Monrovia-July 23, 2021: The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning on Tuesday of this week, held a cocktail to thank outgoing Swedish Ambassador to Liberia Ingrid Wetterqvist.

The event recounted meaningful roles the ambassador played in strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation between Sweden and the Republic of Liberia.

During her four years of Diplomatic service in Liberia, Ambassador Wetterqvist made successful strides by working in areas including the implementation of the Liberia Decentralization Plan, short term and remote support to the Liberia Project’s Dashboard and Debt Management Unit in the Department of Economic Management, support to the revision of Liberia Nationally Determined Contributions through SIDA relative to environment and biodiversity, Enhancing Women’s Rights and Empowerment, and Liberia Anti Corruption and Integrity program.

Her work also witnessed successful implementations of projects and programs including: Communities Level Engagements in combating climate change, the Audit Framework Agreement 2016-202 by Moore Stephens, Just and Equal Society through Securing Sexual and Reproductive Health, as well as Kvinna till Kvinna support to women, Action Aid Sexual and Reproductive Rights, UN Women Strategic Note and SGBV Joint Program among others.

Speaking at the ceremony was Finance and Development Planning Minister Hon. Samuel D. Tweah Jr., who expressed gratitude to Ambassador Wetterqvist for her brilliant ideas which brought about the aid effectiveness program.
“She is far from just being an ambassador, she is a scholar, a development expert, and she is engaging constructively, engaging critically, but making suggestions also.

The richness of such conversation we have had over the last three years at breakfast, dinner, meetings and other occasions were rewarding, and there is absolutely no subject we have not spoken about”. Hon. Tweah said.

He recalled that during one of the meetings held, the ambassador made a point by looking at the country’s agenda, and stated that the country needed to refocus and repurpose its agenda and attention because so many things were happening.
“We talked about economy, taxes, rape and taxes on plastic to reduce the risk of garbage. We have also talked about corruption, roads, education, women’s empowerment, governance and even everything regarding development and change” Min. Tweah revealed.

The Finance Minister also referred to the outgoing ambassador as a true champion of Liberia CSO due to the role she has played in bringing government and CSO to the table.
According to him CSO and government are partners in solving complex development problems in areas of education where teachers are not in class room, rape and other issues.
“We want civil society to hold the feet of government to the fire, whether it is teacher’s absences from the classroom, rape and other issues”.

In earlier remarks, Deputy Minister for Economic Management Augustus J. Flomo said the Ministry of Finance has been engaged with the Ambassador on Aid Effectiveness, because she pushed the idea of that program, adding that her presence has built a good relationship.

The Deputy Minister for Budget and Development Planning Hon. Tanneh Brunson gave Ambassador Wetterqvist a traditional name from the Liberian Kru tribe “Saywon”, meaning, you haven’t heard it?

Hon. Brunson noted that Ambassador Wetterqvist over the last four years has made a huge impact by touching the social sector of the country. A traditional gown and an artistic clock bearing traditional masks of the 16 tribes in Liberia were presented as an appreciation to the Ambassador.

Outgoing Swedish Ambassador Ingrid Wetterqvist responding said it is not an easy thing to run a country like Liberia, adding that “I see how this country is looking”.
Ambassador Wetterqvist lauded Minister Tweah and his team for doing well with the country’s macroeconomic stability, something she said the IMF was happy about.

She called on the government to create space for women specifically, especially giving them space at the table.
“One thing about Liberia is that people are open-minded. Things are changing and going in the right direction, small things I see happening” Amb. Wetterqvist noted.

However, she urged the government to work on issues coming from the TRC and to combat corruption in order to get the trust of the Liberian people back.

She revealed that going back to Sweden will continue her work on development; because it is something she has so much passion for.