Ngafuan Challenges Development Partners to Declare Funding Commitments | Business

Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan has called on Liberia’s international development partners to provide clearer details on their financial commitments and align all interventions with the government’s flagship ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID), stressing that the true measure of development must be the lives transformed rather than the amount of money committed.

Speaking at the opening of the 2026 United Nations Country Team Annual Retreat held under the theme, “Catalyzing Impact & Collective Action in a New Development Reality: Through the UN Cooperation Framework 2026–2030,” Minister Ngafuan urged stronger coordination, transparency, and mutual accountability among the Government of Liberia, the United Nations system, development partners, private sector actors, and civil society organizations.

The Finance Minister said as Liberia advances its five-year development agenda, partners must clearly indicate the volume of resources they intend to provide and specify the sectors, counties, flagship programs, and projects that will benefit from their support.

“As we align our collective efforts behind the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, we must strengthen transparency, predictability, and mutual accountability,” Ngafuan said.

“We encourage every development partner to clearly indicate the total value of financial support they intend to provide over the implementation period of the ARREST Agenda,” he added.

According to him, greater clarity from development partners would allow the government to better coordinate investments, prevent duplication of interventions, identify critical financing gaps, and maximize the impact of resources directed toward Liberia’s development priorities.

“Such clarity will enable the Government to better coordinate investments, avoid duplication, identify financing gaps, and maximize the development impact of every resource entrusted to Liberia,” the Minister emphasized.

Ngafuan also called on partners implementing projects under the UN Cooperation Framework and the ARREST Agenda to provide regular reports outlining achievements, implementation challenges, lessons learned, and measurable outcomes.

“These reports will strengthen our mutual accountability framework, improve evidence-based decision-making, and assure the Liberian people that our collective commitments are translating into real improvements in their daily lives,” he stated.

The Finance Minister used the occasion to commend the United Nations system and other development partners for their continued support to Liberia, particularly during a period of uncertainty caused by changes in international assistance.

He specifically referenced the reduction of USAID support shortly after the launch of the ARREST Agenda, describing it as a development challenge that created uncertainty but was managed through continued cooperation and solidarity from partners.

“USAID drawdown a few weeks after the launch of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) presented significant uncertainties, yet your support, solidarity, flexibility, and continued commitment enabled Liberia to weather the storm,” Ngafuan said.

“For that partnership, we remain deeply grateful,” he added.

He also praised the United Nations system for its technical and financial assistance toward Liberia’s Third Voluntary National Review, which was presented during the United Nations High-Level Political Forum in New York.

Despite global economic challenges, Minister Ngafuan said Liberia’s economy continues to show resilience, citing improvements in economic growth, domestic revenue mobilization, and fiscal management.

He disclosed that between January 2024 and June 2026, Liberia recorded improvements across key macroeconomic indicators, supported by prudent economic management and reforms.

According to Ngafuan, real GDP growth increased from 4.0 percent to 5.5 percent, bringing Liberia closer to its medium-term target of 6.0 percent growth by 2029.

He further revealed that nominal GDP expanded from approximately US$4.8 billion to US$5.64 billion, positioning the country toward its medium-term target of US$6.5 billion.

GDP per capita also increased from US$861 to US$964, reflecting what he described as steady improvements in national income and economic opportunities.

“These achievements demonstrate that Liberia is doing its part,” Ngafuan said.

“We are strengthening our institutions, improving governance, expanding domestic resource mobilization, and creating an enabling environment for investment and private sector growth,” he added.

Addressing Africa’s broader development prospects, the Finance Minister argued that the continent should no longer be viewed only through the lens of poverty and dependency but as a region with significant economic opportunities.

He pointed to Africa’s vast natural resources, youthful population, and innovation potential as key drivers of future global growth.

“Africa should never be viewed simply through the lens of need. It should be recognized for its immense potential,” Ngafuan declared.

“Ours is a continent rich in natural resources, endowed with a youthful population, and full of innovation and opportunity,” he added.

According to him, investing in Africa should be seen as a strategic economic opportunity rather than an act of charity.

“Those who invest in Africa today are investing in one of the world’s greatest engines of future growth. Partnership with Africa is therefore not an act of charity—it is a strategic investment in our shared global future,” he said.

The Finance Minister also cautioned against allowing changes in the global development environment to weaken the commitment to inclusive growth and protecting vulnerable populations.

He acknowledged that development assistance is increasingly shifting toward trade and investment-driven models but insisted that the principle of leaving no one behind must remain central.

“We recognize that the global development architecture is undergoing profound transformation. Development assistance is increasingly giving way to new models centered on trade and investment,” he said.

“While these shifts present opportunities, they must not cause us to veer from the fundamental principle that has guided international development for decades: the principle of leaving no one behind,” he emphasized.

Ngafuan warned against what he described as “rugged individualism” in development and called for collective responsibility to protect vulnerable communities, empower women and young people, and support those most affected by economic hardships.

Concluding his remarks, the Finance Minister said Liberia’s development progress should not be judged by the number of agreements signed, meetings held, or strategies developed, but by the tangible impact on citizens.

“After all, development is not measured by the amount of money committed, but by the lives that are transformed,” he said.

He urged development partners to ensure that every investment supports Liberia’s national priorities and produces measurable results.

“Let every dollar invested be aligned with Liberia’s national priorities. Let every intervention produce measurable results. Let every partner remain accountable for the commitments they have made,” Ngafuan stated.

“History will not remember how many meetings we convened or strategies we endorsed. It will remember whether we changed lives, expanded opportunities, reduced poverty, and gave hope to future generations,” he added.

The 2026 United Nations Country Team Annual Retreat brings together government officials, UN agencies, development partners, private sector representatives, and civil society actors to strengthen collaboration and shape priorities under the upcoming UN Cooperation Framework 2026–2030.