President Boakai’s Meets with CEO of ArcelorMittal
By: Sylvester Choloplay
Capitol Hill, Monrovia – Liberia: Liberian President Amb. Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. today received a high-level delegation from the second largest steel-maker in the world, ArcelorMittal. The delegation comprised the Owner and Executive Chairman of ArcelorMittal, Mr.
Lakshmi Mittal.
President Boakai’s Meeting With Stellgiant Company Owner Opens More Avenues for Job opportunities, Student Scholarships, Vocational Trainings, etc.
The meeting which was held at the Executive Mansion on Capitol Hill on Monday, April 8, 2024, marks the first conversation between Mr. Mittal and President Boakai since the inauguration of President Boakai.
Consistent with President Boakai’s vision of empowering Liberian youth with essential technical and operational skills, ArcelorMittal has reaffirmed its dedication to additional investment in its Vocational and Technical Center (VTC), as well as support to other Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutes in Liberia.
ArcelorMittal says by 2025, its VTC will have 200 skilled youths in its program in addition to the 100 who have already graduated.
The company reveals that it will also continue to provide scholarships for Liberian students pursuing higher education abroad, thereby nurturing the next generation of leaders.
Meanwhile, the company has disclosed that it will continue to create economic opportunities for Liberians by creating jobs, supporting local businesses, developing hospitals and schools, and participating in the refurbishment of critical road infrastructure such as the Ganta-Yeknpa Highway, which is a vital economic link in the regional road network cornineding neighboring counties Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire.
Addressing the press following a meeting between President Boakai and Mr. Mittal, President Boakai said the Govemment of Liberia recognizes ArcelorMittal’s commitment to Liberia and its people.
“We look forward to continuing working with ArcelorMital as a trusted partner, to diversify its support to Liberia’s transformation, and ensure that Liberians benefit from the investments being made in the country”, President Boakai assured the stellgiant company.
Also speaking, Mr. Mittal disclosed that Since the company entered Liberia in 2005, it has always sought to be a dedicated, valued, and trusted partner to Liberia and its people.
” It is a pleasure to meet with H.E President Boakai today and we look forward to working with him and his administration to deepen this partnership. Our project to significantly expand our presence in the country is on track to come on stream later this year” Mr. Lakshmi Mittal added.
He mentioned that ArcelorMittal’s initial 5 million tons per annum operation reopened Liberia’s mining industry, shipping first ore to customers in 2011.
He said through its new expansion project, the company has committed $1.4 billion in new investment towards building an iron ore concentrator to produce high-grade iron ore, which increases production to 15 million tons per annum.
The owner of ArcelorMittal also disclosed that with the new outlay, the company’s total investments in the country will exceed $3.0 billion, which also includes a substantial investmentin the Yekepa-Buchanan rail infrastructure.
He concluded that the first phase of the expansion is due for completion in late 2024 while studying a phased development of up to 30 million tons per annum.
