The Acting Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Chief of Office Staff of the President of Liberia, Hon. Samuel Stevquoah;
Honorable Members of the Committees on Maritime of the House of Representatives and Senate of the Legislature of Liberia;
Your Excellency Chairperson of the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA);
Members of the Executive Council of AAMA;
Representatives of the International Maritime Organization (IMO);
Our guests of Honors: the Honorable Director General and CEO of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola and
Distinguished representatives of other international and subregional organizations present;
Members of the Diplomatic corps;
Officials of the government of Liberia present;
Distinguished Delegates;
Members of the Fourth Estate;
Ladies and gentlemen;
On behalf of the Liberia Maritime Authority and the government and people of the Republic of Liberia, it is my utmost pleasure to welcome you all to the Republic of Liberia. We are sincerely delighted to have you all in Liberia attending the 8th Annual Conference of the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA). Despite our longstanding history in shipping and global maritime governance and leadership, this is the first time Liberia is hosting the annual meeting of a major regional or continental maritime organization or association. This speaks to how proud we are to have you visiting us in Liberia, and we are confident that your expertise and experience will greatly enrich the discussions and deliberations over the coming days.