Monrovia, Liberia - Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan has highlighted the significant progress in infrastructure and social development under the country’s expanding partnership with the World Bank.
He has praised the World Bank for being a true partner and standing with our country during difficult periods.
Opening the second Country Portfolio Performance Review (CPPR) in Monrovia on Tuesday, Minister Ngafuan described the World Bank as Liberia’s “largest development partner,” noting that its active portfolio in the country now exceeds US$1.13 billion. The funding supports major initiatives in agriculture, energy, education, health, infrastructure, social development, and governance.
Minister Ngafuan praised the institution for standing with Liberia during periods of economic and social hardship, calling the World Bank an “all-weather friend” that remained committed even during difficult times.
“We have faced difficult moments, but the World Bank never retreated,” he indicated. “Your support helped Liberia confront some of its biggest challenges.”
The finance minister pointed to ongoing projects as evidence of progress, especially in road connectivity, education, and public investment. He cited improvements along the southeastern road corridor, noting that areas once difficult to reach are now becoming more accessible.
He also disclosed that, with the World Bank backing, Liberia is advancing plans to build and rehabilitate more than 100 schools nationwide to strengthen foundational education for children.
According to Minister Ngafuan, the government’s development ambitions are growing as ministries and agencies seek additional financing to expand reforms and improve public services.
“The more progress we make, the greater the expectations become,” he stated, emphasizing increasing demands for investment in agriculture, infrastructure, and social services.
The minister defended Liberia’s broader economic direction, arguing that the country continues to make steady gains despite existing challenges.
“We are not yet where we want to be, but we have moved beyond where we once were,” Minister Ngafuan averred. “Today is better than yesterday, and tomorrow will be better than today.”
He further stressed the importance of mobilizing domestic revenue and widening Liberia’s fiscal space while thanking international partners for supporting the government’s development agenda.
Also speaking at the event, World Bank Liberia Country Manager Georgia Wallen insisted that the review serves as a critical platform for assessing achievements, addressing implementation bottlenecks, and improving project delivery.
Ms. Wallen intimated that the Liberia–World Bank partnership is focused on creating “more and better jobs in Liberia,” adding that tangible results are beginning to emerge across multiple sectors.
“This is our second country portfolio performance review since the new administration took office,” she noted. “It provides an important opportunity to reflect on what we are accomplishing together for the Liberian people.”
She also commended the strong collaboration between government institutions and World Bank implementation teams, expressing confidence that further progress would be made before the next review.
Delivering welcoming remarks, Deputy Minister for Economic Management Dephue Y. Zuo encouraged sector stakeholders and project teams to use the review process to evaluate performance and strengthen implementation efforts.
The review brought together senior government officials, project implementation teams, development partners, and World Bank representatives to assess ongoing projects and discuss strategies aimed at improving execution and maximizing impact across Liberia’s development agenda.