By Ethel A. Tweh
The President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Albert T. Chie, says the availability and price of rice in Liberia has been a serious issue over the last three months, principally as a result of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, which has disrupted production and the supply chain, including freight that has increased significantly.
Speaking at the closure of the 5th session of the 54th Legislature on Thursday, December 8, Senator Chie said there is a forecast that next year, the price of rice on the international market will increase by 20%.
He said it was time the Government of Liberia to take away partial subsidy that was being provided to rice importers, as it is far too small to make any impact on price stabilization.
The Grand Kru County Senator said that the incomplete subsidy saw rice being sold at uncoordinated outrageous prices, noting that with the recent removal of subsidy and a fixed price set by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, it is hoped that stability will return to the market.
“The Russia-Ukraine war continues to disrupt economies all over the world. The longer the fight goes on, the more people will suffer, especially in fragile economies like Developing Countries. There is, therefore, a definite need for the war to come to an end.” Chie added.
The Senator disclosed that on November 28, he listened to and watched an interview on TRT World, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, Peter Szijjarto, of an EU and NATO Country, on the Russia-Ukraine War.
Chie quoted the Hungarian Minister as saying inter alia, that he has attended countless Foreign Ministers of EU and NATO meetings and that at no time was peace ever discussed. War plans, strategies, and imposition of sanctions on Russia were the key agenda items, over and over.
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He also stated that Peter Szijjarto said few countries like Turkey have tried to broker peace between the Presidents of Russia and Ukraine to end the war and that according to the Foreign Minister, for the war to end, meetings should be convened between the Presidents of Russia and the United States, not between Russia and Ukraine.
Sen. Chief said he, therefore, welcomes the statement from President Joe Biden during the recent visit of French President Emmanuel Macron, that he is willing to talk to President Putin of Russia, while calling on the United Nations, through its appropriate organs, to work on a concrete and realistic peace plan to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, noting that the world is suffering too much.
