## 1lbrea2021002

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [1lbrea2021002](https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/cr/2021/english/1lbrea2021002.pdf)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/-/media/files/publications/cr/2021/english/1lbrea2021002.pdf.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/-/media/files/publications/cr/2021/english/1lbrea2021002.pdf.json)

---

### Strategic priorities and national vision
- Align national plans with the African Union Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); PAPD is a five-year plan (2018–2023) under Vision 2030.
- Over next five years: concentrate on a limited set of priorities and execute them well; primary growth strategy is increasing productivity through value chains with emphasis on agricultural processing and marketing (rice, cassava, vegetables) and development of the forest sector.
- Emphasize natural resource governance to ensure local communities increase share of benefits and improve regulation for artisanal, small-scale, and large-scale activities.
- Major infrastructure and human capital investments planned: roads, affordable energy, air and sea ports, Telecommunication/ICT, housing, water, sanitation, education, health, and social protection.

### Pillar One — Power to the People (Human capital, social protection, gender, youth)
- Goal: Empower Liberians to gain control of their lives; reach the furthest first and leave no one behind.
- High-level education and TVET targets and measures:
  - Reduce ECE student to classroom ratio below 50:1 in all counties and rollout standardized curricula and specialized ECE training (rollout target by 2020).
  - Ensure that 70% of male and female Senior High School Students will pass WASSCE with a score of Division 1-6.
  - Increase proportion of appropriately qualified and trained teachers to 60%; double number of female teachers in public schools.
  - MOE forecast potential demand for 620,000 skilled workers by 2030; sectoral demand table: Total: 152,000 -> 620,000 (selected sectors).
- Health targets and key indicators:
  - Reduce maternal mortality ratio from 774 to 497 per 100,000 live births by 2023.
  - Reduce Under-5 mortality ratio to 57 per 1,000 live births by 2023.
  - Reduce Under-5 stunting from 32 percent to 22 percent by 2023.
  - Reduce malaria prevalence to 20 percent by 2023.
  - Reach rural population living within 5KM of service delivery point to 75 percent.
  - Ensure 90 percent of public health facilities report no stock out of essential medicines.
  - Respond to 100 percent of disease outbreaks within 48 hours.
  - Reduce out of pocket payments to 35 percent of total health care cost via sustainable financing.
- Social protection and inclusion numeric targets:
  - Raise total spending on social protection-related investments from less than one percent to two percent of GDP.
  - Public investment in Social Protection increase from 0% to 4% GDP by 2023 (aggregate targets across programs).
  - 200,000 workers enrolled in NASSCORP by 2023.
  - 300,000 students receiving school meals by 2023.
  - 10,000 Extremely Poor and Food Insecure Households and 13,000 individual beneficiaries receive cash transfers by 2023.
  - 70,000 people receive old-age non-contributory pensions by 2023 (full take up).
  - LSSN: 10,000 households targeted; Total Budget 2,000,000 USD; transfers to 10,000 households from 10 million USD program (2017–2021).
  - School Feeding Programs: 300,000 beneficiaries; Total Budget 18,635,400 USD; Share of GDP 0.8%.

