The Government of Liberia, in collaboration with international development partners, on Thursday held a daylong high-level retreat aimed at aligning and strengthening efforts toward the implementation of the country’s national development agenda.
The retreat, hosted at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, comes amid shifting global development dynamics, including the sidelining of USAID support under the current U.S. administration and the implications of new American tariff policies. These changes have prompted the Liberian government and its partners to re-evaluate ongoing programs, budgets, and implementation strategies.
At the center of Thursday’s discussions was the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID), President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s flagship blueprint to address Liberia’s most pressing challenges. The AAID framework focuses on six priority sectors: Agriculture, Roads (Infrastructure), Rule of Law and Governance, Education, Sanitation and Health, and Tourism. With an estimated five-year budget of $8.4 billion, the plan aims to foster structural reforms, promote inclusive growth, and ensure sustainable peace.
In his keynote address, President Boakai underscored the importance of moving beyond traditional peacebuilding efforts to focus on the underlying causes of instability in Liberia.”Sustainable peace stems from job creation, income generation, and access to basic services, not just peacebuilding interventions,” President Boakai stated. “We must address the root causes of our challenges, and that means building a functional economy that serves the people.
”The retreat convened senior government officials, development agency representatives, diplomatic envoys, civil society leaders, private sector stakeholders, and members of the Liberian diaspora. Their deliberations centered on aligning donor programs with national priorities, ensuring effective use of resources, and enhancing institutional capacity for results-driven development.
President Boakai emphasized the need for inclusive partnerships that promote transparency and local ownership.“Government’s commitment alone is not enough. We must work hand-in-hand with our partners to mobilize local and international resources, discover creative financing models, and ensure accountability at all levels,” he added.
He also called on civil society to play a dual role, as both implementers and watchdogs, and urged the private and banking sectors to support small businesses and job creation. Development partners were encouraged to collaborate more closely with the government in developing sustainable financing strategies.
