By Lewis S. Teh
MONROVIA, Liberia, August 28, 2026 — Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan has paid tribute to outgoing Deputy Minister for Economic Management Dehpue Y. Zuo, describing him as “one of Liberia’s finest economic minds” as he prepares to take up a senior position at the ECOWAS Commission.
Zuo is expected to leave for Abuja, Nigeria, to serve as ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, with responsibilities including economic affairs, regional integration, agriculture, trade, and food security.
Speaking at a farewell program held in Zuo’s honor in Monrovia, Ngafuan described his departure as both a moment of national pride and a significant transition for the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
“Today is not an ordinary farewell. It is a moment of gratitude, pride, celebration and, if I may be honest, a little sadness,” Ngafuan said.
The finance minister described Zuo by three names he said colleagues commonly use for him — “DZ,” “Deep Dive” and “Gentle Giant.”
“‘DZ’ speaks to the man himself: dependable, disciplined and always ready for duty,” Ngafuan said.
He said “Deep Dive” reflects Zuo’s approach to economic policy and public service, describing him as an official who carefully examines policy proposals, figures and their potential implications before making recommendations.
“He does not merely read a brief; he interrogates it. He looks beneath the surface, asks the difficult questions, studies the numbers, understands the implications and searches for the best path forward,” Ngafuan said.
According to him, “Gentle Giant” reflects Zuo’s humility despite his professional accomplishments.
“He is capable, yet never arrogant. He is accomplished, yet approachable,” Ngafuan added.
Ngafuan traced his relationship with Zuo to the late 1990s at the University of Liberia, where, as president of the University of Liberia Student Union (ULSU), he appointed Zuo to head the union’s Scholarship Committee.
According to Ngafuan, the committee helped mobilize resources, increasing the number of scholarship beneficiaries from about 475 to nearly 1,500 students.
“Those were not merely numbers. They were young Liberians whose hopes were preserved,” he said.
Their professional relationship continued in 2013, when Ngafuan, then Minister of Foreign Affairs, appointed Zuo as Assistant Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Integration.
Zuo subsequently rose to Deputy Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Integration before later serving at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
Ngafuan said when he returned to the Finance Ministry in September 2024, Zuo was serving as Deputy Minister for Economic Management, a position he described as one of the government’s most demanding economic assignments.
He credited Zuo with playing key roles in Liberia’s IMF-supported Extended Credit Facility program, efforts toward securing a second Millennium Challenge Corporation compact and coordinating budget support from international development partners.
Ngafuan also highlighted Zuo’s role in mobilizing US$266 million under the International Monetary Fund’s Resilience and Sustainability Facility.
“He manages aid. He manages debt. He helps manage our relationship with the Central Bank of Liberia and the banking sector,” Ngafuan said. “In practical terms, he has been one of the chief economic stewards of Liberia.”
The finance minister said Zuo also played a significant role in representing Liberia’s economic interests in engagements with international financial institutions and development partners.
“In many ways, he has served as the foreign minister of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, taking the Ministry’s voice, priorities and interests into important conversations with our partners around the world,” he said.
Ngafuan acknowledged that Zuo’s departure would create a gap at the Ministry but said his appointment to ECOWAS represents recognition of Liberia’s professional capacity at the regional level.
“We cannot hold back a capable Liberian when the region has called him to greater service,” Ngafuan said. “Liberia’s gain at ECOWAS is not our loss. It is a recognition of the quality of Liberian leadership.”
