President Joseph N. Boakai has disclosed plans for an Annual National Diaspora Dialogue aimed at forging a collective approach to national development. Speaking to hundreds of diaspora Liberians on Staten Island in New York recently, the President highlighted the potential benefits of coordinated engagement between Liberians abroad and at home.
He expressed desire to enhance the effectiveness and reach of the Diaspora Office in its interactions with Liberians abroad and acknowledged the significant role played by Liberians outside in supporting the nation, especially during challenging times.
He said a more focused administration of diaspora relations with the government and country at large, would yield substantial benefits in trade, tourism, education, business and national harmony. The gathering, hosted at Curtis High School, brought together Liberians from various parts of the United States, as well as state and municipal officials from New York and Staten Island.
Mr. Erasmus Williams, Coordinator of the Diaspora Affairs Office at the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs, announced the formation of a Steering Committee to oversee Diaspora affairs. The committee, co-chaired by Mr. Charles Blake of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diaspora Office, includes representatives from the Liberian Legislature, the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism, the Liberian Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Liberia Chamber of Commerce, the International Organization for Migration, the Liberian US umbrella Organization, Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA), the European Federation of Liberian Associations (EFLA), and other Civil Society Organizations.
Mr. Williams stated that the goal of the Diaspora Liberians Annual Return 2024 (D-LAR24) is to showcase Liberia’s potential as a world-class destination and to reconnect people with Liberian heritage.
The event, to be held at the end of the year, will feature activities such as the Diaspora Investment Forum, Liberian Cultural Showcase, Tours and Site Visits, Business Networking, Youth Engagement and Skills Development, Nationwide Heritage Match, and Sports Events including soccer matches and track and field.
