In an exclusive interview with Zoom Africa News, the Egyptian Ambassador to Liberia stated: "Egypt and Liberia share a 70-year diplomatic history and a broader partnership between the two countries."
Egyptian-Liberian relations are based on mutual respect.
Interview by: Shaaban Bilal
Ambassador Ahmed Abdel Azim, Egypt’s ambassador to Liberia, stressed the depth of relations between Egypt and Liberia at all levels, stressing that current relations are characterized by a high degree of coordination at the bilateral level, through continuous consultation and exchange of support on issues of common interest, reflecting the two countries’ keenness to enhance political and diplomatic cooperation.
Ambassador Ahmed Abdel-Azim revealed in an exclusive interview with “Zoom Africa News”, On the occasion of Egypt's celebration of Africa DayHe highlighted the opportunities available to Egyptian companies in the Liberian market, noting that both the Egyptian and Liberian sides recognize the importance of supporting trade and investment relations between the two countries.
The Egyptian ambassador spoke about the most prominent areas of cooperation currently existing between the two countries, Egypt’s support for development efforts in Liberia, how to enhance trade and investment exchange between Egypt and Liberia during the coming period, and the importance of African cooperation in supporting relations between Cairo and Monrovia.
And now to the text of the dialogue
How would you describe the current level of relations between Egypt and Liberia?
Bilateral relations between Egypt and Liberia date back nearly 70 years, as Egypt was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Liberia in 1957. The first Egyptian ambassador to Monrovia took up his duties in 1959. Relations between Egypt and Liberia have a long history of mutual respect and constructive cooperation, and are poised for further development in the coming period in light of the shared political will of the two countries to strengthen the partnership in various fields. Relations between the two countries are based on the foundations of solidarity and a close desire to achieve development and stability, which opens up broader horizons for political, economic and developmental cooperation between the two countries.
Bilateral relations between Egypt and Liberia
Current relations are characterized by a high degree of coordination at the bilateral level, through continuous consultation and exchange of support on issues of common interest, reflecting the two countries’ keenness to enhance political and diplomatic cooperation, in addition to coordination within African and international frameworks, which contributes to strengthening common interests between the two countries. The importance of this coordination is increasing at the current stage, in light of Liberia’s membership in the Security Council for the period (2026-2027), as Liberia constitutes one of the three sides of the triangle of defending the priorities of the African continent and its interests in the UN Security Council.
It is worth noting that Egypt and Liberia are among the four independent African countries that participated in signing the Charter of San Francisco, which established the United Nations in 1945. This reflects the historical role of both countries in supporting the multilateral system and establishing the rules of international cooperation. It also reflects the historical ties between the two countries. In this context, Egypt was one of the few countries that were keen to keep its embassies operating in Monrovia during the civil war. The Egyptian embassy continued to operate with its full staff for fourteen years of war, from 1989 to 2003, despite the security and living challenges faced by the members of our diplomatic mission in Monrovia. This reflects the depth of the historical relations between the two countries and Egypt’s commitment to supporting the stability of Liberia and protecting the resources of its people.
What are the most prominent areas of cooperation currently existing between the two countries?
The two countries are keen to cooperate and coordinate in regional and international forums, by strengthening coordination between the two countries within the relevant African and international frameworks, and exchanging views on regional and international issues of common interest. Egypt also contributes to building the capacities of Liberian personnel in many fields, especially the infrastructure, agriculture and energy sectors. In addition, both sides are keen to strengthen the frameworks of trade and investment exchange, in line with the distinguished political relations that unite the two countries.
How can trade and investment exchange between Egypt and Liberia be enhanced in the coming period?
Recognizing the importance of strengthening trade and investment relations between Egypt and Liberia, communication channels between business leaders and the private sector on both sides have been enhanced. Several meetings have been held, primarily aimed at showcasing the capabilities and potential of each country, coordinating proposed areas of cooperation, maximizing the returns from trade, and exploring the feasibility of establishing investment projects and their regulatory frameworks. The Egyptian-Liberian Business Forum is scheduled to take place on May 16, 2026, in Cairo, with the goal of enabling Liberian business leaders and the private sector to connect directly with their Egyptian counterparts and discuss ways to support trade and joint investments. Both sides recognize the significant opportunities for establishing robust trade relations, particularly given Egypt and Liberia's accession to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Once implemented, the AfCFTA will allow African products to access the markets of other African countries without any tariffs or customs barriers.