### Pillar Two — The Economy and Jobs (macroeconomic stability, competitiveness, infrastructure)
- Pillar goal: A stable macroeconomic environment enabling private sector-led growth, competitiveness, and diversification.
- Macroeconomic scenarios and selected projections:
  - Business as Usual (BAU): Real GDP growth from 3.0% in 2018 to 5.3% by 2023; Consumer prices (annual average) 2018 = 20.4; 2019 = 24.5; 2023 = 8.5; Total revenue rises from 13.0 percent to 15.2 percent of GDP by 2023.
  - Optimistic: Real GDP grows from 3.0% in 2018 to 5.8% in 2023; Agriculture & fisheries growth to 8.0% by 2023; Total Revenue (percent of GDP) 2018 = 13.0 -> 2023 = 16.2.
- DRM and resource envelope:
  - Total anticipated revenue and grants: slightly more than US$5.2 billion over FY2018/19–FY2022/23 (Total revenue: 994, 1,022, 1,047, 1,060, 1,115 — 5,238 US$ millions across five years).
  - Domestic revenue projected to rise from 13.2 to 15.2 percent of GDP; additional borrowing up to US$1 billion could raise envelope to US$6.2 billion.
  - DRM strategy cost: US$79.8 million over five years; expected revenue raised: over One Billion dollars over same period.
- Expenditure and program costing:
  - Current government expenditure over PAPD period projected at slightly more than US$2.7 billion (Total: 562, 511, 528, 544, 571 — 2,717 US$ millions).
  - Total incremental cost for priority programs and capital investments: US$3.5 billion (Total incremental costs: 548, 646, 716, 732, 808 — 3,546.00 US$ millions).
  - Financing gap (balance): -116, -136, -197, -217, -264 — total -1,025 US$ millions.
- Sectoral transformation and agriculture targets:
  - Agriculture contribution to GDP target: rise from 26 percent to 35 percent by 2023.
  - Rice production path (MT): 215,000; 224,348; 248,215; 284,413; 357,025; 459,690 (2018–2023 sequence as projected).
  - Cassava potential revenue at US$1,017/MT: 376; 384; 392; 400; 412; 425 (US$ mn across years).
  - Palm oil: bringing additional 84,000 ha out-grower palm estimated to yield 150 million USD in exports and 48 million USD in tax revenues.
  - Rubber export (US $ 000's) projected: 76,978; 79,076; 80,964; 82,449; 83,854; 85,172; 86,469 (2017–2023).
  - Cocoa export (US $ 000's) projected: 2,759; 7,558; 9,356; 11,657; 15,026; 19,975; 27,363 (2017–2023).
- Infrastructure transformational targets (by 2023):
  - Roads: construct/maintain extensive road network; specific table targets include 517km connecting county capitals and large maintenance programs.
  - Energy: increase generation from 134mw to 270mw; increase transmission and distribution from 511km to 2,279km; reduce energy cost from 0.36kwh to 0.25kwh.
  - ICT: 30% access to fiber optic backbone; double ICT access and coverage; 6 ministries on e-government platform.
  - Ports and airports: rehabilitate Roberts International Airport, upgrade Freeport of Monrovia, expand Buchanan, Greenville, Harper ports; construct inland dry-port in Ganta.

### Pillar Three — Sustaining the Peace (social cohesion, justice, security)
- Goal: A more peaceful and unified society enabling economic transformation and sustainable development.
- Social cohesion and peace numeric targets:
  - Social Cohesion and Reconciliation Index (SCRI) target: improve from 6.6 to 8.
  - Civic trust and coexistence target: improve from 5.2 to 7.
  - SCORE targets: reduce violent tendencies and SGBV tendencies—examples include SCORE for violent tendencies decrease from 1.9 to 0.5; SGBV tendencies national average decrease from 1.5 to 0.5.
- Justice and rule of law numerical targets:
  - Increase proportion satisfied with judicial system from 69.1% to 85% (disaggregated).
  - Reduce proportion of BCR detainees held without trial from 65% to 20%.
  - Increase adjudication rate from 50% to 75% annually.
- Security and policing:
  - Status: 5,545 police deployed in 2017; 3,817 (68.8%) deployed in Montserrado County.
  - Target: increase satisfaction with protection from 69.4% to 85%; short-term target 10% reduction in violent crimes.
- Implementation arrangements for sustaining peace:
  - Deconcentrate security, justice and services; strengthen regional hubs; implement youth recovery and women empowerment programs; restructure Palava/Peace Hut engagements; follow up TRC recommendations; establish Reparations Trust Fund (long term).

### Pillar Four — Governance and Transparency (capable state, anticorruption, decentralization)
- Goal: Build a capable, inclusive, accountable public sector and improve natural resource governance.
- Key governance numeric targets:
  - Increase domestic revenue collection from 14% to between 15.2% and potentially 18% of GDP (DRM objective).
  - IFMIS deployment: from 55 of 107 MACs to 70 MACs by 2023 (increase financial transaction coverage from 48% to 65%).
  - National Biometric Registry (NBR) inputs: from 22,312 (0.5%) to 50% of population by 2023.
  - Increase external audits coverage from 75% to 95%; internal audit presence from 85% to 99%.
  - Reduce number of land dispute cases by 50% through Land Rights Act implementation and improved land administration.
  - Increase number of cases prosecuted by LACC (via MoJ) from 6 to 30 by 2023.
- Anti-corruption measures and PFM reforms:
  - Strengthen LACC, consider giving prosecutorial powers, establish fast-track anti-corruption court, pass Whistleblower Protection Act, implement e-procurement linked to IFMIS, expand IFMIS and e-government.
  - Target: increase revenue generation by 10% per annum from 14% of GDP via e-governance and DRM measures.
- Public sector and decentralization targets:
  - Increase service delivery from County Service Centers from 22% to 50% by 2023.
  - Increase number of county treasuries to cover 15 counties; strengthen CSC operations.
  - Pilot sustainable cities in Monrovia, Paynesville, Gbarnga, Buchanan, and Ganta.

