By Stephen G. Fellajuah
PAYNESVILLE, Liberia, July 24, 2026 — A high-level French delegation has concluded a two-day technical review and field assessment of urban development projects aimed at improving infrastructure and strengthening climate resilience in several Monrovia communities.
The delegation, comprising representatives of the French Development Agency (AFD) and the French Government, visited Liberia from July 22 to 23 to assess the Monrovia Integrated Development Project (MIDP) and the Urban Fabric Initiative (UFI).
The five-year MIDP is financed through a €10 million AFD grant and targets Wood Camp, Shoe Factory and Lakpazee. It includes drainage and flood-control works, climate-resilient road rehabilitation, recreational facilities and public spaces.
AFD has committed an additional €900,000 for the Urban Fabric Initiative, which Mercy Corps is implementing under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Works.
The initiative supports small-scale community infrastructure and improvements to public spaces designed with the participation of residents and local stakeholders. Its activities are proceeding while technical designs and construction plans for the larger MIDP investments are being finalized.
During the visit, the delegation assessed implementation progress, reviewed key deliverables and held discussions with Liberian officials about project execution and broader development priorities.
AFD Country Director for Ghana and Liberia Clémentine Dardy led the mission. Other delegation members included Urban Development and Transport Manager Andrew Aryee and Human Capital Project Manager Eliot Sotty.
French Ambassador to Liberia Isabelle Le Guellec joined the delegation on visits to project sites in Wood Camp, Shoe Factory and Lakpazee.
Le Guellec expressed satisfaction with the projects’ progress, saying they form part of a broader cooperation agreement between France and Liberia. She said France remained open to supporting additional development initiatives in the country.
Dardy said the initiatives are among more than 4,000 development projects supported by AFD worldwide. She said the Monrovia projects are intended to strengthen climate resilience and provide long-term benefits to residents.
Deputy Public Works Minister for Technical Services Prince D. Tambah said the projects were designed to produce tangible improvements in the targeted communities.
Tambah emphasized the importance of sustainability and encouraged residents to participate in operating and maintaining the completed facilities.
Wood Camp General Chairman David K. Varla and Shoe Factory Chairman Jerry S. Massaquoi welcomed the projects, describing them as investments that would improve community infrastructure and service delivery for current and future generations.
The delegation also held technical consultations with Public Works Minister Roland Lafayette Giddings and met officials of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and other stakeholders to strengthen coordination on development investments and bilateral cooperation.