What opportunities are available to Egyptian companies in the Liberian market?
Infrastructure, road and sewage network projects represent good opportunities for Egyptian companies to contribute to these projects, given the priority given by the Liberian state to infrastructure projects, which are one of the most important pillars of the Liberian National Development Plan “ARREEST Plan for Comprehensive Development “AAID” – launched by Liberian President Joseph Boakai to be the practical program for his presidency from 2024 to 2030 – and these are areas in which Egyptian companies have extensive experience and a distinguished record, especially with regard to the implementation of major national projects in the field of infrastructure in all its elements.
Investment opportunities in Liberia
Trade and supplying Liberia’s needs for agricultural products, frozen vegetables, foodstuffs, building materials, furniture, electrical appliances and household items are also important areas in which Egyptian companies have expertise, especially in light of the leap made by Egyptian products and industries in this regard, whether in terms of quality or competitive prices, in addition to the availability of a relative advantage for Egyptian products related to the availability of direct sea shipping routes between Egypt and Liberia, away from the routes that are obstructed by tensions in the Middle East region.
How does Egypt support development and capacity-building efforts in Liberia?
Egypt plays an active role in Liberia's development efforts by contributing to building the capacities of Liberian personnel in various fields through training courses offered by the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development in cooperation with relevant Egyptian authorities. In this context, Egypt has been keen to prepare an accurate study of Liberia's needs in this regard through an in-depth study of the elements of Liberia's National Development Plan “ARREST”, which is the plan that sets the priorities of the Liberian President's administration in the sectors of agriculture, education, rule of law, roads, sanitation and tourism. Based on this, training programs were formulated that ensure the provision of the necessary personnel to participate in this plan effectively and efficiently, as well as keenness to promote the concept of “training trainers” to ensure the expansion of the benefit of these training courses and achieve the concept of sustainability in transferring expertise.
What role does the Egyptian embassy play in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries?
The embassy plays a pivotal role in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries through its ongoing efforts to consolidate political and diplomatic cooperation and intensify communication and coordination with Liberia on various issues of mutual interest. The embassy also monitors the implementation of existing cooperation frameworks, contributing to enhanced mutual understanding and the development of the partnership between the two countries across various fields.
The embassy also works to advance economic, trade, and investment relations by encouraging the private sector in both countries to explore available opportunities, facilitating communication between businesspeople and economic institutions, and supporting cooperation in development, capacity building, education, and training. The embassy is also keen to enhance cultural and humanitarian cooperation, which contributes to strengthening people-to-people ties between the two countries and reflects the deep historical and shared African bonds between Egypt and Liberia. In this regard, the embassy places particular importance on expanding technical and development cooperation between the two countries by coordinating with relevant Egyptian authorities to provide expertise and technical support in priority sectors for Liberia, especially infrastructure, agriculture, health, and energy. In this context, the embassy works to facilitate the transfer of successful Egyptian experiences to support development efforts in Liberia.
What are the most prominent activities and services provided by the embassy to Egyptian citizens residing in Liberia?
The embassy provides all consular services to the Egyptian community in Liberia, in addition to providing consular assistance when needed. It also informs the Egyptian community of all updates and initiatives provided by the state to Egyptian citizens abroad. Furthermore, it holds periodic meetings with the Egyptian community in Liberia, which include learning about the community's conditions and holding a dialogue that includes learning about the suggestions and wishes of community members. This is within the framework of the Egyptian state's keenness to develop consular work and facilitate consular transactions for members of Egyptian communities abroad, and to inform them of consular initiatives and services that meet their needs and requirements. In addition, there are efforts to develop the consular services provided to Egyptians abroad, and the steps underway to implement a comprehensive plan to digitize consular services and develop the necessary digital infrastructure for its implementation, which aims to facilitate transactions and save time and effort for Egyptian citizens abroad. A hotline has also been allocated to receive inquiries and requests from citizens, within the framework of mechanisms for rapid response to consular requests received from citizens abroad.