### Monitoring, Evaluation, and Results framework
- ICDU to elaborate comprehensive M&E system before end-2018; PAPD will be evaluated at midterm and end-term.
- Results Framework comprises 120 sectoral targets and 46 high-level indicators with subnational disaggregation.
- Major headline national targets by 2023:
  - Liberia’s Human Development Index rises from 0.427 to 0.523 (Sub-Saharan Africa average).
  - Urban MPI falls from 0.290 to 0.259; Rural MPI falls from 0.481 to 0.290.
  - Provide greater income security to an additional one million Liberians and reduce absolute poverty by 23 percent across 5 out of 6 regions with specified regional poverty reductions:
    - Southeastern Region B from 81.3% to 58.3%
    - North Central Region from 68.5% to 45.5%
    - North Western Region from 58.6% to 35.6%
    - Southeastern Region A from 57.2% to 34.2%
    - South Central Region from 57.2% to 34.2%
  - By 2023, SCRI improves from 6.6 to 8.

### Institutional coordination, implementation and financing mechanics
- Implementation structures: PAPD National Steering Committee (chaired by President), Cabinet oversight, Implementation Coordination and Delivery Unit (ICDU) as secretariat, Pillar Working Groups (Champions), 12 Technical Working Groups, Multi-sectoral Planning Working Group, County Development Committees, Development Partners, Private Sector, Civil Society.
- Financing composition and gaps:
  - Total program & investment spending averages 25 percent of GDP over PAPD period.
  - Total incremental PAPD costs: US$3.546 billion; Current expenditure: US$2.717 billion; Total expenses: US$6.263 billion; Total revenue projected: US$5.238 billion; financing gap: -1,025 US$ millions across period.
  - Resource mobilization target: US$1.7 billion cited as a target based on anticipated financing gap (text reference).
- Aid management and ODA integration:
  - Integrate ODA into Medium-Term Fiscal Framework (MTFF); updated aid management policy; mutual accountability framework with development partners; harmonized multi-year calendar and dialogue platforms.

### Selected population, poverty and human development statistics (baseline and diagnostics)
- Population: estimated at 4,243,475 in 2016; national average household size 4.3 persons.
- Demographics: Females 51.1 percent; Males 48.9 percent; sex ratio 1.011.
- Age structure: about 70 percent of population below age 35 in 2016; 44.5% below age 15 in 2016.
- Poverty and MPI:
  - Liberia MPI 0.374; H 71.2%; A 52.5% (table values preserved).
  - About 3 million Liberians (70.1 percent) multi-dimensionally poor; another 924 thousand near multidimensional poverty.
  - County absolute poverty examples (Absolute Poverty percent):
    - Montserrado: 20.3
    - Maryland: 84.0
    - River Gee: 81.9
    - Grand Kru: 74.4
- HDI and education:
  - Liberia HDI value (2015): 0.427; ranking: 177 of 188 countries.
  - Life expectancy at birth: Liberia 61.2 years.
  - Mean years of schooling: Liberia 4.4.
  - Primary school: large age-for-grade problems; ECE enrollment 13% (2015) for ages 0-4; primary school student-teacher ratios and teacher shortages noted (e.g., estimated deficit of qualified public-school teachers in 2017: 7,600).

*Source: Pro-Poor Agenda For Prosperity And Development (PAPD) — excerpts and chapter content as presented in the supplied document.*

### 2030.  It  aligns  our  national  plans  with  the  African  Union  Agenda

### 2030.  It  aligns  our  national  plans  with  the  African  Union  Agenda

### Strategic priorities and development focus (next five years)
- Align national plans with the African Union Agenda 2063 and the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Over the next five years, concentrate on a limited set of priorities and execute them well.
- Primary growth strategy: increase productivity through value chains with emphasis on agricultural processing and marketing.
  - Promote production of rice, cassava and vegetables using new and appropriate technologies.
  - Recognize the agricultural sector as a major source of foreign exchange and livelihood.
- Develop the forest sector as another area with significant potential for growth.
- While developing natural resource sectors, prioritize natural resource governance so local communities can increase their share of benefits and collaborate with government to improve regulations for artisanal, small scale, and large-scale activities.

