Monrovia, Liberia - The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has conducted a three-day Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD) Technical Review Workshop under the Theme: Development of an Integrated Medium-term National Development Plan, the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD) towards Accelerated, Inclusive and Sustainable Development.
The Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development( PAPD) is government’s five (5) years national development plan which runs from 2018 to 2023.
The three-day event held in Ganta City, Nimba County from September 13-15, 2018 brought together eighty five (85) participants from line Ministries and Agencies particularly from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning as well as development partners from the United Nations system, World Bank, European Union, the Country Representative of Ireland among others.
The workshop provided the opportunity for participants to review the draft PAPD document which was drafted by a team of consultants in collaboration with the Division of Development Planning following an elaborate consultative process is undertaken by Government.
Speaking during the workshop, the Deputy Minister for Budget and Development Planning, Hon. Tenneh G. Brunson said the objective of Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD) is to build more capable and trusted state institutions that lead to a stable, resilient and inclusive nation embracing its triple heritage and anchored on its African identity.
She added, ‘’ the Pro-Poor Agenda seeks to craft a development framework aligned to Africa Agenda 2063, the ECOWAS Vision 2020, as well as United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030 which resolutely intends to leave no one behind.’’
She disclosed that the PAPD will also provide greater income security to additional one million Liberians by reducing absolute poverty by twenty-three percent across the country through a sustained and inclusive economic growth driven by scaling-up investments in agriculture, infrastructure, human resource development, and social protection.
According to her, the Pro-Poor Agenda is therefore about strengthening people’s capacity by thriving to seek and draw all Liberians at home and abroad into the national development process.
Also speaking, UNAID’s Country Director, Dr. Miriam Chipimo, representing the United Nation’s system, lauded the Government of Liberia for the efforts and dedication in the preparation of the draft document of the Pro-Poor Agenda for Development and Prosperity (PAPD).
She said that development partners were very pleased to be part of the process especially in the finalization of the PAPD document.