Ahead of the African Union’s 34th Ordinary Session of Heads of state, Liberia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dee-Maxwel Kemayah, has disclosed that the Government of Liberia has fulfilled its financial obligations to the pan-African body.
He made known the country’s readiness to participate in the upcoming session scheduled for February 3-7, 2021, under the auspices of the AU’s current Chairperson, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The meeting will be held via videoconferencing on the theme “Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want,” in support of efforts to showcase the significant contribution of the rich and diverse African heritage, as an essential tool for bringing about sustainable development, integration, and peace in Africa.
Minister Kemayah thanked President George Weah, through whose leadership he said the needed funds to settle the 2021 contribution and the legacy arrears which accumulated and were assessed in 2020 were made available. He reaffirmed the Weah Administration’s commitment to settling the country’s financial obligations to International and continental institutions. “Settling our financial obligations signals that Liberia takes its role and responsibilities seriously as a member in the international system”, the Minister said.
It can be recalled that Member States of the Africa Union in 2016 decided on the need for equitable and predictable funding source to finance the Union so as to reduce dependency while implementing development and integration programs on the Continent. Each country is therefore required to make regular financial contributions to the Union, based on assessment of its capacity.
During the upcoming Session, the Heads of State are expected to receive reports and debate on matters of continental priority, including reports on the Institutional Reforms of the Union and the AU Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
