastructure development.
The project involves the rehabilitation of a 1.9 km stretch from the west end of the Japan Freeway to the north intersection of the Gabriel Tucker Bridge, according to Ms. SUZUKI, Momoko, Chief Representative of JICA. She highlighted the significance of this section for Liberia’s logistics, as it connects the downtown area and the Freeport.
Since the project has advanced to the detailed design phase, Madam SUZUKI said she would like to ask her Liberian colleagues working on it to make sure the major undertakings and commitments made for the project’s successful implementation are carried out on time and as outlined in the grant agreement.
Amb. Sylvester Grigsby, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs; Mr. Roland L. Gidddings, Minister of Public Works; and Amb. George W. Wallace, Advisor to the President on Foreign Affairs, were among those present at the signing ceremony.
