The Georgia Ports Authority has renewed an agreement aimed at growing the state’s trade flows with the West African nation of Liberia.
The three-year extension to a deal with the Liberia National Port Authority will yield increased cooperation on training, marketing and information sharing between the ports, according to a GPA news release.
A Liberian delegation led by Nat Gbaba, deputy managing director for operations at the national port authority, signed the agreement during a two-day trade mission to Savannah.
Cynthia Nash, honorary consul general in Georgia for the nation of 4 million people, organized the trip, which she said indicated growing commercial ties between Georgia and Liberia.
“We are committed to all members of the Liberian community, both here in the diaspora and back home, to work for increased investment and trade to help enhance the nation’s prosperity,” Ms. Nash said in the news release.
Liberia’s imports to the Southeast U.S. include metalware, fruits, rubber and rubber products. The country also produces timber, minerals, coffee, cocoa and palm oil.
Exports from Savannah to Liberia include automobiles, construction equipment, clothing, poultry and more.
Liberia has four ports, led by the Freeport of Monrovia, which was built by the U.S. military during World War II and accounts for 90 percent of the country’s trade.
Visit www.gaports.com for more information.
