Liberia’s Minister of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan has described the World Bank as Liberia’s “biggest multilateral partner.
“If we look back, from where we came, from war, recovery and now on the part of development, we cannot write Liberia’s story without dedicating pages and chapters to the role of the World Bank,” Minister Ngafuan said.
Speaking during the visit a World Bank team headed Vice President for Western and Central Africa, Ousman Diagana, on Monday, January 13, 2025 at the Ministry of Finance in Monrovia, Minister Ngafuan said the visit of the World Bank came at the time when the country is gearing up to launch its ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) and the County Development Agenda, and has decided to align its new program with the AAID.
He said the World Bank has done, and is doing well in all of the sectors, not only roads. Its projects span critical sectors such as: infrastructure (roads & energy), health systems strengthening & disease surveillance, agriculture and fisheries, education, social protection, governance, water, women empowerment and finance.
He said the World Bank has been a development partner to Liberia since 1962, with a current portfolio of 19 active projects amounting to US$922 million. Minister Ngafuan applauded the World Bank for their support to the energy sector; adding that the energy access in Liberia is around 33%, but there is an ambition to go about 80%.
The Minister described the ambition as a “huge” one, but said working with the World Bank will make it achievable. “Thank you for the extraordinary support in making sure that the budget support funding was released in December. 40 million on budget for which 20 million was set aside to deal with disaster,” he noted.
The Finance Minister said the ministry will work with the Vice President of the World Bank and his team in making sure that projects are moving and delivered on time. For his part, the World Bank Vice President for Western and Central Africa Ousman Diagana said there is a plan to visit Liberia on a regular basis as a way to engage policies and other agenda.
He said their current visit to Liberia is to engage citizens on how the World Bank can establish new partnership, to support the ARREST Agenda, amongst others. Diagana said while in Liberia, the delegation will visit key projects including the Mount Coffee Hydro Powerplant and Afropa Factory Liberia, Inc, showcasing the World Bank Group’s investments in energy access and private sector development.
He stated that the World Bank Group is currently investing in Liberia’s energy sector to support the country’s ambitious energy access goals. The World Bank Vice President for Western and Central Africa said the IFC has invested in Afropa, one of Liberia’s leading local corporations with diversified businesses across automotive trading, real estate, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and beverages.
During the visit, Mr. Diagana and Mr. Tafara met with President Joseph N. Boakai and senior officials of the Liberian Government and the Development Trust Fund Partnership Council to discuss the World Bank’ Group’s engagement in Liberia over the next five years.
By Prince Saah