### Infrastructure, human capital, and social investments
- Major investments over the next five years in high quality infrastructure:
  - roads, affordable energy, air and sea ports, Telecommunication/ICT, housing, water, and sanitation.
- Human capital investments emphasized as essential:
  - education, health, and measures to end widespread vulnerability.
- Implicit policy emphasis: infrastructure and a skillful labor force are prerequisites for development.

### Fiscal strategy and partnerships
- Acknowledged inherited difficult fiscal situation; policy direction:
  - cut and rationalize expenditure in the short term;
  - grow the revenue base over the long term.
- Progress contingent on support from key partners:
  - international development partners, the private sector, and Civil Society.
- Reassurances and policy signals:
  - government commitment to an inclusive implementation of the PAPD;
  - an enabling environment for Liberian and foreign businesses to prosper.

### Social inclusion and governance commitments
- Affirmation of Liberia’s resource endowments and youthful labor force with "tremendous potential."
- Presidential pledge to fight for equality and women empowerment during the tenure.
- Call for national unity: appeal to Liberians at home and in the Diaspora to set aside differences and participate in the development agenda.
- Emphasis on ownership: encourage citizens to receive the development agenda positively and become champions of its solutions.

### Implementation and institutional acknowledgements
- Expression of thanks to national institutions and stakeholders for guidance and participation, including:
  - H.E. George Manneh Weah (President of the Republic of Liberia);
  - H.E. Jewel Howard-Taylor (Vice President);
  - the Cabinet, the Liberian National Legislature, and the Judiciary;
  - heads of institution, autonomous agencies, county superintendents, sector working groups, the private sector, Civil Society Organizations, faith-based organizations, youth organizations, women organizations, organizations of people with special needs, institutions of higher learning, and the media.
- Acknowledgement of international technical and financial supporters:
  - United Nations system, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the European Union, the United States Agency for International Development, the Swedish Embassy;
  - specific contributions by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Labor Organization (ILO) in underwriting costs and providing technical assistance.

### Core implementing institutions and team (as acknowledged)
- Department of Budget and Planning (headed by Ms. Tanneh Brunson).
- Department of Economic Management (headed by Mr. Augustus Flomo).
- Department of Administration (headed by Ms. Rebecca Y. Mcgill) of the MFDP.
- Special team members that drew together the plan:
  - Hon. Samuel D. Tweah, Jr. (Minister, Ministry Of Finance And Development Planning)
  - 1. Mr. Benedict Kolubah; Assistant Minister for Planning/National Coordinator
  - 2. Mr. Melvin Crawford; Lead Program and Project Advisor
  - 3. Mr Dehpue Zuo; Economist/Program Advisor
  - 4. Ms. Re-Al Myers; Sustaining the Peace/Program Advisor
  - 5. Mr. Teakon J. Williams; Governance/Program Advisor
  - 6. Mr. Mlen Too Wesley, Principal Advisor for Program and Policy
  - 7. Ms. Marianne Caballero, Governance Advisor, Tony Blair Institute

*Source: Pro-Poor Agenda For Prosperity And Development (PAPD) — message excerpts and acknowledgements*

### 8.3	  Measuring,	Monitoring,	Evaluating	the	SDGs,	the	AU	2063,	and	ECOWAS	2020	  103

### 8.3 Measuring, Monitoring, Evaluating the SDGs, the AU 2063, and ECOWAS 2020

### Executive summary and context
- The Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development 2018 to 2023 (PAPD) is the second in the series of 5-year National Development Plans under the Liberia Vision 2030 framework; it follows the Agenda for Transformation 2012-2017 (AfT) and is informed by the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy 2007 (iPRS) and the Poverty Reduction Strategy (2008-2011).
- Fundamentals underpinning the PAPD:
  - Liberia is rich in human and natural resources but deprived of development because human capital lacks the knowledge to transform natural resources into wealth.
  - Liberia is relatively rich in natural capital but relatively poor in human and produced capital.
  - Entrenched inequality in access to development opportunities, widespread infrastructure deficits, and pervasive poverty are binding constraints to future growth and prosperity.

### Economic growth and human development findings
- Progress noted over the past decade through investments and assistance.
- Exact metrics and changes:
  - Gross National Income (GNI) per capita rose by 8.4 percent from 1990 to 2015.
  - Human Development Index (HDI) increased by 10.6 percent between 2000 and 2015.
  - Life expectancy at birth increased by 14 years over the same period.
  - Mean years of schooling increased by 1.8 years over the same period.
- Persisting challenges:
  - Liberia remains in the low human development category.
  - Absolute poverty is on the rise in 5 of the 6 national statistical regions.
  - Gains from economic growth have not been universally felt nor are they sustainable.
  - Liberia ranks as the 11th lowest of the 188 countries on the 2016 HDI.
  - On the inequality adjusted and the gender HDI, Liberia is among the 10 lowest countries in the world.

