Benin to Lobby for Country’s Debt Relief
Liberia: Benin to Lobby for Country’s Debt Relief
(Monrovia)
9 August 2007
Posted to the web 9 August 2007
Patrick K. Wrokpoh
The President of the Republic of Benin, Boni Yayi, has promised to intervene on behalf of Liberia for the international community to have consideration on waiving the country's external debts, which is said to be close to a little over 3 billion US Dollars
President Yayi stressed the need for Liberia's debts to be examined by both regional and international organizations, with the hope that it would be cancelled.
President Yayi made these remarks yesterday at the Foreign Ministry in Monrovia when he addressed the press on the last day of his two-day visit to the country.
Speaking on a number of issues through an interpreter, President Yayi said the country's debt relief considering the huge debt burden the country is faced with.
Touching on what he said is the roadmap of the Ellen's government, President Yayi said the government's roadmap is very difficult to achieve.
He described the first agenda item of the government's roadmap stressing that without peace there would be no development in neither in the country nor any other country on the continent for that matter.
President Yayi said another item on the government's road map, is the issue of infrastructure, stressing that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has a very good vision in creating innovative approach in dealing with the issue. He further stated that the country's roads, airports, energy, telecommunication among others need to be taken care of.
Also speaking to the press, shortly before she escorted her Beninoise counterpart to the airport for departure, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf expressed the hope that she and her counterpart from Benin will bring something different from the current class of leadership.
She stated that the results they would make or have to their credits would be the determination, expressing the confidence that if they do these, many technocrats who shy away from politics, would probably be enticed to get into politics.
Before President Yayi's departure yesterday, both leaders signed a joint communiqué to strengthen bilateral ties. President Yayi and his entourage arrived in the country Tuesday as guests of the Liberian leader, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. During the visit, he met with the Bankers Association and the United Nations Secretary General Special Representative, Alan Doss among others.