NATIONAL NEWS
BRUSSELS – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia on Tuesday convened a landmark Economic Diplomacy Forum in Brussels, transforming what began as a Benelux-focused initiative into a continent-wide platform for trade and investment engagement.
More than 200 business delegations from across the European Union and Liberia registered online to participate in the two-day government-to-business (G2B) and business-to-business (B2B) summit.
The event is being billed as the first EU-wide “Marketplace for Partnerships” dedicated exclusively to Liberia.
By: Rufus Divine Brooks Jr-rufusbrooks091@gmail.com
The concept for the forum originated at the Embassy of Liberia in Brussels, where officials initially sought to deepen economic ties with Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The initiative has since expanded into a comprehensive platform facilitating direct negotiations, partnership exploration, and deal-making between Liberian public and private sector leaders and their European counterparts.
Speaking at the forum, Liberia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, emphasized the government’s objectives.
“We are here because we want deals. We are here because we want jobs for our people. We are here because we want a diversified and prosperous Liberia,” she declared.
Liberia’s delegation includes senior cabinet officials responsible for Finance, Public Works, Agriculture, and Commerce, along with the Chairperson of the National Investment Commission and the Minister of Information. They are joined by representatives of key state-owned enterprises, the Liberia Business Association, the Liberia Chamber of Commerce, and prominent Liberian business leaders.
Together, they are engaging European companies in priority sectors including infrastructure, agriculture, energy, trade, tourism, and investment.
The forum reflects Liberia’s evolving economic diplomacy strategy — one that shifts from traditional development assistance toward structured trade and investment partnerships aimed at job creation, private sector growth, and economic diversification.
Liberian embassies across Europe have actively advanced this strategy, with the Brussels mission coordinating continent-wide outreach efforts. The event has received unified backing from Liberia’s ambassadors and diplomatic missions throughout Europe, underscoring what officials describe as a whole-of-government and whole-of-diplomatic-corps approach to expanding trade and investment ties.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed appreciation to Liberian ambassadors in Europe, with special recognition to Ambassador Levi Demmah and staff of the Embassy in Brussels for conceptualizing and organizing the forum.
The Ministry also acknowledged the coordination efforts of Deputy Minister Ibrahim Nyei and Assistant Minister Leon Talery, whose leadership and technical engagement were described as instrumental in delivering a successful and inclusive EU-wide platform.
