Liberia has secured more than US$350 million in financing and development commitments from Arab financial institutions following diplomatic engagements led by Liberia’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Amara Soko Sackor.
The commitments were announced during the commissioning of the Gbarnga-Salayea Highway, where the Government of Liberia also concluded a financing agreement for the construction of the Salayea–Konia Road.
As part of the visit, Ambassador Sackor and the Liberian delegation met with senior officials of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) to discuss ongoing and future development projects.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Sackor described the completion of the Gbarnga–Salayea Highway as a milestone, noting that he had spent more than a decade helping to advance the project. He said the road reflects what sustained diplomacy and strong international partnerships can achieve for Liberia.
He also honored two engineers who died before the highway was completed, saying their dedication and hard work remain part of the project’s legacy.
The ambassador thanked the Infrastructure Implementation Unit of the Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Public Works Minister Roland Layfette Giddings, Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan Beysolow, and other government institutions for their contributions to the project. He also commended Engineers Maimuna Jalloh and Ashraf A. Hassan for their leadership during implementation.
Among the major agreements reached was a US$63 million financing package for the 56-kilometer Salayea–Konia Road, which is expected to improve transportation in northern Liberia. Development partners also expressed interest in financing the Konia–Voinjama Road with an additional US$80 million once all technical and feasibility requirements are completed.
Ambassador Sackor further disclosed that Liberia has secured US$190 million for the Botota–Foya Power Transmission Line, a project expected to expand electricity access and support economic activity in several counties.
The financing package also includes US$29 million for the construction of a modern sports stadium and US$25 million to strengthen Liberia’s water supply and sewer infrastructure.
In addition, the Arab development institutions agreed to provide grant support to improve the operational capacity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They also donated US$150,000 to the Liberian National Muslim Women Organization to support community development initiatives.
Ambassador Sackor called on Liberia’s development partners to deepen investments in agriculture, education, and energy, saying these sectors remain critical to creating jobs, improving food security, and driving long-term economic growth.
He said the latest agreements demonstrate the value of Liberia’s diplomatic engagement and reaffirm the confidence of international partners in the country’s development agenda.
