As Liberia Reengages African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF): Finance Minister Boima Kamara on Target Again

Monrovia, Liberia – In an effort to revitalize the Liberia Macroeconomic Policy Analysis Center (LIMPAC) to support the conduct of empirical research across government, Finance Minister, Boima S. Kamara, on behalf of the government of Liberia has strengthened Liberia’s relationship with the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) for technical and financial support.

According to a Ministry of Finance and Development Planning release, during the African Union 26th summit of Heads of states and Government held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Finance and Development Planning Minister, Boima S. Kamara and Professor Emmanuel Nnadozie, Executive Secretary of the African Capacity Building Foundation, on the margins of the AU Summit held separate meeting and discussion about strengthening of relationship and collaboration between Liberia and the ACBF. 

Their discussion was centered on building the economic policy research and other capacity needs of Liberia through the revitalization of the Liberia Macroeconomic Policy Analysis Center. At the end of the meeting, Prof. Nnadozie promised Minister Kamara to visit Liberia between April 10-12 2017 to acquaint himself with progress in Liberia and to finalize discussion for support to Liberia. 
The release noted that, prior to the Addis Ababa engagement, the Government of Liberia through Liberia Macroeconomic Policy Analysis Center (LIMPAC) on May 28th 2016 signed an Aide Memoir with the ACBF to support the policy research and capacity needs of Liberia. The signing of the aide memoir between the pair came at the conclusion of a 3-day project identification mission from May 24-27, 2016 by the ACBF’s Program Officer for West and Central Africa Region, Ms. Joyce Ekuful. 
During the project identification mission, ACBF Program Officer held discussions with the senior management team of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, the Central Bank of Liberia, the Chairman of the College of Business & Public Administration of the University of Liberia-Professor Geegbae A. Geegbae, the United Nations Development Programme in Liberia, among others. 
Discussions were also centered on assessment of outcomes for ACFB’s first grant support of US$1.8 million dollars to LIMPAC under Phase I from 2007 to 2012, and possible areas of focus for new funding and support.

The MFDP release furthered indicated that officials of LIMPAC and institutions visited recounted some of the successes of LIMPAC Phase I such as the provision of funding for public sector employees to pursue graduate studies abroad, the provision of computers to the Department of Economics at the University of Liberia, and support to the Government of Liberia policy formulation and implementation through research. 
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) was established in 1991 by African Governments and their Development Partners to help build sustainable human and institutional capacity for good governance and development management. To its credit, the Foundation has empowered governments, parliaments, civic society, private sector and higher education institutions in more than 45 countries and 6 regional economic communities. 
The ACBF supports capacity development through investments, technical support, knowledge generation and sharing across Africa. For Liberia, a total number of public sector employees benefited from graduate studies through financial support from ACBF.