### National visioning and social cohesion
- PAPD aims to craft a national identity aligned with Africa Agenda 2063 and ECOWAS Vision 2020.
- National consultations (2012) found fissures in national identity:
  - Bifurcation into Americo-Liberian vs. Indigenes is an erroneous impression of two discrete communities.
  - Liberian identity is a fusion of multiple largely patriarchal traditional societies, different tenets of faith, and the influence of black settler culture.
  - New cleavages emerged from the civil war: Diaspora vs. residents, victims vs. perpetrators.
- Reconciliation of these cleavages is necessary for political, social, and economic development.

### Significance of recent political transition
- Inauguration of H.E. George Manneh Weah as the 24th President and H.E. Jewel Howard Taylor as first female Vice President presents a window of opportunity:
  - Marked the first peaceful and democratic transition of power in 73 years.
  - First generational change in national leadership through popular vote since the introduction of universal suffrage in 1951 and the launch of the National Unification and Integration Policy in 1960.
- Opportunity to build a new nation based on inclusion, equitable distribution of natural resource revenues, and a rights-based approach to national development.

### Goals of the PAPD (explicit objectives)
- To build more capable and trusted state institutions that will lead to a stable, resilient, and inclusive nation embracing its triple heritage and anchored on its African identity.
- To provide greater income security to an additional one million Liberians, and reduce absolute poverty by 23 percent across 5 out of 6 regions—through sustained and inclusive economic growth driven by scaled-up investments in agriculture, in infrastructure, in human resource development, and in social protection.

### Theory of Change and implementation approach
- The PAPD rests on a Theory of Change (TOC) recognizing the multi-faceted and cross-sectoral nature of sustainable development; the TOC is the roadmap describing how outcomes will be produced, the “seeds of change,” and the assumptions for measurement.
- Priorities and enablers:
  - Roads and other infrastructure development prioritized to form physical corridors for integrated and multi-sectoral spatial development.
  - Improving access through all-weather roads is the enabler.
  - Raising social spending in neglected regions expected to lift large majorities out of extreme poverty and food insecurity, create local markets, and raise labor productivity in agriculture and forestry, artisanal mining, and fishing.
- Transition from sector-driven to multi-sectoral and integrated approaches:
  - Multi-sectoralism will be progressively introduced as existing sector strategic plans expire.
  - Subsequent sector strategies must assess cross-sector impacts and integrate where appropriate.
  - Integration will feature participation, de-concentration, and multi-discipline; the distinguishing feature is delivering multiple goals/packages to a specific target population or geographic region.
- Implementation governance:
  - Strategic partners will be identified early and brought on board as consultants or service providers within Pillar Working Groups.
  - PAPD implementation will be multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary but sectoral and linear in management and execution.
- Recognized constraints:
  - Government capacity to understand and implement the complex framework is a major constraint.
  - Anticipated resistance to changing established ways of doing government business.
  - Government demonstrated capacity to formulate the framework on short notice and resolve to assemble implementation talent.
  - Detailed implementation and M&E plans, timelines, sequencing, prioritization, and institutional arrangements will follow.

### PAPD pillars (pathways for 2018-2023)
- Pillar 1: Power to the People — To empower Liberians with the tools to gain control of their lives through more equitable provision of opportunities in education, health, youth development, and social protection.
- Pillar 2: The Economy and Jobs — Economic stability and job creation through effective resource mobilization and prudent management of economic inclusion.

_Pro-Poor Agenda For Prosperity And Development (excerpt)._

### 3. Sustaining the Peace—Promoting a cohesive society for

### 3. Sustaining the Peace—Promoting a cohesive society for sustainable development

### Purpose and central premise
- Sustainable peace is essential to achieving the PAPD’s other objectives (human capital development, private-sector growth, capable state).
- Peace includes both:
  - negative peace — absence of violence; and
  - positive peace — social cohesion and integration.
- The attainment of a cohesive society is both an end and a means to inclusive development and supports pro-poor goals of lifting the poor and vulnerable out of poverty.

