By Lewis S. Teh
MONROVIA, August 12, 2026 — United Nations Resident Coordinator Christine N. Umutoni has urged Liberia to reduce its reliance on traditional development aid by expanding domestic revenue, private investment, climate finance and other financing options to accelerate implementation of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID).
“We must move from funding development to financing development,” Umutoni said Tuesday, arguing that changes in the global development landscape require Liberia to broaden the way it finances its development priorities.
Umutoni, who serves as Deputy Chair of the AAID National Steering Committee (NSC), spoke at a high-level meeting of the committee at Monrovia City Hall.
She said declining official development assistance and increasingly strategic and investment-oriented international partnerships make it necessary for Liberia to mobilize resources beyond traditional grants.
According to her, the country’s financing architecture should increasingly include domestic resources, climate finance, private investment, innovative financing instruments and stronger partnerships.
She cited the proposed Integrated National Financing Framework and Development Cooperation Policy being developed by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning as important instruments for mobilizing and coordinating resources.
Umutoni also called for a shift from what she described as “small projects to flagships,” urging the government and its partners to prioritize larger, nationally owned investments capable of attracting financing at scale.
She identified human capital development, economic transformation, food systems, digital transformation and climate resilience as areas where such investments could be pursued.
“Liberia possesses assets the world increasingly values: a young population, abundant natural capital, a strategic location, a remarkable peace story, democratic resilience and growing international visibility,” Umutoni said. “These are part of Liberia’s investment proposition.”
As the AAID moves into its second year of implementation, the UN official said attention should increasingly shift from planning to measurable results that improve the lives of citizens.
“If the first Steering Committee was about launching the national plan, today’s meeting is about implementation and results,” she said.
Umutoni acknowledged progress in translating the government’s development agenda into action, including efforts to decentralize development planning and delivery and increase domestic resource mobilization.
She also cited Liberia’s recent Voluntary National Review on the Sustainable Development Goals, continued democratic consolidation and its growing international profile, including its seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Despite those gains, Umutoni said significant challenges remain, with many Liberians continuing to seek greater economic opportunities, improved public services and better livelihoods.
She outlined three priorities for the next phase of AAID implementation: accelerating delivery across the country, strengthening the transition from traditional development funding to broader financing, and improving accountability and partnerships.
On implementation, she called for development gains to reach all parts of the country.
She also urged the government to advance the Integrated National Financing Framework and Development Cooperation Policy while aligning development partners behind national priorities and major investment programs.
Umutoni further called for the continuation of the AAID coordination structure, including annual National Steering Committee meetings and the Government-Development Partners Retreat. She urged stakeholders to set a date for the 2026 retreat.
Earlier, she commended President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. and his administration for advancing the AAID and praised the partnership among the government, development partners, civil society and private sector.
“This spirit of partnership, inclusion and collective responsibility remains one of Liberia’s greatest strengths, and we don’t take it for granted,” she said.
Umutoni argued that Liberia’s long-term development prospects would depend less on the amount of foreign assistance it receives and more on its ability to strengthen institutions and attract investment.
“Liberia’s future will not be determined by the amount of aid it receives,” she said. “It will be determined by the institutions it builds, the people it empowers, the investment it attracts and the opportunities it creates.”
She reaffirmed the United Nations’ commitment to supporting the country’s development efforts, saying Liberia’s successful transition from years of conflict provides a foundation for its next development challenge.
“Liberia’s journey in peacebuilding has already shown the world what this country can achieve,” Umutoni said. “The next journey must be from peace to prosperity.”
