Thursday – Nairobi, Kenya, 28 August 2016, The Ministry, represented by Deputy Minister for Trade Services, Honorable Stephen Marvie, Jr, participated in the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development to showcase Made in Liberia products and present the message of economic diversification to private sector stakeholders from Japan and the rest of Africa.

Minister Marvie joined President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and her delegation which was composed of Ambassador Marjon Kamara, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Minister for International Cooperation, Honorable Dehpue Zuo, and Liberian Ambassador to Japan, Ambassador Youngor Telewoda, among others.

TICAD VI TICAD VI builds on several global initiatives: 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Addis Ababa Agenda 2063, WTO Nairobi Ministerial Declaration, UNCTAD VIX Declaration, etc. Hence, TICAD VI became a focus on identifying common priorities for accelerating substainable devleopment, including the burgeoning role of the private sector in driving trade, investment and development between Africa and Japan, among others

As the enabler of the private sector, the Ministry used the TICAD VI event to exhibit products made by Liberian MSMEs. Products on display were the Liberian honey, scarfs, sculptures, beads, quilts, etc.

Given the multitude of private sector stakeholders at the event, the Minstry sought to join other countries and organization to present Liberia’s story: The changing dyanmism of Liberia’s economy from an extractive-based economy to a diversified one based on agriculture, agro-processing and manufacturing.

Minister Marvie presented the Schematic Design and Project Synopsis for Providence Island to President Sirleaf to facilitate conversation with the Japanese regarding support to Liberia’s development. Minister Marvie also shared the list of Japanese enterprises doing business in Africa with the Ministry to trigger immediate B2G interactions and build on earlier engagements with the Japanese private sector.