UN Envoy Assures Secure Foreign Investment Climate

The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has reiterated its determination to help create a conducive environment for attracting foreign investors into Liberia . Decorating Philippine peacekeepers with UN service medals in Monrovia , the Deputy Head of UNMIL for Recovery and Governance, Mr. Jordan Ryan said UNMIL has the mandate to ensure that Liberia 's stability and security are strengthened so that the country can continue to develop and prosper.

“We want to help the government to ensure that crime and criminals do not deter investors from coming into this country to create jobs. This is one reason UNMIL is supporting Liberia 's security agencies to clamp down on crime and other activities that undermine peace and security,” he emphasized.

On a positive note Mr. Ryan commended the tremendous improvements witnessed in Liberia in recent years. “Just this week, we've had an important meeting of the sub-regional grouping, the Mano River Union. This wouldn't have been possible or conceivable a few years ago,” he noted, describing the meeting as an indication that Liberia was fast regaining its international image as a peaceful, stable and secure nation.

The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General also spoke on the drawdown of UNMIL's security presence in Liberia and said it “does not mean rushing out of Liberia; UNMIL and indeed the United Nations will continue to help the Government of Liberia reform the security sector, strengthen the rule of law, and effectively implement the Poverty Reduction Strategy to improve the lives of Liberians.

Turning to the Philippine peacekeepers, Mr. Ryan commended the invaluable contribution they had made towards the realization of UNMIL's mandate. He applauded the Philippines' outstanding participation in the UN peacekeeping, which, he noted, began in 1948 with the UN inaugural peacekeeping operation in the Middle East, and moved on to more than 20 other UN peace missions.