Attends AU Extraordinary Summit.
Monrovia, Liberia – Liberia’s Vice President, Jeremiah Kpan Koung, has left the country to represent President Joseph N. Boakai at the African Union’s Extraordinary Summit on the Post-Malabo Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
The summit is scheduled to take place from January 9 to 11, 2025, at the Commonwealth Resort Hotel in Munyonyo, Kampala, Uganda. Liberia’s team is led by Vice President Koung and includes representatives from the Foreign Affairs and Agriculture Ministries.
The African Union Commission’s Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Development (DARBE) and the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) are hosting the conference.
The summit’s major goal is to examine and support the Kampala CAADP Declaration, which would serve as a road map for reforming Africa’s agri-food systems between 2026 and 2035. This proclamation is likely to impact the continent’s agriculture policies and investments in the coming decade.
The summit will feature two important sessions. On January 10, 2025, the Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Rural Development, Water, and Sanitation ministries will engage in interactive talks. These talks will lay the groundwork for a comprehensive evaluation of the CAADP Declaration, with suggestions to assist its implementation.
The Assembly of Heads of State and Government will be convened during the second session, which is slated for January 11, 2025. During this session, the Assembly is expected to endorse the draft ten-year CAADP Strategy and Action Plan (2026-2035) and the Kampala CAADP Declaration.
At the Assembly, Vice President Koung will deliver Liberia’s National Statement, affirming the country’s commitment to the CAADP Declaration. He will underscore that agriculture is central to Liberia’s national development strategy, particularly under the ARREST Agenda, which emphasizes rural transformation and sustainable growth.
Vice President Koung will also highlight President Boakai’s launch of the Liberia National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) 2024-2030, which aims to enhance food security, create jobs, and reduce poverty—goals that align with the broader CAADP framework for Africa’s agricultural transformation.
While in Kampala, Vice President Koung will meet with selected heads of state, the African Union Commission, and other key development partners. These sessions will focus on developing Liberia’s agriculture economy, improving regional collaboration, and identifying potential for long-term investment.
Heads of State and Government from AU member states will attend the AU Extraordinary Summit on the CAADP Agenda, as will ministers and experts in agriculture (including fisheries, forestry, crops, and livestock), rural development, water, the environment, youth, women, non-state actors, the media, academia, and development partners.
