Liberia announced on Wednesday it will open an official office in Jerusalem that will serve as a precursor to a full-fledged embassy in the future.
This makes the West African nation the fifth country to open a mission in the Israeli capital after the U.S, Guatemala, Kosovo, and Honduras.
2 View gallery
Deputy Foreign Minister Idan Roll meets with official delegation from Liberia
(Photo: Foreign Ministry)
Despite its relatively humble population size of around 5 million people, Jerusalem considers Monrovia an important actor on the multilateral stage that has been consistently standing alongside Israel in recent years, both at the United Nations and the African Union.
An official delegation from Liberia featuring cabinet ministers met with Deputy Foreign Minister Idan Roll and President Isaac Herzog, to whom they submitted a formal letter announcing their intention to open an official trade office in the city.
During their meeting with Roll, the Liberians were very concrete about opening their office in Jerusalem and received a detailed explanation of the procedure.
2 View gallery
Roll (left) shakes hands with Liberia's Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Nathaniel F. McGill
(Photo: Foreign Ministry)
They said they will finalize a request for a location in Jerusalem within a few weeks and that they wish to advance the move at full speed. Liberia also requested aid from Israel in agriculture, water management, and tourism.
After the meeting, Roll said that "Liberia is a true friend of the State of Israel and opening an official Liberian office in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, is good news for the relations between the two countries."
"Liberia is a loyal supporter of Israel at the United Nations and we are happy to deepen diplomatic ties with it. We will continue to act so that as many countries as possible open their missions in Jerusalem, where they belong. Welcome, Liberia!"