The U.S. Government and the Government of Liberia have completed the 2021 Government of Liberia-United States Agency for International Development (USAID) portfolio review.
The review, which was hosted Wednesday May 19, 2021, brought together representatives from 12 Liberian ministries and 12 associated Liberian organizations to discuss current and future foreign assistance programming for Liberia.
According to a release from USAID, the U.S. delegation was led by U.S. Ambassador Michael McCarthy who welcomed USAID’s counterparts from across the Liberian Government to the important discussion. Ambassador McCarthy issued a challenge to the group, stating, “I urge both delegations to mark achievements to date and address the challenges to implementation that hinder the accomplishment of development objectives.”
At the the same time, the release stated that the Liberian delegation was led by the Honorable Augustus Flomo, Deputy Minister for Economic Management at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, who noted “the U.S. Government remains a strong partner and is always prepared to support Liberia in its development programs and agendas.
Hon . Augustus Flomo noted that the Government of Liberia believes a stronger coordination will yield better results through alignment of funding to critical areas, monitoring and results tracking, and promotion of sustainability.” He encouraged the team to continue working closely together in serving the people of Liberia.
USAID and the Government of Liberia staffs also provided updates about key program milestones, challenges to implementation, and plans for future activities.
Speaking at the program, USAID Mission Director Sara Walter noted that “USAID currently receives approximately $125 million per year to support development objectives focused on private sector led economic growth to move the country forward on its path leading to self-reliance. “Our partnership with the people and the Government of Liberia is critical to realizing success in advancing equitable prosperity and development for all Liberians” She asserted.
The release further stated , “Typically the review is held in November or December, but the last annual Liberia-USAID Portfolio Reviews were delayed due to COVID-19 health protocols and planning disruptions.” The Wednesday May 19, 2021 joint session was conducted in person for a limited number of participants, while most of the representatives joined remotely to respect the need for social distancing.
In Liberia, USAID programming is focused on four technical areas: 1) Democracy, Rights and Governance,
2) Economic Growth,
3) Education, and
4) Health
USAID projects are aligned with the Government of Liberia’s Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development, U.S. Congressional directives, and the priorities of the Biden-Harris Administration. The USAID portfolio currently includes active projects valued at more than $500 million in total.
The release from USAID stated that the annual Government of Liberia-USAID Portfolio Review provided an opportunity for both governments to discuss the assistance programs funded by USAID, identify mutual goals in each sector, and decide upon action items needed in the coming months.
