President Sirleaf lauds historical ties between Liberia and Ethiopia

-Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has lauded the historic ties existing between Liberia and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia amid the tremendous contributions both nations have made together in promoting the Pan-African spirit through the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in the early 1960s.

According to a presidential mansion statement issued here Wednesday, President Sirleaf made the remarks when Gifti Abasiya, Ambassador-Designate of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to Liberia with residence in Accra, Ghana presented her letter of credence to the Liberian leader on Tuesday in Monrovia.

President Sirleaf said Liberia and Ethiopia share unique historical similarities of not being colonized by any colonial power and recounted the close relationship between the late President William V.S. Tubman of Liberia and Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia who worked tirelessly towards the formation of the then OAU to forge a common African solidarity and brotherhood.

President Sirleaf further recalled the historic visit of Emperor Haile Selassie to Liberia in the early 1960s, during which he visited Northern Sanniquellie in Nimba County, along with Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and Ahmed Sekou Toure of Guinea.

Earlier, in July, 1959, the first meeting was held in the Central Province, now Nimba County, and attended by Presidents Kwame Nkrumah, Ahmed Sekou Toure and host William V.S. Tubman to chart a course for the formation of a continental body.

She praised the people of Ethiopia, recognizing their resilience having emerged out of the tentacles of severe famine-cum-conflict in the early 1980s to a country of transformation and unprecedented development. She described Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn’s predecessor Meles Zenawi as a visionary leader and said she has no doubt that PM Dessalegn would continue in the path of such lofty legacy.

She stressed the need to rekindle previous joint cooperation agreements between Liberia and Ethiopia in the interest of both countries and their peoples by giving meaning to their relevance.

Earlier, Ambassador-Designate, Gifti Abasiya thanked President Sirleaf for the audience accorded her and noted that there was a compelling need to accelerate the pace of closer cooperation that will bring benefits to the two countries.

She acknowledged progress made under the leadership of President Sirleaf, which has largely brought hope to her country and people. She then conveyed a special message of warmth and best wishes from Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn to his Liberian counterpart.

She said Ethiopia was prepared to work along with Liberia particularly at the level of the African Union (AU) to promote and advance the mutual interest of the two nations and their aspirations. She expressed the hope that the relationship will continue to be nurtured in the coming years