IPNEWS: The Vice President of the Republic of Liberia, Hon. Jeremiah Kpan Koung, Sr., today held a high-level engagement with the European Union (EU) Delegation to Liberia, members of Team Europe, and representatives of the European Chamber of Commerce, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Liberia’s business environment and address key drivers of price instability.
The meeting, held at the Capitol Building in Monrovia, focused on improving regulatory predictability, ensuring fair competition, strengthening port and customs efficiency, and reinforcing collaboration ahead of the EU-Liberia Business Forum scheduled for February 24–25, 2026, in Brussels.
Speaking during the engagement, the EU Delegation Chair underscored the EU’s long-term commitment to Liberia and Africa, stating:
“The European Union and Africa are major economic partners. The EU is Africa’s largest trading partner and investor, and we are here for the long haul.”
She further explained the purpose of the engagement, noting: “We wanted to meet you in your capacity as Chair of the Taskforce on Price Stabilization to discuss the business and regulatory environment and the upcoming EU-Liberia Business Forum in Brussels.”
Representatives of the European Chamber of Commerce Liberia comprising 26 European companies operating in Liberia across agriculture, mining, automotive, healthcare, logistics, and trading reaffirmed their commitment to ethical business practices, decent work standards, skills transfer, and full tax compliance.
They also highlighted challenges related to unfair competition arising from duty evasion, port inefficiencies, land access constraints, and work permit costs.
Vice President Koung welcomed the frank exchange and reaffirmed Government’s reform agenda, stating that “our objective is a fair and transparent system where rules apply equally, revenues are protected, and prices for ordinary Liberians are stabilized.”
The parties agreed to establish a structured public–private dialogue platform, beginning with a joint technical meeting in early February 2026, bringing together relevant government institutions, port authorities, and private-sector stakeholders to address bottlenecks and monitor reform implementation.
The Vice President thanked the EU and Team Europe for their continued partnership and reaffirmed Liberia’s openness to responsible investment aligned with national development priorities.
