10/31/2025
Update
For Immediate Release
President Macron Hosts Working Lunch with President Boakai at the Élysée Palace
October 30, 2025
Paris, France — President Emmanuel Macron today hosted His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., President of the Republic of Liberia, and his delegation at the Élysée Palace for a working lunch focused on deepening bilateral relations and exploring new areas of cooperation between Liberia and France.
The meeting opened with President Macron congratulating President Boakai on his successful visit to the United States and commending the impactful presentation delivered by Liberia’s President during engagements at the White House.
President Macron also congratulated Liberia on its election to the United Nations Security Council and expressed appreciation for President Boakai’s visit to France as an opportunity to strengthen ties between the two nations.
President Boakai thanked the Government and people of France for the warm hospitality and emphasized the importance of the longstanding friendship between the two countries.
He highlighted Liberia’s national priorities under the ARREST Agenda, focusing on Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism, while also stressing the central role of health, energy, and technology in driving inclusive development.
President Boakai discussed Liberia’s commitment to creating jobs and expanding vocational and technical training opportunities for young people. He also highlighted the need for investment partnerships that promote sustainable growth and empower communities.
In response, President Macron invited the French Development Agency (AFD) to present ongoing and proposed projects in Liberia.
Both leaders discussed the reactivation of key infrastructure and agricultural initiatives that had been stalled in recent years, agreeing to move forward with project implementation under the Boakai administration.
The two presidents exchanged views on enhancing cooperation in agriculture, including support to forest-dependent communities and sustainable farming.
The Liberian Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Honorable Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan provided updates on the country’s current challenges in health, education, energy, and water and sanitation—highlighting the impact of recent aid cuts and the Government’s emergency interventions amounting to over US$115 million to sustain essential services.
Discussions also covered major infrastructure projects awaiting restart, as well as cooperation on peace, and regional security.
Given Liberia’s proximity to the Sahel and its strategic role within the Mano River Union, both leaders expressed the importance of stronger coordination in addressing subregional peace and stability.
Looking ahead, the two presidents discussed the upcoming African Union–European Union (AU–EU) Summit to be held in Angola.
The Liberian Minister of Foreign Affairs m, Honorable Sara Beysolow Nyanti shared Liberia's active role in shaping the summit’s agenda on Women, Peace, and Security.
President Macron welcomed Liberia’s leadership on this issue and viewed the upcoming summit as an opportunity to collectively address development funding gaps across Africa and expand EU-supported initiatives.
The meeting concluded with an agreement to expand the December 8 visit of the French Mission to Liberia—originally planned for the training of Liberia’s UN Security Council team at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—to include a broader peace and security dialogue covering border management, and critical areas of security cooperation.
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