According to a Foreign Ministry release, Ngafuan maintained: “we have conquered Ebola, and so, we are in a new phase, a phase of recovery, a phase of emergence to tell the International community that Liberia is back.”
 
He made the assertion when the Government of the People’s Republic of China on Wednesday, June 3 handed over 12 vehicles (sedans) and four buses valued at over US$1million to the Government of Liberia to be used for protocol purposes.
 
He said: “today is the day to clear the embarrassments from the face of the government because this whole process started some two years with Ambassador Zhang Yue’s   predecessor based on our request regarding protocol vehicles.”
 
Ngafuan recalled that when “we met, and talked about the request regarding the protocol vehicles the Ambassador bought the idea again and said to me we will see what to do.”
 
 Minister Ngafuan stated that after Ebola, his ministry’s aim is to elevate the image of Liberia abroad, recalling the challenges faced by the protocol department in hosting foreign guests.
 
He observed that in the face of these challenges, his ministry in its limited budgetary capacity has made available vehicles with inadequate and low sophistication to facilitate the movement of visiting foreign diplomats and to give them the kind of comfort they deserve.
 
 He pointed out that Liberian officials are given fair and comfortable reception and accommodation while abroad by their foreign counterparts, but the country lacks the capacity to reciprocate such treatment received abroad.
 
Minister Ngafuan on behalf of the Government and People of Liberia, expressed President Sirleaf’s gratitude and appreciation to the Chinese President and the People of China for the donation and assured the Chinese Government through its Ambassador that the vehicles will be used for the intended purpose.
 
He also paid special tribute to the Director General of the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), Dr. Augustine Konneh, for his pivotal role in helping to carry out the negotiation leading to the supply of the vehicles.
LINA GDJ/TSS