Frowns on Gov’t officials’ attempts to throw Liberia back to the days of “Oui, Oui, Bon, Bon”
ONE VOICE LIBERIA (OVL), a Civil Society Organization (CSO), is backing a call for Ivanhoe-Liberia, formerly High-Power Exploration (HPX), an American Iron Ore Miner, for a national regulator that will supervise and coordinate the country’s railway sector.
OVL believes the establishment of a national regulator, which is already on course with the issuance of an Executive Order by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, will be beneficial to Liberia, financial-wise, instead of having an external regulator.
In a statement issued over the weekend, the group voiced its support for the establishment of the national regulator while also raising concerns over some government officials selfish moves over national interest regarding the ongoing rail access negotiations involving the government of Liberia, ArcelorMittal, and Ivanhoe Atlantic (High Power Exploration HPX).
They urged officials to avoid quick fixes and prioritize fair and equitable agreements in alignment with the country’s current needs.
The organization expressed unease over perceived parallels to past negotiations infamously characterized by the phrase “Oui, Oui, Bon, Bon,” where Liberia may have made concessions against its interests.
“We want to frown on the attempts by some of President Boakai’s officials and economic advisors to go back to the old days of “Oui, Oui, Bon, Bon” agreement model of decades ago,” the group said. This was when Liberia negotiated the country’s borders with France. The old joke was that Liberian negotiators pretended to understand French and answered “Oui, Oui, Bon, Bon” to everything the French negotiators said. That may not have been true because the two sides exercised unequal power. But, in the end Liberia lost significant territory to the French colonial power.”
“Similarly, Liberia concluded many concession agreements in the 1920s and 1960s in agriculture and mining that left much to be desired. But those were the conditions of the times. The concession agreements led to economic boom and the creation of bustling industrial enclave towns. Towns such as Bomi Hills, Bong Town, and Yekepa became ghost towns amidst global economic crises, mine closures, the April 12 Coup and Liberia’s protracted civil war,” it said. “Times have changed. This is the 21st Century. President Boakai has experienced all the phases, the boom in Bomi Hills, the economic hardships when boomtowns went burst and the civil crises. We believe that he’s determined to make the difference.”
The President is calling for a review of all existing agreements including comprehensive audits where necessary, and OVL believes it is high time for fair and equitable agreements going forward. “Above all he wants inclusive economic growth and development with prosperity for all Liberians where no one is left behind.”
ONE VOICE emphasized the importance of evaluating existing agreements, promoting inclusive economic growth, and ensuring prosperity for all Liberians. President Boakai’s administration has taken steps to establish the National Railway Authority (NRA) and assert Liberia’s ownership of railway assets, including the Yekepa Railway.
The objective is to transition the rail corridor to an independent, multi-user system to enhance trade and economic development, especially in the context of regional trade agreements like the African Continental Free Trade Area. The current negotiations with Ivanhoe Atlantic (HPX) are crucial in aligning with the President’s vision for an independent rail operator.
The Executive Order makes it mandatory for the Yekepa to Buchanan Port Corridor to transition to an “independent, multi-user, non-discriminatory, open access” as embedded in the Framework Agreement between Liberia and Guinea and ratified by the two governments.
The Rail Corridor has also been identified as essential to the successful implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the promotion of trade between Liberia and Guinea as well as within the Mano River Union (MRU), ECOWAS and the entire African Continent. In addition, it would allow the development of the rail infrastructure in other parts of the country including Bong, Western Cluster, Putu, etc., and would provide access to parts of the country that are currently inaccessible or hard to reach.
It would allow trade flow in the most efficient way and open rural areas of Liberia to produce and market other minerals and agricultural and manufactured goods for export to the world.
The ongoing negotiations for access agreement between the Government of Liberia and HPX are taking place within the context of the President’s unwavering commitment to an independent operator for the multiuser Yekepa-Buchanan rail. Sources close to the negotiations say the government is willing to have AML continue to serve as user operator of the rail until its current MDA expires in 2029.
The NRA will become operationalized within that period and would assume responsibility to put out a tender for an independent operator come 2030 which would satisfy HPX.
AML on the other hand is insisting on retaining control as user operator for a renewed MDA for additional 25 years from 2030. HPX finds that condition unacceptable. Granting AML such right would contravene Liberian law under Executive Orders 112 and 136.
However, differing perspectives within the Interministerial Concession Committee (IMCC) present challenges. The CSO Group emphasizes the need for unity and transparency in the negotiations to ensure fair outcomes for all stakeholders, including scrutinizing past agreements for accountability and improvement.
ONE VOICE LIBERIA is therefore advocating for a united front in negotiating agreements that benefit Liberia’s economy and its citizens, moving away from past practices of hasty deals towards more robust and sustainable solutions.
“While the Liberian economy was in a bad shape when AML arrived in the country nearly two decades ago, negotiations of the AML agreement and all agreements require rigor and vigilance with a united voice. NO MORE OUI, OUI; BON, BON, ONE VOICE LIBERIA DEMANDS,” the CSO said.
