Figure 1The Liberian leader highlighted the need to amplify the voices of women, youth, and vulnerable citizens, stating that unity and inclusion are essential for overcoming poverty and inequality.
Buchanan, Grand Bassa– President Joseph N. Boakai emphasized that achieving Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) and County Development Agendas (CDA) requires a collective effort from all Liberians. He stressed the importance of good governance, a revitalized economy, modernized infrastructure, and improved education and healthcare.
By Jaheim [email protected]
The Liberian leader highlighted the need to amplify the voices of women, youth, and vulnerable citizens, stating that unity and inclusion are essential for overcoming poverty and inequality.
President Boakai described the National Development Plan as not just a strategy, but a shared vision, a bold commitment, and a renewed sense of purpose aimed at ensuring the continuous implementation of the Liberia 2030 Vision, leading to a brighter future for every Liberian.
Speaking during the launch of the National Development Plan, he noted that the implementation phase is crucial for all government institutions to align their plans and operational frameworks to ensure their budgets reflect the goals of the ARREST Agenda.
President Boakai stated, “Our nation is rich in resources, yet we continue to face significant challenges such as high unemployment, low literacy rates, widespread poverty, poor infrastructure, and structural inequalities. The AAID and CDAs present strategies supported by ambitious programs designed to address the multidimensional poverty affecting a significant portion of our population. The AAID calls for a mindset shift that recognizes the potential within every Liberian to drive national development, with the assistance of our international development partners.”
The ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development and County Development Agendas (CDA) is the third in a series of five-year National Development Plans (NDP) under the Liberia Vision 2030 framework. It follows the Agenda for Transformation from 2012 to 2017 and draws on lessons learned from the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy (IPRS) of 2007 and the Poverty Reduction Strategy from 2008 to 2011.
President Boakai emphasized that the AAID serves as a roadmap to help elevate Liberia from its current challenges and guide it toward becoming a lower-middle-income country. This plan aims to stimulate growth and simultaneously address these pressing challenges.
The AAID resulted from extensive consultations across all 136 administrative districts, 15 counties, and 11 budget sectors. It reflects the aspirations of Liberians from various backgrounds—farmers, entrepreneurs, youth, members of the diaspora, and individuals with disabilities. The implementation prioritizes peace and reconciliation, digital transformation, and the creation of opportunities while recognizing Liberia’s vast potential.
“Our abundant natural resources, strategic location, and cultural heritage position us as a hub for trade, tourism, and investment. We must seize this opportunity,” President Boakai stated.
He added, “To fully capitalize on this potential, we must confront the realities of corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to education and healthcare.”
The Liberian leader emphasized that monitoring and evaluation will be central to ensuring transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement. He committed to accountability to ensure that funds are spent effectively to achieve desired outcomes.
During the presentation of the national development plan, Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine K. Ngafuan acknowledged the challenges faced and recognized the necessity to address them. He stated that the AAID aims to achieve ambitious socioeconomic progress. Among the goals articulated in the plan is a 37 percent increase in GDP, which is anticipated to grow the economy from US$4.75 billion to US$6.5 billion.
“This growth will also result in a 23.6 percent increase in per capita GDP, rising from approximately US$850 to US$1,050,” he added.
Minister Ngafuan emphasized, “On the human capital front, the plan aspires to extend life expectancy from 60 to 65 years, reduce the maternal mortality rate from 742 per 100,000 to 440 per 100,000, and lower the multidimensional poverty rate from 45 percent to 36 percent. These and other socioeconomic achievements are expected to improve Liberia’s ranking on the SDG index by seven places, moving from 152 out of 166 countries to 145 out of 166.”
He stressed that the plan marks the beginning of building the new superstructure for Liberia’s development in the next five years, underpinned by the principles of inclusiveness, sustainability, transparency, and accountability.
He explained that the AAID and the CDAs are anchored in the National Vision 2030 and aligned with global, continental, and regional frameworks, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Union’s Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, ECOWAS Vision 2050, and the Doha Program of Action.
Pres. Boakai emphasized that achieving Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) and County Development (CDA) Agendas required a collective effort from Liberians, stressing the importance of good governance, a revitalized economy, modernized infrastructure, and improved education and healthcare.
Accordingly, the Liberian Leader stressed the need to amplify the voices of women, youth, and vulnerable citizens, stating that unity and inclusion are essential for overcoming poverty and inequality. Pres. Boakai said the National Development Plan represents not just a plan, but a shared vision, a bold commitment, and a renewed sense of purpose to secure continuous implementation of the Liberia 2030 Vision, leading to a brighter future for every Liberian.
