By Janet Sam-Kobba
Liberian President Joseph Boakai has assured his Indonesian counterpart, Joko Widodo that scholarships his country offered Liberians will be fully implemented by his administration.
Boakai made the assurance as part of his address to delegates at the second Indonesia-Africa Forum in the Indonesian resort of Bali.
Indonesia offered Liberians several scholarship opportunities over the past decade, following the West African nation’s emergence from its civil war. Many of the scholarships were meant for candidates pursuing sciences. But according to Boakai, they were not “effectively enforced” by previous administrations.
“The investment in education and human capital development is a reflection of Indonesia’s commitment to supporting Liberia’s growth and development goals,” Boakai said.
“These scholarships have played a crucial role in enhancing our capacity in various sectors and have empowered many Liberian students to pursue their academic dreams,” he added.
The Indonesia-Africa Forum is aimed at enhancing economic cooperation as Indonesia seeks to expand its export markets. Over 1, 400 delegates attended it, among them several African leaders, as well ministers, entrepreneurs and academic.
President Boakai emphasized the need for a stronger bond in the long- standing relationship between his country and Indonesia. He highlighted his dynamic agenda for a sustainable economic transformation at the event which took place on the 2nd of September 2024 at the Mulia Conference Center in Bali.
Boakai also resonated the historical ties that has existed between Liberia and Indonesia, citing Liberia’s participation in the Asia-Africa conference organized in Bandung in 1955.
“Our two nations share a long history of friendship and cooperation that spans over five decades. From the early participation of a Liberian delegation at the Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung in 1955 to the formal establishment of diplomatic relations in 1965, our countries have worked together to build bridges of understanding and solidarity,” he said.
During the occasion, President Boakia introduced Liberia’s “ARREST Agenda” a short word for Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation and Tourism. It is his administration’s development plan that is geared towards fostering a sustainable economic and human growth for the country.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo expressed interest of collaboration in key areas like increased investment in palm oil, capacity development, infrastructure development, training, technical support and scholarship ideas facilitated through the Indonesian Embassy in Ghana. President Widodo invited Liberia to join the CPOC (Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries) in order to leverage Liberia’s huge forest reserve. He also invited them to be part of South-South Tropical Forest Partnership which presently consists of eight countries.
According to United Nation Development Program (UNOD), Indonesian is one of the top producers of rice and palm oil in the world and it produces more than 30 million tons of palm oil per year, generating 4.5 percent of the country’s GDP, providing employment to 3 million people.
Georank states that Indonesia has a GDP of $1trilion and is ranked the 16th largest economy in the world, while Liberia ranks 164th with $3.3B.
According to the World Bank, Liberia’s economy has expanded by 4.7percent in 2023. This was mainly due to mining activities, especially gold mining. In 2023, key agricultural products like rubber and crude palm oil declined as output was 1.4 percent and output in the secondary sector expanded by 13.9 percent due to mining of gold.
In a move to enhance Liberia-Indonesia relations, president Boakai proposed the establishment of an Indonesian resident embassy in Liberia. He said this would enable a stronger connection and boost bilateral cooperation, promote friendship and strategic partnerships.
“Together, we can maximize the benefits that arise from collaboration, contributing positively to the regional and global economy,” he stated.
Janet Sam-Kobba is an intern at ManoReporters and she is a final year student at the Mass Communication Department at Central University in Mile 91.
