President Ellen-Johnson Sirleaf has begun her official visit of the United States stressing the need for direct US Private Investments in Liberia especially the post Ebola era.Meeting Wednesday with Officials of the US Oversea Private Investment Corporation- an independent US Government Agency that helps US Companies investments get a foothold in emerging markets like Liberia, President Sirleaf said private investments were needed to buttress Liberia’s Economic recovery efforts giving the challenges associated with the post ebola Liberia.“We would like to have more US Private Investments in Liberia. It will help our job creation strategy while improving our economy and bettering the lives of our people” President Sirleaf said.The Liberia Leader told the OPIC high-level delegation that there was a need to attract investments in the keys sectors such as agriculture, with emphasis on the fishing industry and upgrading from providing support to small scale farmers to a level of subsistence farming.She said investments in transportation were also a key area of concentration with a focus on privatizing the Roberts International Airport and domestic airports in Liberia. For the energy sector, President Sirleaf said private partnership investments would help Liberia make the much needed advancements to support other investments in health, education and security.“Energy has a interconnectivity to all these and we believe major investments in this sector would also enable us to improve these vital areas of our development” Responding the OPIC President and Chief Executive Officer, Elizabeth Littlefield first praised what she termed as the “extraordinary leadership role” of President Sirleaf in Liberia’s fight to eradicate the Ebola Virus Disease from the country.“I recognize the resilience of you and the Liberian People in battling the Ebola Epidemic-it’s extraordinary” Madam Littlefield said.The US OPIC CEO pledged to work with the Liberian Government in attracting US Private investment saying “we will work with our friends and private companies to look at Liberia favorably”. Earlier, President Sirleaf met with ExonMobil Exploration Officials headed by Mr. Walter Kansteiner also aimed at getting the company to do more in its investment in Liberia. Present at the meetings were Liberia’s Ambassador to the US, H.E. Dr Jeremiah Solunteh, Minister of Finance and Development Planning and Hon. Amara Konneh Information Minister Hon. Lewis Browne, Counsellor Seward Cooper-Legal Advisor to the President among other Liberian Embassy Officials.
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