How does the embassy work to support cultural and educational cooperation between Egypt and Liberia?
The embassy supports cultural and educational cooperation in Liberia by promoting cultural events and international competitions organized in coordination with the relevant national ministries, primarily the Ministries of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research, and other national bodies, in order to promote cultural and educational exchange and strengthen ties between the two countries. Currently, preparations are underway to formulate a draft executive program for cultural, scientific and educational cooperation for the years (2027-2031), in addition to a draft memorandum of understanding in the field of cultural cooperation between Egypt and Liberia.
The embassy also employs elements of Egyptian soft power, which is one of the most prominent elements of the Egyptian presence in Liberia, whether through scholarships offered to Liberian students to study in Egyptian universities and institutes, or through the important role played by Al-Azhar Al-Sharif or the Egyptian Church.
Are there any agreements or joint projects expected between the two countries in the coming period?
The two countries maintain a treaty framework that includes several agreements and memoranda of understanding in various fields. During the past two years, work has been done to strengthen this framework through the signing of a number of agreements and memoranda of understanding between Egypt and Liberia, most notably the memorandum of understanding in the field of fisheries and aquaculture, which was signed in Cairo on 11/25/2024, and the memorandum of understanding for security cooperation between the Egyptian Ministry of Interior and the Liberian National Police, which was signed in Cairo on 12/11/2024, as well as the memorandum of understanding between the Institute of Diplomatic Studies and the Liberian Foreign Service Institute, which was signed by the foreign ministers of the two countries on 2/15/2026. Currently, another set of agreements is being drafted and prepared, which aims to expand the scope of the bilateral partnership between Egypt and Liberia to include more comprehensive fields, thus strengthening cooperation between the two countries at all levels.
What is the importance of African cooperation in supporting relations between Cairo and Monrovia?
African cooperation represents a pivotal framework for supporting and strengthening relations between Egypt and Liberia. This cooperation allows for the unification of positions and visions on regional and international issues of common interest, particularly in light of the challenges facing the African continent in the areas of peace, security, and development. Furthermore, joint engagement within African frameworks contributes to enhancing political and diplomatic coordination between the two countries, thereby supporting shared African interests and strengthening the capacity of African states to address international issues.
African Cooperation
African cooperation also opens up broader horizons for developing economic and developmental partnerships between Cairo and Monrovia, through supporting regional integration projects, exchanging experiences in the areas of capacity building and sustainable development, and benefiting from joint African initiatives, such as the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and joint work to activate and enforce the Continental Free Trade Agreement - as previously mentioned - leading to integration among the countries of the continent. This cooperation reflects the two countries’ commitment to supporting the development agenda in the continent and strengthening joint African action to achieve stability and prosperity for the peoples of the African continent.
Which sectors do you see as having promising opportunities for future cooperation between Egypt and Liberia?
The infrastructure, roads and energy sectors are among the most important sectors that have great opportunities for future cooperation, in addition to the agriculture and food security sector, in light of Egypt’s advanced expertise that can be used to support national development in Liberia. The health, education and capacity-building sectors, through training, transfer of expertise and development of human resources, are among the sectors that are witnessing existing cooperation that can be expanded in the future. This highlights the importance of strengthening institutional partnerships between the two sides to develop training programs and exchange technical expertise, which contributes to raising the efficiency of Liberian personnel and benefiting from the Egyptian experience in these sectors.
What message would you like to convey to the people of Egypt and Liberia regarding the future of relations between the two countries?
Egypt and Liberia share several commonalities, foremost among them being that the youth constitute a large percentage of the total number of citizens in both countries. This prompts me to call upon the youth in both countries to seize the opportunity and step forward to carry the banner of development and progress through science and diligent work to advance the capabilities of their people, create a vibrant present of construction and development, adopt the means of progress, and shape a future that fulfills the dreams and aspirations of the people of both countries and all African peoples for stability, growth, and security for our dear continent.
