VP Howard-Taylor Attends Europe’s Largest Economic Forum in Karpacz

Liberia’s Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor on Wednesday, September 8, 2021, addressed two separate panels of discussion at the ongoing 30th Economic Forum taking place in the Mountainous city of Karpacz, in Poland.

The Forum is the largest economic conference in Central and Eastern Europe, which aims to promote a debate on the development of political and economic cooperation between the EU Member States and extra-EU Countries.  The themes of the two panels of discussion include:  “Challenges of the post-COVID-19 Era” and “Time for women To lead- towards a female-led world.”

Addressing the panel on the “challenges of the Post-COVID-19 Era”, Madam Vice President who served as a Special guest to the Forum, shared the platform with the Deputy Prime Minister of Poland Piotr Glinski, former Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, and the President of the Assembly of European Region Magnus Berntsson, among others.

In her Presentation the Liberian Vice President, according to a dispatch from Poland, emphasized the need to prioritize the empowerment of women and girls in Africa during and after the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Liberian Vice President asserted that women and girls constitute half of the worlds’ population adding that women in Africa are among the most vulnerable groups exposed to the negative impact of the pandemic. She identified issues of domestic violence, sexual harassment, and abuse of women and girls during the COVID-19 Pandemic, which she noted, became worse under lockdown conditions across African countries.

Giving her perspectives on the theme: “Time for women To lead- towards a female-led world,” VP Howard-Taylor encouraged African women to recognize their power as manifested in their numbers.

The Vice President furthered that women must endure, embrace education, mentor younger women, fight against isolation, and join political parties to contribute to the national and international discourse.

The female-dominant panel included  Madam Lilia Bilous of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka of Kobiety W centrum and madam Volha Kavalkova, of the Bielorussian opposition who shared the VP’s perspectives that women everywhere are extremely marginalized and sometimes undervalued.      

On the sidelines of the Forum, VP Howard-Taylor held discussions with the Chairman of the economic Forum, Mr. Zymunt Berdychwski. At the heart of the discussion Tuesday, September 7, 2021, was the need to collaborate with the Liberian Government in the development of the Private sector, particularly in the areas of energy, telecommunications, manufacturing, and agriculture.

“The Private sector is the engine for economic growth. Governments worldwide should ensure that the private sector gets the needed support because it is the biggest asset to economic growth”, the Vice President told the high-level meeting.

She heaped praises on the organizers of the Economic forum while emphasizing President Weah's pronouncement that Liberia is open for business and that the government looks forward to more friendly engagements between Liberia and European Union countries on political and economic cooperation.

For his part, the Chairman of the Forum, Mr.  Berdychowski, who presented a copy of a report of the Economic forum, graciously welcomed the participation of the Vice President and delegation in the conference, reassuring that the Forum will continue to engage with partners aimed at addressing challenges confronting the world’s economy.

The 30th Economic Forum is being held in Karpacz, Poland, from the 7-9 September under the theme “Europe in Search of Leadership.”