Our initial views on what the Department of International Cooperation and Economic Integration needs to achieve after our confirmation by the Liberian Senate.
By Tom Kaydor (thkaydor@gmail.com)
Introduction
The
Department of International Cooperation and Economic Integration of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinates negotiation of all bilateral and
multilateral agreements to which Liberia is a party. The Department also leads
formulation of such agreements, and subsequently monitors and evaluates their implementation
between Liberia and its bilateral and multilateral partners on the one hand,
and by government agencies and ministries on the other. It represents the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs at various meetings, conferences and economic fora
on International Cooperation and Economic Integration, advises the Foreign Minister
in this premise, and prepares cooperation and integration policy briefs, options
and analysis for the Presidency through the Office of the Minister.
The
Department is led by the Deputy Minister for International Cooperation and
Economic Integration, and comprises two technical Bureaus: the Bureau of
International Cooperation and Economic Affairs and the Bureau of International
Organizations Affairs. Each Bureau is headed by an Assistant Minister. The Department
has 30 staff members including Desk Officers, Research Analysts and Assistants,
and other clerical staff.
Cognizant
of its statutory mandate, the Department has developed the key deliverables hereunder
for six months (January to June 2015). Although most of them would continue
beyond this timeframe, these deliverables will serve as a compass for the
Department in the first half of 2015. They encompass the programme outcomes and
activities consistent with the Ministry’s Performance Contact signed with the
President of Liberia, and the Government Agenda for Transformation.
The
key components of the Department’s deliverables are:
·
Effective Coordination and Oversight;
·
Documentation and Policy Research;
·
Capacity Development;
·
Trade and Investment Promotion;
·
Ebola Response and Post-Ebola Recovery Planning
and Implementation
Goal
To
enhance the Foreign Ministry’s performance, and promote Liberia’s national
interest through economic diplomacy.
Objectives:
·
To coordinate negotiation, formulation and
signing of all government’s bilateral and multilateral cooperation agreements,
and ensure their effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation;
·
To promote trade and investment through strategic
partnership with Liberia’s Foreign Missions, Embassies near Monrovia, International
Organizations, and the National Investment Commission;
·
To fully document and re-document all
government’s bilateral and multilateral agreements, track, monitor and evaluate
their full implementation;
·
To conduct evidence based research, and
prepare strategic policy briefs, policy options and policy analysis in lieu of
promoting Liberia’s economic diplomacy through effective bilateral and
multilateral cooperation and economic integration;
·
To develop requisite capacity for the
effective and efficient functioning of the department in particular, and the Ministry
and other government agencies and ministries in general;
·
Increase Liberia’s visibility and
participation in, and enhance government’s strategic engagement with
International Organizations;
·
Promote government’s ebola response
strategy, and fast track post-ebola development planning and implementation through
robust and proactive bilateral and multilateral partnership.
Expected outcome:
Liberia’s
national interest (the security of the state and the wellbeing of its people)
promoted through strategic bilateral and multilateral cooperation and economic
integration.
A detailed matrix of deliverables with budget has been presented to the Management Team of the Ministry.
Liberia First!
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