JOINT COMMUNIQUE – FRIENDLY AND WORKING VISIT OF HIS EXCELLENCY GEORGE MANNEH WEAH, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA TO GUINEA JULY 11-13, 2019

JOINT COMMUNIQUE –

1. At the invitation of his brother and friend, His Excellency Professor Alpha Conde, President of the Republic of Guinea, His Excellency Dr. George Manneh Weah President of the Republic of Liberia, paid a friendly and working visit to the Republic of Guinea, leading an important government delegation.

 

2. The visit comes within the frame of strengthening the friendly, fraternal and cooperation relationships between the two countries.

 

3. The two Heads of State exchanged views on issues of mutual interest at the bilateral, regional and international levels. The exchange happened in an atmosphere of perfect hospitality and mutual understanding.

 

4. Concerning the bilateral cooperation, the two Heads of State have appreciated the centuries-old ties of friendship and cooperation already existing between the two countries. They have committed themselves to give a new dynamic to this cooperation by proceeding to an assessment of the level of implementation of various agreement.

 

5. They have decided to strengthen their strategic partnership and build on the efficient handling of regional geopolitical realities and exploitations of economic opportunities for the mutual interest of the two countries.

 

6. In this regard, the two Heads of State have instructed their foreign ministers to reactivate immediately, the holding of the Joint Cooperation Grand Committee between the two countries.

 

7. In the meantime, over the visit, the delegations of the two countries had fruitful exchanges on various sectors, particularly on mine, justice, transport, defense and security, education and private investments.

 

8. In consideration of the increasing terrorist and religious extremist movements in the region, the two Heads of State have instructed their respective ministers to seek opportunities of cooperation in particular in the areas of military and security, training and capacity building, sharing information and intelligence, border security, illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons.

 

9. The Republic of Guinea and the Republic of Liberia have reiterated their willingness to work within the same spirit of union, to act as “one and single people” during negotiations with partners to facilitate the transportation and shipment within the Liberian territory of products and natural resources from Guinea.

 

10. In this regard, the two Heads of State mandate their respective Minsters to work at the bilateral level, to ensure the efficient implementation of the memorandum of understanding concerning the transportation of natural resources from Guinea, executed on October 25, 2013 by the Heads of the two countries. To this effect, an implementation agreement has to be discussed and finalized later on August 31, 2019. Doing so, the Governments agreed to set up immediately a joint working committee. Similarly, in the sector of transport, the two Presidents have expressed their willingness for the establishment of an airline to serve the Mano River Union Countries.

 

11. The Two Heads of State have highlighted the enormous economic opportunities offered by the two respective countries. They have invited the economic operators of Guinea and Liberia to enhance their cooperation, to strengthen and diversify the strategic partnership existing between two countries.

 

12. The two Heads of State have requested their respective Ministers to initiate the Cooperation between the two countries in the field of English and French languages training.

 

13. The two Presidents have instructed their respective Ministers to start discussions within the Cooperation framework for the efficient use of ports of the two countries.

 

14. The two Presidents appreciated courageous reforms undertaken in their respective countries for improving conditions of their populations.

 

15. At the sub-regional level, the two Heads of State have congratulated the recent decision of ECOWAS to adopt a single currency (ECO) for the members states of the same organization.

 

16. At the African Union level, the two Heads of State, as convinced Pan-Africanists, have expressed their commitment to defend and promote the continent benefits and appreciated the consolidated views of the African Union Heads of State, aiming to speak in one single voice on all regional and international issues.

 

17. The two Presidents insisted on the need for the actual implementation of the ECOWAS Agreement on the free movement of people and goods.

 

18. They also welcomed the decision of the Heads of State of the African Union to launch the first operational phase of the agreement on the Continental Free Trade Area.

 

19. President George Manneh Weah highly appreciated the successful Presidency of the African Union led by President Alpha Conde in 2017, and welcomed the significant results achieved during his tenure.

 

20. The two Heads of State welcomed the innovative approach of consultation, as well as the implementation of the 2063 agenda and the reforms of the African Union, for which they reaffirmed their support.

 

21. The two Heads of State are committed to a better coordination of their actions, under the auspices of the African Union to create favorable conditions for peace and Regional and International Security and Sustainable Economic Development of the Continent.

 

22. To respond to the seriousness of the environmental problem and the negative effects of the climate change, the two Heads of State reiterated their support for the implementation of the Paris Agreement (COP21).

 

23. In their capacities as members of the Board of Directors of the African Initiative for Renewable Energies (AREI), which is being coordinated by His Excellency Professor Alpha Conde, Leader appointed by the African Union, the two Heads of State reaffirmed their commitment to promoting Renewable Energies through this initiative which would promote the energetic independence of Africa.

 

24. His Excellency George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia, and his brother and friend, His Excellency Professor Alpha Conde, President of the Republic of Guinea agreed to consult regularly to discuss bilateral issues as well as on current regional and international issues.

 

25. At the end of his friendly and working visit to Guinea, His Excellency Dr. George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia, thanked E. Professor Alpha Conde, President of the Republic of Guinea, the Government and people of Guinea for the quality of the welcome offered, the generous and fraternal hospitality of which he and his delegation have been subjected during their stay.

 

26. His Excellency George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia, extended an invitation to his brother and friend, His Excellency Professor Alpha Conde, President of the Republic of Guinea, to pay a friendly and working visit to Liberia.

 

27. President Alpha Conde welcomed this invitation, and the date will be determined later by mutual agreement through the diplomatic channel.

 

For the Government of the Republic of Guinea

His Excellency Mamadi Toure

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Guineans Abroad

 

For the Government of the Republic of Liberia

His Excellency Gbehzohngar Findley

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia