Minister Ngafuan lauded the World Bank for its continued dedication and support for Liberia’s biggest multilateral and development partner over the years.
Monrovia — Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine K. Ngafuan has said the World Bank Group’s new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) is in alignment with the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) and the Country Development Agendas. (CDA).
By Jaheim [email protected]
CPF frames engagement in line with the Bank’s mission to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet.
The model seeks to maximize the impact of WBG’s support to these goals, by contributing over time to high-level outcomes (HLOs) consistent with a country’s development goals.
In its preparatory stage, CPF, the WBG starts from the member country’s vision of its country development goals, which may be laid out in a poverty-focused national development strategy.
In consultation with key stakeholders in the country, including private sector clients and civil society, the WBG works with the government to review and learn from the previous country engagement cycle, draws on the findings of the SCD, and utilizes the WBG’s comparative advantage.
During the launch meeting Tuesday, January 14, at the MFDP, Minister Ngafuan informed the World Bank Regional Vice President for Western and Central Africa, Ousmane Diagana and delegates that the national development plan, which will be launched on Wednesday, was crafted with the support of partners community including the World Bank through thorough consultations.
Said Minister Ngafuan, “We are happy that we are launching the plan at the same time as we are putting together with you the new Country Partnership Framework. “
He added, “It couldn’t have happened at a better time, and the World Bank has decided to align its new program with the plan, and other partners are doing similarly.”
Minister Ngafuan lauded the World Bank for its continued dedication and support for Liberia’s biggest multilateral and development partner over the years.
Accordingly, he said that the Joseph Boakai-led administration is keen on improving the energy agenda, stressing that the president will leave for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for high-level engagement, which will be aimed to provide energy access to at least 300 million Africans between now and 2030.
“Liberia has chosen one of 15 countries to develop a compact. We thank you for your support towards the energy sector; we have scaled up, and the energy access in the country is around 33 per cent. Our ambition over this period is to go above 80 per cent. Huge ambition but it is an achievable ambition. Working with you, we know we can achieve that,” he said.
Addressing this, the vice president of World Bank Diagana used the occasion to extend gratitude to the government for its long-standing partnership with Liberia. He stressed that they are in the country to have consultations and how they can make the new engagement partnership strategically align with Liberia’s development plan.
“We are here to discuss with Liberia at large on how we can make a new country engagement partnership strategy aligned to your new national development plan and doing so to support the ARREST Agenda of Liberia,” he said.
Diagana emphasized that the quality relationship with the World Bank team in Liberia would motivate. Many colleagues of the World Bank visit the country regularly to engage on policy and the growing portfolio.
