Monrovia, Liberia - The Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA), the umbrella group of Liberians and their various organizations in the Americas, has expressed its willingness to work with H.E. President George Weah and Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor to accelerate the pace of development in the country.

According to a release from the Office of the Vice President, ULAA recently made the commitment when the Chairman of its National Board of Directors, Mr. George Toto, paid a courtesy call on Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor at her Capitol Hill office in Monrovia.

During the visit, the ULAA Board of Directors Chair firstly congratulated President Weah and Vice President Howard-Taylor on their recent election and hailed the Liberian people for the explicit confidence reposed in the two leaders.

Mr. Toto thanked Vice President Howard-Taylor for affording him the audience and said ULAA was delighted by the gesture.

Chairman Toto averred, “We feel that we in the Diaspora have a responsibility to our country’s development, and one way to do that is to strengthen the relationship between the Government and people in the Diaspora to ensure constant coordination and strong ties with the homeland.  

Mr. Toto provided an update to the Vice President Howard-Taylor on the Organization’s advocacy for dual citizenship and the right of Liberians outside the country to vote.

Chairman Toto also appealed to the Government, through the Vice President, to work with the U.S.Government to re-examine the deportation of over four thousand Liberians in the United States.

In response, Vice President Howard-Taylor welcomed the group’s campaign for dual citizenship and added that President Weah is already a frontline supporter of the cause for such advocacy.

She also explained that this Administration is concerned about the planned deportation of some Liberians back to the country but thatdiscussions are currently ongoing onthe matter to see how the situation could be helped.

Vice President Howard-Taylor further welcomed ULAA’s offer to collaborate and work with the Government in developing the country, adding, “The government welcomes ULAA as a strong partner, with a strong relationship, not only in terms of organization to organization but, even more importantly, Diaspora Union to Government collaboration.”

She described ULAA as a key development partner, expressing on behalf of President Weah, the Government’s commitment to closely work with the Union, other key Diaspora institutions, as well as other traditional partners in achievingthenational development agenda.