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Liberia needs a whopping US$8.4 billion to implement its new development agenda, ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID), the national steering committee has disclosed.
Chaired by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, the committee at a ceremony held on Tuesday, December 3, at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex, endorsed the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) and the 15 County Development Agendas (CDAs) as the new Liberia National Development Plan — signaling a new chapter in Liberia’s development journey.
The Cabinet and the National Steering Committee overwhelmingly endorsed the AAID and the CDAs on Tuesday in preparation for the official launch early next year.
This endorsement of the two plans AAID and CDAs (2025-2029) marks an important step in shaping Liberia’s National Development.
Finance Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan described the plan as a big step toward building Liberia’s future. He placed the estimated cost of the plan at US$8.4 billion.
“The government will contribute 30 percent, with the remaining 70% coming from the private sector, development partners, and diaspora investments,” the Finance Minister said.
He noted that the Government is committed to enhancing its domestic resource mobilization measures through improvements in tax administration, tax policy reforms especially minimizing tax expenditures as well as cutting down unnecessary public spending.
“Now, as we endorse this plan and the accompanying CDAs, it is imperative that we ensure that every element of these development frameworks is aligned with the actual needs, aspirations, and challenges facing the Liberian people,” Minister Ngafuan said.
Minister Ngafuan said that the National Development Plan and CDAs were developed through a collaborative process, using data and feedback from government, private sector, civil society, and citizens.
The validation exercise, which was done prior to the endorsement of the plan, Ngafuan noted, was meant to make sure these plans meet the real needs of Liberians.
He outlined the main goals of the plans as Inclusive Growth, Sustainable Development, Infrastructure and Innovation, Social Wellbeing, and Governance.
“This Plan is not just a government project, it is the vision of all Liberians,” The Finance Minister told members of the Cabinet and members of the National Steering Committee. “This is the collective vision of our country’s future. It is a blueprint for how we address the challenges of poverty, inequality, unemployment and underdevelopment as we advance our society.”
He lauded President Boakai for his leadership in guiding the development of the plans and emphasized the importance of working together to create a better future for Liberia.
On July 18, President Boakai launched the consultative process leading to the crafting of the AAID and CDAs.
The Ministries of Finance and Development Planning and Internal Affairs coordinated the District and County consultations across the 15 counties with a wide range of stakeholders including local government officials, women, youth, elders, civil society organizations, representatives from the business community, religious leaders and the County Legislative Caucuses.
The ARREST Agenda focuses on six key areas: Agribusiness value chain (to ensure food security and job creation), Roads (Infrastructure) (to facilitate better connectivity), Rule of Law and Governance (to combat corruption and strengthen institutions for better services delivery), Human Capital (strengthening the education system and empowering youth), Sanitation (access to clean water and improved health), and Tourism (promoting Liberia’s natural beauty and cultural heritage).
With the consultative processes concluded, President Boakai on Tuesday presented his vision to address Liberia’s challenges with bold and inclusive strategies to leave no one behind.
“The ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development is a plan to fix food insecurity, poor access to services, governance issues, and economic problems.”
He stressed that the AAID and CDAs will help reduce poverty, improve lives, and ensure progress across the country.
The President indicated that the AAID is a call to action for all Liberians — government, private sector, diaspora, international partners, civil society, and communities — to unite in pursuit of our shared goals. Collaboration will be vital in revitalizing critical sectors such as agribusiness, tourism, digital technology, infrastructure, education, and healthcare.
“The AAID and CDAs are not blueprints that will remain static,” Boakai said emphatically, adding that the plans will evolve with our changing needs, and we will ensure that their execution is flexible and adaptive to new challenges and opportunities.
United Nations Resident Coordinator, Christine Umotoni, termed the crafting and endorsing of the plans as important milestones for Liberia. She also lauded the inclusiveness of the agenda.
“As members of the steering committee, partners and friends of Liberia, the endorsement of the AAID and the CDAs marks a transformative step towards inclusive development,” Umotoni said.
She pledged the United Nations fullest support to the implementation of the plans.
