The Liberia National Export Strategy (LNES) on Tourism is an integral part of the WTO Post Accession Plan. The Strategy contains nine pilot projects that have the potential to transform Liberia’s tourism industry. The LNES on Tourism brings to five the number of export strategies being considered to diversify Liberia’s economy. In 2014, the Government launched the export strategies on rubber, cocoa, fisheries and crustaceans, and oil palm to address constraints in the areas of agricultural value chains. Immense work, consultations, progress are already taking place in those four value chains.

To enhance coordination in the implementation of the WTO Post Accession Plan, The President signed Executive Order No. 74. That action accelerated the expansion of the policy space to promote inclusive growth and expand job creation for Liberians.

At today’s program, the Government will launch a website to promote tourism and highlight Liberia’s touristic potential. We will launch the #PositivelyLiberian to highlight all things positive about Liberia. The Kpatawee Waterfalls Community-Based Ecotourism Project in Bong County will also be launched.

The LNES on Tourism is being spearheaded by Honourable Minister Eugene Nagbe of the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism, and Honorable Minister Addy, Coordinator of the Implementation of Executive Order 74 and Chair of Liberia’s WTO Post Accession Plan Steering Committee.

As part of the celebrations for the 169th Independence Day, Her Excellency President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will launch the Liberia National Export Strategy on Tourism on Wednesday, 27 July 2016 at the Monrovia City Hall at 11:00AM. A Media Briefing scheduled for 12.30PM will follow the launch. Members of the media are invited to attend both events.

At the Media Briefing, Minister Nagbe, Minister Addy, and the ITC Executive Director, Ms. Arancha González will explain the road map and provide information on the pilot projects documented in the Liberia National Export Strategy on Tourism. The LNES on Tourism was drafted based on the support of the Enhanced Integrated Framework of the WTO, the International Trade Center (ITC), the Presidential Exploratory Committee on Tourism headed by Mrs. Barkue Tubman Zawolo, and the Association on Tourism led by Mrs. Mai Urey.