The President of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., has sent separate messages of congratulations to the Governments and peoples of the Republics of Togo and Sierra Leone, on the occasion marking their 64th and 63rd Independence Anniversaries, respectively.

Togo gained its independence from France in 1960; while Sierra Leone gained independence from Britain after more than 150 years of rule in 1961.
According to a Foreign Ministry release, in the message to his Togolese counterpart, His Excellency Mr. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, the Liberian President extended warmest congratulations and best wishes to the Government and people of Togo on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia.

President Boakai assured President Gnassingbe that the Government of Liberia will continue to support continental and regional peace and security and further prayed that the bonds of friendship enjoyed by their two countries will be further strengthened for the mutual benefits of their respective peoples. 

Whereas, to his Sierra Leonean counterpart, His Excellency Mr. Julius Maada Bio, President Boakai extended warmest felicitation and best wishes to the Government and people of Sierra Leone, noting that it is his fervent prayer that the Almighty God will restore the prosperity of Sierra Leone as God continues to endow President Bio with abundant wisdom to lead his country to noble heights.  

The Liberian leader also hoped and prayed that the bonds of friendship so happily subsisting between the two countries and people will be further cemented in furtherance of sub-regional, regional and international peace and economic development; adding, “It is my prayer that the people of Sierra Leone continue to enjoy the blessings of peace, national cohesion and economic growth.”

In a related development, President Boakai has also sent a message of congratulations to the Government and people of the Republic of South Africa on the occasion marking the 30th Freedom Day anniversary of that country.

April 27 commemorates the day in 1994 when the first democratic election was held in South Africa. Today, South Africa celebrates Freedom Day to mark the liberation of the country and its people from a long period of colonialism and white minority domination (apartheid).

In the message to the South African President, His Excellency Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa, President Boakai extended heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to the Government and people of South Africa on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia.  

President Boakai entertained the hope that as the people of South Africa commemorate this historic occasion, which ended the despotism of apartheid and ushered in an inclusive democratic dispensation under the auspicious leadership of the iconic freedom fighter, Nelson Mandela, the historic cordial ties of friendship and cooperation which subsist between their two countries will be further strengthened for the mutual benefit of their two peoples.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liberia.

The Head of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Election Observation Mission, to monitor the legislative and regional elections scheduled for 29 April 2024 in Togo, held a briefing session on Saturday 27 April 2024 in Lomé with the forty (40) observers of the said mission.

The former Gambian Vice-President, Mrs Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang, urged them to conduct themselves professionally and objectively in the field. “We are here to monitor the election, not to give instructions or dictate things”, she advised.

She advocated for a peaceful conduct of the legislative and regional elections of 29 April 2024, which she said should contribute to the development and prosperity of Togo.

Mrs Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang used the occasion of the briefing to commend the large number of women among the Ecowas observers deployed in Togo, and the crucial role played by the West African organisation in the inclusion of women in leadership and in all professional spheres in West Africa. Her appointment as the 1st woman to head an Election Observation Mission for ECOWAS is a clear example. She expressed her gratitude to ECOWAS for choosing her.

This briefing session enabled the ECOWAS Observers to learn more about the objectives of their mission, the socio-political and security situation as well as the electoral operations in Togo, not forgetting the observation methodology and the plan for their deployment in the field. ECOWAS Observers are deployed in the Greater Lomé Autonomous District and in the country’s five (5) regions: Maritime, Plateau, Central, Kara and Savane.

At the end of the briefing session, Mrs Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang paid a courtesy call on the President of Togo’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dago Yabre. Civic education for voters and the communication strategy put in place by the INEC to ensure a smooth and successful election were at the centre of discussions between the two heads.

In the afternoon, she attended an information session on the preparations and conduct of the legislative and regional elections of 29 April 2024, organised jointly by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Local Government, Security and INEC.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The Ethiopian Delegation led by Deputy Commissioner of Ethiopian Investment Commission Mr. Dagato Kumbe took part at the Netherlands-Africa Business Council (NABC) event, ’AFRICA 20 Works! 24’. The event was held under the theme “Africa’s Green Industrialisation – Made in Africa” at Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) in Amsterdam, Netherlands on April 23-24/2024.

At the Ethiopian session, organized by the Ethiopian Embassy in Brussels in collaboration with Mr. Mattijs Rendens of (NABC), Deputy Commissioner Dagato presented business opportunities in Ethiopia including highlighting the themes of the promotion event focused on “circular agriculture, sustainable agro logistics and energy”. He also familiarized participants with the recently opened up financial and capital markets to foreign investment. H.E. Ambassador Hirut Zemene and Mr. Dagato addressed questions raised by the participants at the session and exchanged views with the different companies on ways and means to work together.

