Thursday – Abuja, Nigeria November 2-3, 2017, A high-level Policy and Private Sector Trade and Investment Facilitation Forum was held by the Federal Government of Nigeria and ECOWAS, in partnership with the WTO Friends of Investment Faciltation for Development (FIFD) from 2-3 November 2017. The event was opened by H.E. Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON, Vice President of the Federla Republic of Nigeria and the Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Management Team and organized using the “Davos Style” presentations, dialogue and Q&A. Minister Axel M. Addy addressed the second day of the Forum expressing confidence in the process of consultation and sharing the Liberian story of accession to the World Trade Organization.

Liberia was showcased as one of the African countries open to foreign investors by Deputy Minister Steve Marvie who sat on the first panel: Scaling Up Trade and Investment to Achieve the 2030 Sustainbale Development Goals. The panel was chaired by Chiedu Osakwe, Chief Trade Negotiator, Director-General, Nigeria Office for Trade Negotiations. Deputy Trade Minister Marvie also participated on a panel entitled, “The Evolving Trade and Investment Landscape – Opportunities and Challenges” – a panel on which he shared experiences involving a transition from a crashed economy to an emerging economy recording high single digit growth occasioned by investment in trade, infrastructure and human capacity. Ms. SalaMartu Duncan, Secretary General of the Liberia Chamber of Commerce participated on a panel entitled: “Entrepreneurship & MSMEs”. Ms. Duncan provided vital statistics on women’s participation in business and how the provision of linkages to national and regional value chains has improved branding and packaging for Liberian MSMEs. Before the closing of the Forum, Togo and Liberia read the Abuja Statement in French and English respectively. Due to Liberia’s strong participation and presentation at the high-level forum, Honorable Minister Axel M. Addy was invited to participate in a FIFD forum in Geneva, Switzerland to expand on the possibilities of sustaining momentum for trade and investment facilitation in advance of the WTO Ministerial in December 2017.