Liberia's vice president Dr Jewel Howard-Taylor has arrived in Uganda for an official visit.

Industry state minister David Bahati received Howard-Taylor at the VVIP section at Entebbe International Airport this morning (February 12)

She arrived at Entebbe at about half past midnight aboard the Ethiopian Airlines. She went through Accra in Ghana where she waited for two hours, he said on arrival.

Bahati, who received her on behalf of the Government, said she was a guest of the President and that she was scheduled to meet him during her stay. She also visited the President in June 2021 and was one of the first special guests soon after he took office after the Presidential election.

Bahati said Uganda has interests in developing trade relations with West African countries including Liberia. He added that Uganda was interested in exporting milk to West Africa, given the fact the country produces over 2.5 million litres of milk. He said Liberia also produces rubber, which Uganda can buy. 

"West Africa does not have enough milk and we are trying to explore avenues of opening up markets there," he said before he received the guest. 

Howard-Taylor is scheduled to visit some industries during her stay. 

During her last visit, Howard-Taylor, who is a former First Lady and wife of former Liberian president Taylor, wished Uganda Airlines opens direct flights to Monrovia to help people avoid going through Ghana, then Nairobi to Entebbe. She also met some Liberian companies doing business in Uganda.

President Museveni said during the last visit in 2021 that they discussed several issues focusing on trade, industrialisation, infrastructure and the Africa Continental Free Trade Area framework (AfCFTA).

“We also discussed possible areas of co-operation in trade, industrialisation and infrastructural development, taking advantage of AfCFTA and the possibility of having Uganda Airlines fly to Liberia,” he said.