Monrovia & Houston Sign MoU to Strengthen Cooperation & Explore Opportunities

(Monrovia, Liberia): Monrovia City and Houston City signed a Memorandum of Understanding on April 28, 2022, at the Monrovia City Hall in the City of Monrovia, Liberia to strengthen relations between both cities and seek to develop ideas to promote mutual exchange and cooperation.

Hon. Williametta Piso Saydee-Tarr, Council Member of Monrovia signed on behalf of Monrovia, Liberia, and Dr. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, Council Member of Houston and Christopher Olson, Director of International Affairs, City of Houston signed the MoU on behalf of Houston City, United States of America.

Underscoring the importance of working together, Mayor Koijee said that the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding is a great step in strengthening collaboration between Monrovia and Houston. Dr. Evans-Shabazz said that the two cities would increase their cooperative efforts through the MoU, to upscale mutual exchange and cooperation.

Under the MOU, the two parties agreed to consider opportunities and explore potential cooperation and ventures in the future. The MoU also envisages, among others, initiatives across fields like education, trade, agriculture, public works, energy, and cultural exchange that will benefit the citizens of both cities.

The City of Monrovia and the City of Houston will further develop goodwill and understanding between citizens of the two cities and examine opportunities to develop stronger ties, identify areas of cooperation and explore possibilities of partnership in those identified areas.

In attendance at the signing ceremony were Mr. Aaron Whitely, Commissioner of Chatham County, District 6, Mr. Valvert R. Thompson, President, Houston International Trade Development Council, and Hon. Cynthia Blandford, Honorary Consul, Republic of Liberia to Atlanta, Georgia, and President, Blandford Thompson International Consulting, LLC.

Others are Mr. Victor M. Bonner, Attorney at Law, Ms. Centrell M. Reed, President & CEO, Creed Global Media, Mr. Warren L. Winston, President, Winston WorldWide, LLC, and Mr. Nick A. Nwoke, President of NEXTERA Equipment Export and Global Logistics, LLC, among others.

They were part of a trade mission from the City of Houston, America’s fourth largest city to Liberia. During their mission, the team also met with other government agencies including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Port Authority, National Investment Commission, the business community, and embassies accredited near Monrovia such as the US Embassy and USAID.

The MOU is expected to last for two years, during which time an official sister city agreement will commence between Monrovia and Houston.