Finance Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan and Deputy Minister for Economic Management Dephue Zuo held an important meeting with the Diplomatic Corps on February 28, 2025, to discuss the impact of the USAID aid freeze and the measures the government is implementing to address the situation.
The meeting, which took place at the Ministry of Finance, was led by UN Resident Coordinator Christine N. Umutoni and attended by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Cameroonian Ambassador Augustine Gang, along with ambassadors from the US, EU, Germany, Nigeria, Ghana, and other countries.
The aid freeze, imposed by the United States government, poses a significant challenge for Liberia, which relies heavily on international aid for its development programs. During the meeting, Deputy Minister Zuo highlighted the growing impact of the freeze on the country, while Minister Ngafuan emphasized the importance of continued partnerships with international donors.
Minister Ngafuan expressed confidence that Liberia could overcome this challenge, citing the country’s ability to navigate past crises, such as the 2008/2009 global food, fuel, and financial crisis, the Ebola outbreak, and the COVID-19 pandemic. He stressed that the strong support from Liberia’s bilateral and multilateral partners was key to addressing these crises.
In response to the current situation, Minister Ngafuan outlined the government’s strategy, which includes expenditure rationalization and robust domestic resource mobilization. He assured the diplomatic community that the government would be taking further measures, both proactive and reactive, to mitigate the impact of the aid freeze. The Minister also mentioned that the government would intervene to continue critical health and education interventions affected by the USAID aid cut and called on other partners to scale up their support to complement Liberia’s response.
The diplomatic community reaffirmed its support for Liberia during this challenging period. In particular, the European Union Ambassador announced that the EU would fund Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to observe the upcoming Nimba By-election, an area previously supported by USAID. This announcement highlights the ongoing commitment of international partners to assist Liberia, even as the freeze impacts USAID support.
After the meeting, Minister Ngafuan informed the gathering that the government would continue to update its partners in the coming weeks. Additionally, with support from the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and UNDP, the government plans to host a Partners Roundtable at the end of March 2025 to further discuss the USAID aid situation and the ARREST AGENDA for Inclusive Development (AAID).
Ambassadors present at the meeting reaffirmed their commitment to standing by Liberia in the face of these challenges, expressing solidarity and continued support for the country’s development.