Speaking during the launch of the National Development Plan, he said the implementation phase is essential for all government institutions to realign their plans and operational frameworks to ensure their budgets reflect the goals of the ARREST Agenda.
Said Pres. Boakai, “Our nation is rich in resources, yet we continue to face significant challenges such as high unemployment, low literacy rates, widespread poverty, poor infrastructure, and structural inequalities. The AAID and CDAs present strategies supported by ambitious programs aimed at addressing multidimensional poverty affecting a significant portion of our population. The AAID calls for a mindset shift that recognizes the potential within every Liberian to drive national development, with the support of our international development partners.”
The ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development and County Development Agendas (CDA) is the third in the series of five-year National Development Plans (NDP) anticipated under the Liberia Vision 2030 framework. It follows the Agenda for Transformation 2012-2017 (AfT). It is informed as well by lessons learned from the implementation of the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy 2007 (IPRS) and the Poverty Reduction Strategy (2008-2011).
Pres. Boakai said The AAID serves as a roadmap to help elevate Liberia from its current challenges and guide it toward becoming a lower-middle-income country which fueled instability and growth, while collectively taking actions to address these challenges effectively.
The AAID is the outcome of extensive consultations across all 136 administrative districts, 15 counties, and 11 budget sectors. It reflects the aspirations of Liberians from all walks of life—farmers, entrepreneurs, youth, members of the diaspora, and individuals with disabilities. The implementation prioritized peace and reconciliation, digital transformation, and the creation of opportunities while optimistically recognizing Liberia’s vast potential.
“Our abundant natural resources, strategic location, and cultural heritage position us as a hub for trade, tourism, and investment. We must seize this opportunity, “ Pres. Boakai said.
He added, “To fully capitalize on this potential, we must address the realities of corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to education and healthcare.”
“The Liberian Leader emphasized that the monitoring and evaluation will be central to ensure transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement, a context which should be committed on accountability to ensuring money that would be spent achieved the desirous outcomes,” he stated
Presenting the national development plan, Finance and Development Planning Minister, Augustine K. Ngafuan acknowledged the challenges faced and recognized the need to address them. Accordingly, he said the AAID aimed to achieve ambitious socioeconomic progress ranging from economic perspective and plan envisions, among others, a 37 percent increase in GDP, growing the economy from US$4.75 billion to US$6.5 billion.
“This growth will also cause a 23.6 percent increase in per capita GDP, from approximately US$850 to US$1,050, while creating new jobs and formalizing existing ones, ” he said.
Minister Ngafuan emphasized, “On the human capital front, the Plan aspires to extend life expectancy from 60 to 65 years, reduce the maternal mortality rate from 742 per 100,000 to 440 per 100,000, and reduce multidimensional poverty rate from 45 percent to 36 percent. These and other socioeconomic achievements are expected to improve Liberia’s ranking on the SDG index by 7 places, moving from 152 out of 166 countries to 145 out of 166.”
He stressed that the plan is the beginning to build the new superstructure for Liberia nation’s development for the next five years; emphasizing that the superstructure is undergirded by the principles of inclusiveness, sustainability, transparency, and accountability.
He explained that the AAID and the CDAs are anchored in the National Vision 2030 and aligned with global, continental and regional frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), African Union’s Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, ECOWAS Vision 2050, and the Doha Program of Action.
He stated, “Such progress will significantly contribute to Liberia’s development journey toward achieving lower-middle-income status by 2029 and improving the lives of the citizens. The AAID and the CDAs provide us the strategic framework and the clear roadmap for unlocking the great potential buried deep inside the collective Liberian will to succeed.”
Accordingly, he said the AAID is built on six pillars, each of them representing a cornerstone include Economic Transformation, infrastructure Development, Rule of Law: Governance and Anti-CorruptionandHuman Capital Development.
“At the heart of the AAID is an innovative approach that integrates critical development priorities and cross-cutting themes to maximize the impact of our interventions. These priorities include: agribusiness, infrastructure, education, healthcare, and tourism are the engines propelling our nation’s growth. These sectors hold immense potential for creating jobs, reducing poverty, and diversifying our economy,” he said.
He, however, said the full implementation of the AAID requires an estimated US$8.38 billion. “Of this, at least 30 percent will be funded by the Government of Liberia, while the remaining 70 percent will potentially come from development partners, the private sector, and others,” he said.
