Impactful Reforms At Foreign Affairs Ministry -Kemayah Reflects on Gains as Weah Dedicates Refurbished MOFA

MONROVIA: Liberia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Doyen of the Cabinet, Ambassador Dee Maxwell Saah Kemayah has been reflecting on the plethora of achievements made at the Ministry under his leadership. He said with the support of President Weah, his administration at the Ministry undertook several impactful reforms that changed the dynamics of the country’s foreign affairs.

Speaking at the dedication of the lavishly renovated Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, Minister Kemayah recounted a number of achievements including launching of the revised July 2023 Passport Regulations and 4^th Edition (revised August 2023) of the Foreign Service Manual of the Republic of Liberia.

The occasion was attended by a array of government officials, including President George Manneh Weah and Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor.

“The renovation, Mr. President, is in line with our reforms which I usually referred to as uncompromising, irreversible and irrevocable and that will be enforced until I happily exit on January 22, 2024,” he said in a statement.

“I am leaving from here a very, very happy man. I have nothing to regret after serving for 3 years here. Certainly, I have nothing to regret as I exit the stage.”

He said despite other undertakings such as the renovation work to give the Ministry, which is the external face of the country, a befitting facelift, there are a number of reforms he initiated and implemented at various intervals, pointing specifically to the revision of the issue of honorary consul generals, which according to him brought commendation from foreign colleagues and the country’ development partners.

He said after a rigorous exercise, the number of honorary consul generals which has been an issue of concern was brought to only five; four in the maritime sector and only one in Kenya.

Minister Kemayah also spoke about a decision the government took at the time to close down the Liberian honorary consulate in Minnesota which he said was highly politicized by the detractors of the government without understanding that the decision later paid off as the diplomatic presence in Minnesota has now been upgraded to almost the status of a full embassy status.

“When we cancelled the services of the consulate in Minnesota,” the Foreign Minister further reflect, “it was a big issue. Our citizens were not happy and we knew at the time that the issue was politicized. We wanted it to be on par with a full-fledged embassy.

“I am pleased to inform you that the career diplomatic status for Liberia’s representation in Minnesota has been approved by the United States Department. The rent was paid, staff for the consulate in Minnesota have been issued visas by the US Embassy in Liberia.”

Speaking further on the reforms, he said diplomatic postings of foreign service personnel will now have a two-year duration and at most 3 years at which the personnel will return home to serve at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs awaiting for possible re-posting to another mission under similar terms and conditions.

He also said Liberia is the only country or among the very few where diplomatic passports are paid for but under the new regulations, the process will be institutionalized and there will be no cost to the beneficiary just as he said the duration of the Liberian passport has been synchronized with the subregion and will now be for a 6-year duration.

Updating the audience on the Ministry’s renovation work, Ambassador Kemayah stated that the new renovation includes the installation of three elevators, customarily built by an Italian company and each of them has the capacity to keep functioning for 45 minutes when there is a power outage.

He defended his stewardship and every decision he took at the time, vowing to repeat similar things when given another opportunity because he believed that was what he could do to get the results he wanted.

“Even though we took decisions as a team but when the execution aspect comes, it appears like you along take the decision; but I am unmoved especially with my enviable reform process,” he said further.

According to him, he worked along with his able team at the Ministry to close the operations of what he called “the cartels” and other bad practices at the Ministry under his reform agenda.

Minister Kemayah was also quick to mention that he was glad and very pleased with the renovation work at the Foreign Ministry, adding, “I have done my work and set the stage for my predecessor.”

He praised President Weah whom he called a “true leader” for the opportunity given him to serve his government, adding that his family would eternally be grateful to the President for such confidence reposed in him throughout the various capacities served.

President Weah, who spoke later on at the occasion said that he was pleased with the renovation works, commended Minister Kemayah and team for the excellent work.

“I am proud of you, Minister Kemeyah, for your astute and exemplary leadership. Minister Kemayah has proven that something can come from Nazareth,” the President said.

President Weah said though the country is undergoing transition, it was still the duty of the government to execute every project within its time limits and that those that may not be completed will be overtaken by the next administration.

He urged Liberians to strive for peace, one of the cardinal objectives his government was able to achieve during his tenure.

Earlier, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Administration Mrs. Comfort Thelma Sawyer welcomed guests at the program and thanked President Weah for the inspiration he has given to the team at the ministry under Minister Kemayah.

Also speaking at the occasion, Ambassador Beng Yela Augustine Gang of Cameroon and Doyen of the Diplomatic Corps said the international community was pleased to identify with the lofty project.

He thanked Minister Kemayah “who has shown a strong character to step up the game at this Ministry and we had no doubt that he was up to the task in the midst of all the challenges and competing needs”.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Liberia Madam Christine Umutoni said she was excited to be at the dedicatory program and as partners, her office would continue to always appreciate the relationship that exists between the government of Liberia and the UN system.

She commended Liberians for the maturity and seriousness they attached to the just concluded democratic process.

Given the overview of the project, John Youboty, the Managing Director of MDMC, contractor of the project said the project was divided in two phases. According to him, first one had to do with the complete renovation of the 6^th floor and installation of the 3 elevators.

He said the elevators which came late could not be installed as expected on time but will now be installed during the weekend.

He said the second phase was the renovation work from the 5^th floor and down to the ground floor which is ongoing.

He said except for some minor works, almost everything in the second phase has been completed.

He said funding came from the Saudi and Moroccan governments as well as the government of Liberia through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He thanked President Weah and the government of Liberia for giving his company the opportunity to showcase what Liberian companies are capable of doing.

At the end of the program, President Weah and entourage were taken on a guarded tour of all the facilities renovated. While on the tour, the President expressed absolute satisfaction for the work done thus far.