The Head Of The Office Of Diaspora Liberians Outlines Several Priority Interventions, Ends Annual Return of Diaspora Liberians’ Activities

The month long activities marking the annual return of Diaspora Liberians have ended but not without key interventions and noticeable progress.

Arrived early December of 2024, scores of Diaspora Liberians received an overwhelming welcome from the Roberts International Airport in lower Margibi Couty with dance performance as well as singing by the National Culture Troop of Liberia.

Happy to be back home, for the first time after over thirty, forty or fifty years respectively, the Diaspora Liberians especially from the United States of America, Asia, Europe, Australia and some parts of Africa were excited to return home to their Mother Land.

The annual return of Diaspora Liberians, which coincided with the festive season, was marked by scores of activities, including a tour of some unique tourism sites across the country.

Very amazed by the natural beauty and heritage of their Country, the Diaspora Liberians expressed interest in helping to improve in the Country’s tourism sector especially with initial plan interventions to give some improve face-lift through renovation and construction works at some of the sites visited during their month long stay .

The Diaspora Liberians, some of whom returned home for the first time after over a decade, enjoyed some of Liberia’s delicious traditional dishes to include: Palm Butter, Torborgee, Cassava-leaf and Potatoes Grains as well as the natural taste of fruits and vegetables respectively.

According to the Head of the Diaspora office, Erasmus Williams, Education, Economic and youth empowerment among others are some of the key priorities and issues flag by Diaspora Liberians which they believe timely intervention can be made in order to help develop Liberia.

He, at the same time, disclosed the establishment of the Diaspora Education fund aimed at helping early childhood education, especially for slum dwellers and less fortune people, adding that SMART- Education will be key as well.

The program, for the first time in the current administration he stated was to create more awareness about the existence of the Diaspora Office in the Office of the President to the general public.

” People need to know what we do and some of the help that we are prepared to provide to make Liberia better, and that can be done through the Diaspora office,” he re-emphasized.

Mr. Williams, who commended President Boakai for his support towards said initiative, was also quick to mention that the Liberian leader vision, among other things, is to ensure that Liberians abroad are reconnected back to their Mother – Land.

Speaking about plan activities for 2025, he stressed that they envisioned a more organized, bigger and well coordinated annual return in December of 2025 especially with the hope of getting a charter flight that will bring home all Diaspora Liberians at once and to take them back upon the climax of the month long event.

As planned activities are underway for the Diaspora conference in April of this year in Washington DC, Williams was hasten to indicate also that the Diaspora annual return in 2025 will feature series of great activities including: Diaspora conference, business summit among others.

He assured the public that as part of his work, his office will endeavor to provide direct services to other Liberians, establish offices in some of Liberia’s embassies and also establish strategic relationships with key line Ministries and agencies of government.

The Head of the Diaspora office stated that as they also work in strengthening relationships in the USA with other partners, they were in 2024 about to provide one fire truck to the Liberia National Fire Service Agency in order to help enhance their work as they battle fire incidents in and around the Country.

Williams, in conversation with executive Mansion Reporters, used the occasion to encourage Liberians in the Diaspora to use their contacts and relationships abroad to link their Mother- Land in order for their Nation and people to benefit.

The month long annual return of Diaspora Liberians also saw a day long peace and reconciliation dialogue, which brought together Liberians home and abroad.

He stated that the dialogue highlighted among other things the negative mindset about some Liberians home against some Diaspora Liberians only because of the manner and form in which some Diaspora Liberians act when they return to their Mother- Land while Diaspora Liberians also flagged the issue of discrimination by their fellow brothers and sisters back home.

At the interactive peace and reconciliation dialogue, Diaspora Liberians additionally outlined some of their challenges to include: The accessing of their properties already purchased by them, registering and or establishing of businesses, clearing of goods from the Freeport of Monrovia especially with high fees as well as voting away using technology among others.

However , the Head of the Diaspora office stated that as they continue to document more of the challenges faced by Diaspora Liberians, it is pivotal to mention that while they encourage Liberians to return home to help improve and or develop their Mother- Land , it is important to create the easy means and atmosphere necessary for them to explore void of discrimination.

He assured Diaspora Liberians that his office will work with other line Ministries and agencies of government to legally address some of their pressing issues and concerns in the interest of the Country.

“The peace and reconciliation dialogue was fruitful and rewarding “, he noted.

The month long event also saw Diaspora Liberians putting smiles on the faces of Liberian kids with the distribution of gifts to them as one of their many ways to celebrate the festive season back home .

As they return , Diaspora Liberians expressed great interest in helping to develop their Mother- Land as well as working on ways and means to create opportunities for their fellow kinsman.

With great hope of change for a better Liberia, Diaspora Liberians are optimistic that their contributions to their nation are key as they leave home with fresh memories of love, joy and the excitement of seeing their Country for the first time after decades of war.