The United States and Liberia have signed a comprehensive Open Skies framework to expand and liberalize their bilateral civil aviation relations, the State Department announced Friday. U.S. Ambassador to Liberia Donald Booth and the Director General of the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority, Richelieu Williams, signed the agreement to modernize U.S.-Liberia aviation relations at a forum to boost private sector investment in the African country. Under the agreement, airlines from both countries will be able to make commercial decisions with minimal government intervention. Regulations regarding flight routes, capacity, radio frequencies and codes, as well as pricing are included in the Open Skies deal. The aviation cooperation is one part of a substantial package of economic cooperation initiatives announced during the recent visit of Liberian President Johnson-Sirleaf to the United States. “We are pleased to have reached this important agreement, which will deepen the connection between our people our businesses, and our economies,” the State Department said in a press release. The United States has concluded Open Skies agreements with more than 75 countries and territories.
