Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08MONROVIA51
2008-01-16 16:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Monrovia
Cable title:  

LIBERIA'S COMMERCE MINISTER AND TIFA/AGOA UPDATE

Tags:  ETRD EAID EAGR ECON EAIR OPIC USTR PGOV LI 
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DE RUEHMV #0051/01 0161611
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161611Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY MONROVIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9659
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEATRA/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MONROVIA 000051 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EEB/IFD/OIA AND AF/W
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS USTR FOR CONNIE HAMILTON
PLEASE PASS OPIC FOR JOHN SIMON
TREASURY FOR OREN WYCHE-SHAW, RICHARD HALL, AND JOHN RALYEA
COMMERCE FOR STEVEN GARDNER AND SALIHA LOUCIF
ACCRA FOR KEVIN MCCOWAN
DAKAR FOR USDA AND FAA

REF A) 07 MONROVIA 1260
REF B) 07 MONROVIA 1201

E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EAID EAGR ECON EAIR OPIC USTR PGOV LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA'S COMMERCE MINISTER AND TIFA/AGOA UPDATE


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MONROVIA 000051

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EEB/IFD/OIA AND AF/W
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS USTR FOR CONNIE HAMILTON
PLEASE PASS OPIC FOR JOHN SIMON
TREASURY FOR OREN WYCHE-SHAW, RICHARD HALL, AND JOHN RALYEA
COMMERCE FOR STEVEN GARDNER AND SALIHA LOUCIF
ACCRA FOR KEVIN MCCOWAN
DAKAR FOR USDA AND FAA

REF A) 07 MONROVIA 1260
REF B) 07 MONROVIA 1201

E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EAID EAGR ECON EAIR OPIC USTR PGOV LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA'S COMMERCE MINISTER AND TIFA/AGOA UPDATE



1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Minister of Commerce is committed to progress
under TIFA and is already planning for the AGOA workshop and an AGOA
Resource Center. Plans are underway for a standards lab in Monrovia
that will permit sanitary and phyto-sanitary tests. The Minister
supports establishment of commercial courts. However, Liberia still
faces many challenges before exports are likely to reach
international standards. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) The Ambassador and Econoff met January 11 with Frances
Johnson Morris, Minister of Commerce, to review the status of items
on the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) work plan and
other trade issues. Following is a summary of some of the work plan
topics (with numbers referencing the "U.S.-Liberia TIFA Council
Meetings Action Items for Follow-Up" list).

Interagency AGOA Workshop (items 5 and 14)
--------------


3. (SBU) The Ambassador conveyed USTR's proposal of a February 7-8
event, and asked whether the GOL would be able to support and
organize a workshop during that period. The Minister said planning
for an event the first week of February was well underway but she
would confirm the dates with the stakeholders. She provided a draft
agenda, proposed participant list, and status report for the
workshop. We will encourage to GOL to include members of the
legislature in the workshop (per item 14 of the work plan). (Note:
The Minister's office confirmed the February 7-8 dates on January

14. However, we will be consulting with the Ministry on possible

March dates in light of recent information from Washington. End
note)


4. (SBU) For the AGOA workshop, the GOL is planning an exhibition
of Liberian products, including arts and crafts that might be
suitable for export under AGOA. Chili peppers that are being grown,
on the advice of the West African Trade Hub, have already found a
buyer in Europe.

March Trade Mission to Ghana (Item 3)
--------------


5. (SBU) The Accra Trade Hub reports it has worked with USDA and
the Accra-based contractors (selected to assist in the USDA March
Trade and Investment Mission (TIM)),for matchmaking opportunities
between regional firms and U.S. companies and investors. The Trade
Hub made specific matchmaking suggestions to USDA and Brooks
Associates; however, no Liberian companies were found to be suitable
matches for the U.S. companies on the TIM.


6. (U) Embassy Monrovia is still consulting with trade
professionals and agricultural experts in Liberia and will forward a
few more candidates this week. However, most of the possible
candidates would be importers (and not eligible for USG sponsorship)
rather than exporters.

AGOA Resource Center (Item 10)
--------------


7. (SBU) The Minister told us they had received communication on
the proposal for an AGOA Resource Center and understood the host
should be a private, rather than a government, entity. They are
suggesting the Liberian Chamber of Commerce. The Accra Trade Hub
reported January 16 that it had scheduled a one-day AGOA Workshop in
Liberia to coincide with the opening of the new AGOA Resource Center
(ARC) in Monrovia for April, but is now working to move that to
March to possibly coincide with the interagency AGOA workshop.
Embassy Monrovia requests closer coordination with the WATH/A office
as neither State nor USAID officers in Monrovia had received any
information on this initiative.

Commercial Court system (Item 11)
--------------


8. (SBU) The Ambassador asked about interest in establishing a
commercial court system for Liberia. The minister, who is a lawyer
and was previously the Minister of Justice, said the proposal had
been around since the 1990s. She had been a debt court judge and
was well aware of the ineffectiveness of the current system and its
impact on banks and other companies. She said that in addition to
working with Commerce, the proposal should be pursued with the

MONROVIA 00000051 002 OF 002


Supreme Court and the Bar Association. (Note: Post welcomes the
ongoing contact with the Department Of Commerce's Commercial Law
Development Program and looks forward to working with them to move
this very important initiative forward. Another promising initiative
includes assistance in streamlining the public procurement process.
End note.)

Standards Lab (Item 2)
--------------


9. (SBU) The USG is funding rehabilitation of the Ministry of
Public Works, which will include space for a standards lab. UNIDO
has committed $250,000 to equipping the lab (and has hired away the
Minister's very efficient personal assistant). The GOL already has
people undergoing training in Ghana. The lab will allow the GOL to
build cases against purveyors of dangerous or counterfeit products
(particularly pharmaceuticals) and will be an essential step in
attaining the sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards necessary for
export of agricultural products and seafood.

Boston Seafood Show (Item 6)
--------------


10. (SBU) On that note, the Minister confirmed that there are no
Liberian firms that are at a level where participation at the Boston
Seafood Show next month would be feasible. Having consulted widely
with business and government contacts, we support her opinion.