The Ethiopian delegation also took part in a field visit organised by NABC to two prominent Netherlands companies focused on agro-logistics. Tolsma-Grisnich has demonstrated its state- of-the arts processing machineries used for potatoes, onions and carrots. Tolsma-Grisnich has jointly worked with an Ethiopian company – Senselet in this endeavor. The visit to LC Packaging a family owned company since 1923, with a vast experience of packaging agriculture and mining products including in Africa was also part of the networking program. Both companies have been identified for future engagements in Ethiopia to meet the gaps for the government and private sector in the packaging industry.

AFRICA 20 Works! 24’ conference has afforded the Ethiopian delegation to introduce investment potentials in the agriculture and energy sectors as well as network with investment funds such as Invest International and selected companies in the field.

The Embassy with work together with NABC for a follow-up engagement including out ward trade mission from the Netherlands to Ethiopia in the meat future.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels.

The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (www.ITFC-idb.org), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, commenced the first day of the 49th IsDB Group Annual Meeting with a series of strategic meetings and important signings. Held at the Intercontinental Hotel, Riyadh, the first day of the annual meetings marked a notable increase in collaborative efforts between ITFC and its member countries to foster economic growth and development across vital sectors.

Discussions during the meetings featured high-level engagements with key partners and stakeholders, and member countries including Djibouti, Kazakhstan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Uganda. These discussions focused on enhancing financial cooperation, exploring new avenues for collaboration, and discussing ongoing projects developed to boost economic development in respective member countries.

Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO of ITFC, commented on the day’s events: “Today’s engagements show ITFC’s efforts and commitment to promote sustainable economic growth and encourage collaboration among our member countries. The agreements we have signed demonstrate our unwavering dedication to our partners and pave the way for more creative economic solutions crucial for development and prosperity in the world.”

Key Signings

A US$40 million Murabaha Agreement between ITFC and the Trade and Development Bank (TDB). This agreement, signed during the annual meetings, aims to bolster economic growth and enhance trade finance capabilities within Eastern and Southern Africa.  ITFC and TDB are collaborating further on initiatives to facilitate trade and development and strengthen their strategic partnership.

A Framework Agreement with the Government of Uganda. This three-year, U$150 million Agreement will support Uganda’s key sectors, such as energy, agriculture, and health, alongside promoting private sector development. This financing from ITFC will foster closer cooperation and coordinate efforts to drive sustainable development across these critical sectors.

A US$250 million Murabaha Financing Agreement with Afreximbank.  This trade facility will provide support for Afreximbank’s trade operations within the UKAFPA program. This initiative will benefit economic operators in both the private and public sectors, facilitating the smooth import and export of strategic commodities, particularly in member countries that share common interests.

Extending partnership with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN ESCWA) for activities focused on boosting awareness of Aid-for-Trade Initiative for Arab States (AfTIAS 2.0), especially through supporting the Arab SMEs Summit.

Comprehensive support Agreement with Cameroon. This agreement represents a comprehensive support package to enhance the nation’s infrastructure and agricultural productivity. This initiative involves financing projects essential for Cameroon’s strategic development goals, including improving transportation networks and energy generation capabilities. Central to the support package will focus on increasing access to financial services for Cameroonian enterprises, thereby boosting trade and fostering economic diversification under ITFC’s flagship program, Africa Arab Trade Bridges (AATB) Program.

These agreements underline ITFC’s commitment to enhancing economic cooperation and advancing trade solutions across its member countries, contributing significantly to their socio-economic development.  The day’s events have set a positive tone for the rest of the IsDB Annual Meetings. More agreements are expected to be signed, and critical initiatives will be launched to strengthen economic cooperation and enhance developmental impact across member countries.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).

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About the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC):
The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. It was established with the primary objective of advancing trade among OIC member countries, which would ultimately contribute to the overarching goal of improving socioeconomic conditions of the people across the world. Commencing operations in January 2008, ITFC has provided US$75 billion of financing to OIC member countries, making it the leading provider of trade solutions for these member countries’ needs. With a mission to become a catalyst for trade development for OIC member countries and beyond, the Corporation helps entities in member countries gain better access to trade finance and provides them with the necessary trade-related capacity building tools, which would enable them to successfully compete in the global market.