The Liberian government is calling for international donors to align with support to national (agriculture, roads, rule of law, education, hygiene, health, tourism) agenda to achieve long-term and sustainable development outcomes.
In a recent series of presentations held recently at the High-Level Official Development Partner Retreat (G-DPR) organised by the Ministry of Financial Development Planning (MFDP), government officials outlined how the arrest agenda launched on January 15, 2025 exists to transform the country’s economy and social fabrics through economic and social fabrics.
It was held under the theme of “Strengthening Partnership for the Implementation of Liberia’s National Plan – AAID.” Liberia is currently creating bold courses for comprehensive and transformative growth through the New National Development Plan (NDP) 2025-2029.
Development Partner Retreat serves as a strategic platform to strengthen partnerships, adjust priorities and explore innovative funding models that support AAID and Liberia’s broader sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Recently, the context of Liberia’s economic development, particularly the AAID, its coordination framework and priorities, Deputy Finance Minister Madame Tanne G. Branson outlined the current economic realities of Liberia and the strategic foundation of AAID, and described both the frameworks that make the framework fantastic and respond to the challenges of national development.
“It was important to find creative ways to attract partners along with government members to meet these challenges in order to provide another layer of support for Liberia,” Branson said.
“AAID is consistent with National Vision 2030 and is also fixed in major global, continental and regional frameworks, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to peace, reconciliation and prosperity,” she added.
She highlighted the need for national priorities and donor integrity in Liberia, noting that the arrest agenda is specifically designed to address challenges that are hindering the country’s growth, such as a narrow revenue base, high unemployment rates and inadequate infrastructure.
“We are here today to explore creative solutions with our development partners to address the current economic challenges facing Liberia,” Branson said. “AAID not only aligns with our vision 2030, but also anchors Liberia within a broader global, regional and continental development framework, highlighting its commitment to peace, reconciliation and long-term prosperity.”
According to Branson, the arrest agenda is consistent with Liberia’s National Vision 2030, supported by major global, continental and regional frameworks, highlighting the government’s commitment to peace, reconciliation and prosperity.
However, recent changes in donor support and changing global economic situations reveal the vulnerabilities of these development schemes, and Branson emphasized that strategic integrity of donors is essential to ensuring sustainable progress.
“The challenges we face are important, but with the support of our international partners, we can achieve our goals,” Minister Branson emphasized. “We need to work together to ensure that the arrest agenda is not just a plan, but a living breathing framework that leads to lasting impact on the people of Liberia.”
Additionally, J. Wellington Virtu, Planning Advisor to the Department of Financial Development Planning, explained more in detail the ambitious goals of the Arrest Agenda by outlining the key priorities of AAIDs, focusing on economic change, infrastructure development, legal regulations, environmental sustainability, and human capital development, as well as the key priorities of AAIDs.
The plan aims to raise Liberia’s GDP from $1.7 billion in 2027 to $6.5 billion by 2029, improving key human development metrics such as life expectancy and maternal mortality.
The AAID has identified 23 strategic policies across 52 national programs, with 375 interventions targeting key sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, education, hygiene and tourism. “To achieve these goals, both public and private investments are important and we have a clear focus on expanding these key sectors that will drive Liberia’s growth,” Bercz said.
Additionally, AAID includes 10 “development filters” – cross-cutting issues such as youth employment, gender equality, digitalization, peace and security are integrated into all interventions to ensure that they are inclusive and impactful.
In response to Liberia’s changing financial situation, Virtue highlighted the shift from government’s traditional line item budgeting to a program-based system that links spending to measurable outcomes. This approach is consistent with the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and is designed to ensure more efficient use of resources while advancing national development goals.
One of the most ambitious goals of the Arrest Agenda is to move Liberia from a low-income country to a low-income country by 2029. This goal is supported by the goal of reducing maternal mortality rates from 440 deaths, with a focus on improving maternal health, with a focus on reducing maternal mortality rates from 440 deaths, with 100,000 per 100,000 births per 100,000 births per 100,000 births per 100,000 births.
The Arrest Agenda is organized around six key pillars: economic change, infrastructure development, governance and anti-corruption, environmental sustainability, human capital development and the rule of law. Barchue outlined that each pillar contains strategic policies aimed at addressing the country’s most pressing challenges. Of the 23 strategic policies outlined in the Arrest Agenda, the most important focus is on increasing investment in education, healthcare, energy infrastructure and job creation.
In the education sector, for example, Balcue emphasized the importance of building human capital by increasing teacher capabilities and improving access to quality education for all Liberian children. “We will implement teacher licenses and provide 200,000 tablets to secondary school students, pre-programmed with educational materials to enhance learning,” Barchue said.
In the healthcare sector, the government aims to reduce healthcare costs for vulnerable populations by introducing health equity funds and improving access to reproductive and maternal health services.
A key part of the success of the arrest agenda lies in the coordinated approach between the Liberian government and its international partners. A comprehensive coordination framework was introduced to promote this collaboration.
The government has established a National Steering Committee, chaired by the President of Liberia, with coordinators of UN residents serving as vice-chairman. The committee also includes representatives from major international development organizations such as the World Bank, the IMF, the African Development Bank, and the EU.
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“The coordination structure ensures both the government and our development partners have a synergistic effect to achieve the outcomes outlined in the Arrest Agenda,” Barchue said. “This collaborative approach is important to ensure that investments in infrastructure, education, health and other sectors are directed towards achieving long-term impacts.”
The arrest agenda highlights the importance of key sectors in promoting economic growth in Liberia. For example, the agriculture sector will focus on improving food and cash crop production, enhancing livestock and poultry, and promoting climate smart agriculture.
In the infrastructure sector, priorities include expanding and modernizing road networks, particularly in rural areas, and developing energy resources, including hydroelectric power generation.
“Expanding our road network is a priority and we have the goal of building 500 kilometres of main roads by 2029,” Barchue said. “We are also focusing on improving energy access, along with plans to expand Mount Coffee’s hydroelectric power plant and integrate renewable energy sources across the country.”
Meanwhile, AAID envisages lifting Liberia to a low- and middle-income position by 2030, promoting inclusive growth, youth employment, rural development and resilience in the face of global economic change.
