Claim: The Managing Director of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) has said that Liberia “secured $3.1 billion at the China-Africa Summit.”
Verdict: Misleading. A video posted by the Executive Mansion shows that the promise of a %3.1bn by the Chinese company was only a proposal to Liberia. No deal has been signed yet.
Full Text
Liberia and China continue to benefit from the diplomatic relationship they entered into in 1977. The Chinese government has funded and aided Liberia in constructing and implementing diverse projects. At the same time, Liberia has signed so many deals with the People’s Republic of China in its over four decades of friendship.
Liberia, along with other leaders of China, and Africa assembled in Beijing on Sep. 4, 2024, for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
The leaders gathered around the theme, “Joining Hands to Advance Modernization, and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future.”
Announcing Liberia’s gains at the China-Africa Summit, the head of the LWSC, Mohammed Ali pronounced that China apportioned 50 billion dollars for opportunity for Africa. Of that amount, “Liberia alone secured $3.1 billion for oil refinery, and road connectivity, leaving 46.9 for [the] rest of the 53 African nations.”
695 Facebook users reacted to Ali’s post, with 497 comments, and 30 shares as of the time of this report.
Given the level of interest in the claim made and the quantum of money involved, which is more than twice the country’s national budget, DUBAWA decided to verify if the information provided was true.
Verification
The claim became the subject matter of discussion on the Spoon Network nighttime show on Sep. 8, 2024, with members of the the panel members demanding to know from Mohammed Ali whether the $3.1 billion had been secured already.
Mr Ali said Liberia has signed an MOU with the Chinese company on the 3.1bn, adding that the discussion with the company may be successful if Liberia plays its diplomacy well.
“If we play our diplomacy well, that investment in Liberia will be secured.” He can be heard at 1:58:17 to 1:58:34 during the show.
During the 1:59:57 to 2:00:04 of the show, Mr Ali stated emphatically the money was yet to be secured, an admission which was at variance with the earlier declaration he made on Facebook.
He said the only way Liberia will miss out on the 3.1bn sum “will be that we do not present the right climate for investment.’
DUBAWA also checked the video of the official ceremony which was posted by the Executive Mansion of Liberia, on Sep. 6, 2024.
The Emansion captioned the post, “Liberia signs a 3 billion dollar Memorandum of Commitment for the development of an oil refinery in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, on the margins of the Forum On China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing, China.”
Liberia’s President Joseph Baokai is seen leading the Liberian delegation in the meeting, while the Chinese company also had its representatives.
The Liberian representative who moderated the meeting can be heard around 00:34 to 1:03 of the video introducing the company and saying that the company is proposing to build a green refinery in the city of Buchanna, as well as engage in energy projects for Liberia.
“To which they are proposing, spending pretty close to about 3 billion dollars.”
Also in the video, a representative for the Chinese company who initiated the conversation on behalf of the company can be heard from the 1:31 to 2:04 video saying that the company had a good discussion with President Boakia’s team about the project, which is a refinery and other potential new energy projects.
He added that they want to sign an MOU between the company and Liberia and that “for the next step, we will try our best to move this project forward, to build this project in Liberia as soon as possible.”
Conclusion
The LWSC Managing Director’s assertion that Liberia secured 3.1 billion from the China-Africa Summit is misleading.
