PARIS, FRANCE-President Joseph Nyuma Boakai held a key bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron today, October 30, at the Élysée Palace in Paris, France.

The discussions are the focal point of President Boakai’s four-day state visit to France, following the formal signing of a major General Cooperation Agreement which promises to transform the French-Liberian partnership across key sectors.

The meeting is expected to synthesize the commitments made and chart a course for deeper strategic engagement, particularly in the areas of regional security and sustainable development, aligning with Liberia’s ambitious ARREST Agenda.

The talks come immediately after a landmark event at the French Foreign Ministry this morning, where the Agreement was signed by Liberia’s Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow-Nyanti and her French counterpart, Éléonore Caroit.

This Agreement officially renews the overall framework of cooperation between the two nations, setting the stage for the specific action points to be discussed by the Presidents.

Additionally, both nations are advancing plans to update the decades-old Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), originally signed in 1979.

This modernization effort, confirmed by French Ambassador Isabelle Le Guellec, is a critical objective of President Boakai’s visit.

Officials of the government accompanying President Boakai at the meeting include Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow-Nyanti, Finance Minister Augustine Ngafuan, Liberia’s Ambassador to France, Amb. Teeko Yorlay, including Minister of State without Portfolio, Mamakai Bility.

The meeting and the signing of the cooperation agreement signal a major strategic shift, cementing France’s role as a vital diplomatic and economic partner for Liberia, as it seeks to attract investment and strengthen its voice on the international stage.

By: Anthony Williams