Brussels, Belgium/ November 2013 -President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf met on Monday with over 50 Liberians under the banner of United Liberians Association in Belgium, who praised her for the level of transformation the country has seen since 2006 when she assumed office, and requested that Brussels be a location for the issuance of biometric passports for Liberians living in Europe.
According to a dispatch from Brussels, President Sirleaf and her delegation arrived in the Belgian capital Sunday afternoon from Dubai, where the Liberian leader had been on a working visit and, before that, attended the 3rd Africa-Arab Summit in Kuwait city, Kuwait.
The Association’s president, Kingston Washington Wleh, said they were following development activities in their country, and had come to express their thanks and appreciation to President Sirleaf for ably transforming Liberia from a pariah state to that of a global state actor. “Your leadership has brought equality to everyone irrespective of religion, tribe and political affiliation in discussing the country’s future,†he said, adding that when one goes home today, the transformation is visible in the streets of Monrovia.â€
Mr. Wleh said Liberian living in Belgium are aware that the government alone cannot develop Liberia, and have therefore initiated a program to help reach out to orphanages in and around Monrovia as their contribution to national development. They have begun collecting clothing and other items for delivery to fellow Liberians during the Christmas season. They would continue to assist their countrymen by reaching out to the vulnerable in cash and kind.
The group requested President Sirleaf to consider Brussels as a location for the issuance of biometric passports once every four months, in order to enable Liberians to obtain their passports. They cited huge difficulties in moving around, especially when their passports expire and cannot be renewed due to travel complexities to London where the process of issuing passports takes place. They could not travel to London easily, unlike the Netherlands, France, Germany and Italy that have the common Schengen Visa. They told the President that London is not strategically located, and that Brussels is the capital of Europe and should be included and should be an overseas location for the issuance of Liberian passports.
Speaking earlier, Liberia’s Ambassador to the EU, Mr. Francis Karpeh, informed President Sirleaf of the cooperation between the Association and the Liberian Embassy on promoting Liberia’s image in the EU countries. He also challenged them to maintain their constructive engagement with the Embassy in resolving or addressing their concerns.
Responding, President Sirleaf praised the Liberians for demonstrating good citizenship both abroad and at home; said she was particularly proud of them for reaching out to the vulnerable, and hoped that other Liberian groups would emulate their good example. She also lauded them for their remittances to their families, which helped the economy as well.
The President said that while she knew it was not an easy decision to make, especially where Liberians are established in a particular country, but she challenged them to see the need to return home, reminding them that there is nowhere like home. She said that every time she meets with Liberians outside of their country, she encourages them to return home to join in the reconstruction.
Concerning the issue of passports, President Sirleaf said that while she was concerned about their situation, it was government policy to put into place tougher measures and procedures in issuing Liberian passports aimed at preventing passports getting into the wrong hands. She said she would, however, work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on an interim program that will enable them obtain their passports, but was quick to remind them that the normal screening will not be relaxed.
Displaying passports confiscated from non-Liberians by Liberia’s Ambassador to Italy, Mohammed Sheriff, the President said government was doing much to protect the Liberian passport as the passport had already gotten into the hands of non-Liberians and criminals.
Attending the meeting was the President’s Legal Adviser, Cllr. Seward Cooper, along with some Liberian Embassy staff.
Also on Monday, President Sirleaf granted an interview to the Reuters News Agency, the topic of which was the future of fragile states.
The Liberian President will address the opening session of the European Development Days forum, taking place in Brussels on Tuesday.
