onrovia, Liberia – President George Manneh Weah has praised the project carried out by D. Maxwell Saah Kemayan, the departing minister of foreign affairs, and his team at the Foreign Ministry. Speaking on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, President Weah said, the Revised July 2023 Passport Regulation and 4th Edition of the Foreign Service opening and dedication ceremony of the newly refurbished Foreign Ministry, President Weah characterises the efforts as an indication of true nationalism and patriotism.
“This project, which we are dedicating here today, was totally the direct initiative of the minister of foreign affairs, the dean of the cabinet, and his team. It is quite satisfying to observe that the government of Liberia paid no money for it, but the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom of Morocco.”
According to President Weah, Minister Kemayan’s work is in line with the well-known quote from John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”
The Fourth Edition of the Foreign Ministry Revised Papers and the July 2023 Passport Regulations were approved and launched by Mr. Weah.
D. Maxwell, the outgoing foreign minister, also complimented President Weah for granting him the opportunity to head the foreign ministry. He then said, “I am glad I am leaving the Foreign Ministry without any regrets because I did a lot of work here, including the building renovations and the major reforms.”
According to Minister Kemayah, Liberia is the only nation where diplomats are required to pay for diplomatic passports; however, under the recently changed passport regulations, diplomats will no longer be required to do so because it is compliant with the highest standards of international diplomacy.
Additionally, he states that the five-year passport validity has been extended to six years.
Minister Kemayan’s cooperation with the UN and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received praise from the UN Resident Coordinator Christine Umutoni, who noted that his commitment to national development is evident in the renovation of the Foreign Ministry and the numerous reforms he has carried out.
