Liberia’s development partnership with the World Bank Group remains strong, but urgent action is needed to tackle persistent project delays and accelerate national development, as the institution’s Executive Director for Liberia, Zarau Wendeline Kibwe, met with Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan and senior government officials in Monrovia on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.
According to a Ministry of Finance release, the high-level meeting focused on assessing the real impact of World Bank-funded projects on the lives of ordinary Liberians, identifying implementation bottlenecks, and exploring opportunities for fresh investments that align with Liberia’s national development priorities amid growing global economic uncertainty.
Minister Ngafuan described the visit as both timely and critical, stressing that Liberia continues to face serious fiscal pressures and external economic shocks caused by a difficult global environment. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to its long-standing partnership with the World Bank, calling it a vital pillar of Liberia’s development strategy.
“Our partnership with the World Bank remains strong and impactful,” Ngafuan declared, noting that the institution has consistently supported Liberia through periods of economic hardship and helped the country maintain resilience.
A major part of the discussions centered on the performance of Liberia’s World Bank-funded project portfolio, with officials acknowledging progress while also confronting long-standing delays and disbursement bottlenecks slowing implementation.
Ngafuan revealed that the government is preparing a full portfolio review aimed at improving efficiency, speeding up project delivery, and ensuring better use of available resources.
He said special attention will be placed on critical sectors including infrastructure, public works, and water service delivery—areas considered essential for improving the lives of citizens nationwide.
Despite existing challenges, the finance minister pointed to recent improvements, including stronger implementation rates, higher disbursement levels, and an expanding pipeline of new development projects. According to him, these gains are already producing visible results, particularly in road connectivity and broader access to basic services across Liberia.
For his part, Executive Director Kibwe said his visit seeks to strengthen engagement with Liberian authorities and gain deeper insight into the country’s changing development priorities. He reaffirmed that Liberia remains a valued partner and shareholder within the World Bank system.
Kibwe praised the Liberian government for maintaining relative macroeconomic stability despite intense global economic pressures, noting that Liberia’s performance compares favorably with several countries across the region.
However, he warned that sustaining progress will require continued reforms to improve the business climate, attract private investment, and create jobs, key priorities that remain central to the World Bank’s support agenda.
Also attending the meeting were World Bank Country Manager for Liberia Georgia Wallen, Senior Advisor to the Executive Director Plingloh Emmanuel Munyeneh, Central Bank Governor Henry Saamoi, Public Works Minister Roland Giddings, and Forestry Development Authority Managing Director Rudolph J. Merab Sr., among other senior officials.
