Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, has said she is expecting more Chinese investors in the country to help local private sector grow and assist in Liberia’s post-Ebola economic plan.The Liberian president, said this in Monrovia when receiving a high-powered Chinese business delegation on Thursday.The delegation comprising both state-owned and private companies in China is Liberia to seek partnership with local Liberian businesses and explore investment opportunities in agriculture, infrastructure and energy.
She said the visit of the business delegation provided Liberia with a new and broader opportunity to transcend what the two countries have done at bilateral level.“We are glad that its private sector focused because this sector will provide the real springboard for Liberia’s development.“We will never have enough resources of our own; but the private sector joined by the support of government through financing facilities can enable us to open many doors,” Johnson-Sirleaf said.
According to her, several areas of interest which the Chinese business delegation have identified are not only consistent with government’s long term economic transformation vision but also its post-Ebola economic stabilisation plan.“Time is of the essence. Whatever you do; whatever we agree to cooperate and to partner in, we want it done fast,” she said.
She said Liberia and China had collaborated over many years but had not maximised the cooperation as compared to the cooperation that China has with many other African countries.Speaking at the meeting, Chinese Ambassador to Liberia, Zhang Yue, said the visit was on the heels of a recent Liberian ministerial delegation visit to China.He said this meant China is serious about `win-win cooperation’ with Liberia.
Xinhua/NAN