### Key outcomes and priorities under Pillar Three—Sustaining the Peace
- Ending fragility and the root causes of conflict.
- Improving the justice system and human rights protection.
- Enhancing national defence and security.
- Ensuring initiatives are inclusive, non-discriminatory, and respectful of human rights and justice to enable the human capacity development objectives of Pillar One.
- Supporting stability that underpins private-sector-led growth envisaged under Pillar Two.
- Contributing to accountability and reconciliation of political, social, and economic injustices required for Pillar Four (Governance and Transparency).

### Linkages with other pillars
- Pillar One (Power to the People): human capacity development (education, health, gender equality, youth development, social protection) must be inclusive to sustain peace.
- Pillar Two (Economy and Jobs): macroeconomic stability, infrastructure, and a business-friendly environment require stability to protect long-term investments.
- Pillar Four (Governance and Transparency): building a capable state that governs effectively and transparently requires accountability and reconciliation to sustain peace.

### Selected interventions and focus areas referenced in the broader PAPD (as they relate to sustaining peace)
- Gender-responsive measures:
  - Reduce out-of-school rates; increase retention and completion rates for girls.
  - Raise minimum education infrastructure standards for boys and girls.
  - Ensure appropriate responses to Gender-Based Violence.
  - Adopt and strengthen enforceable legislation and apply gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) in the multi-year fiscal framework; implement the Revised National Gender Policy.
- Health and nutrition priorities with peace implications:
  - Reduce maternal mortality rate.
  - Prevent teenage pregnancies in home and school environments.
  - Reduce under-five malnutrition for girls and boys to avoid early life impairment.
- Youth and social inclusion:
  - Expand social inclusion through work and life skills opportunities.
  - Scale up Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
- Social protection (four minimum guarantees) contributing to stability:
  - i) Access to essential health care.
  - ii) Basic income and food security for the whole family, including vulnerable groups and people with disability.
  - iii) Some form of basic income for the working age population through pre-employment support and household enterprises for adolescents and young adults; expansion in the national social pension scheme; enforcement of the Decent Work Act.
  - iv) Social grants for the elderly, pregnant women, and people living with disability.

### Implementation and coordination arrangements relevant to Pillar Three
- PAPD National Steering Committee will replace the Liberia Development Alliance Steering Committee as apex coordination and decision-making body; it will be a smaller body chaired by the President of the Republic of Liberia.
- Each pillar will be led by a Champion who convenes quarterly meetings to deliberate on progress and resource requirements from a multi-sectoral perspective.
- Twelve Technical Groups—organized around development priorities and comprising experts and specialists from MACs, development partners, civil society, and business representatives—will support the pillars.
- A PAPD Implementation Coordination and Delivery Unit (ICDU) will serve as secretariat to the Steering Committee and Pillar Working Groups.
- A Multi-sectoral/Regional Planning Working Group, comprising the heads of Planning Departments of MACs and County Development Committees, will support the ICDU.

### Financing implications affecting Sustaining the Peace
- Current expenditure of the government (compensation, consumables, domestic and foreign debt service payments, subventions to SOE’s, and other earmarked expenditures) is expected to be slightly more than US$2.7 billion over the five-year PAPD period.
- Total incremental cost for priority programs and capital investments is estimated at US$4.5 billion.
- Approximately 88 percent of incremental cost will go to Pillars One (20.4%) and Two (67.3%); Pillars Three and Four will account for 6.3 percent and 6.1 percent, respectively.
- Total program and investment spending will average 25 percent of GDP over the PAPD period.
- Resource mobilization target is US$1.7 billion—based on the anticipated financing gap under current economic growth and domestic resource mobilization scenarios.

### Measuring, monitoring, and evaluating progress related to social cohesion and peace
- The Social Cohesion and Reconciliation Index (SCRI) is a key measurement for the first goal; target is to improve the index from 6.6 to 8.
- Civic trust and coexistence is another indicator; target is to improve from the current value of 5.2 to 7 over the PAPD period.
- Government will also track perceptions on national security and personal safety, satisfaction with state service delivery, and confidence in national institutions.
- GDP growth rate remains a key measurement for the second goal; SDG advancement and HDI (with supplementary assessments) will be used to measure inclusion and inequality.
- Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) will measure subnational disaggregation on access to health, education, and decent living opportunities.
- The ICDU, in consultation with development partners and the National Statistical System (NSS), will elaborate a comprehensive M&E system before the end of calendar year 2018, updating the National M&E Plan for the AfT and incorporating recommendations from related final reports dated June 30, 2017.
- Surveys and censuses by LISGIS and sector assessments and project evaluations with development partners will generate evidence of outcomes and impact across regions.
- The PAPD will be evaluated at midterm and end term: the midterm will focus on progress measurements, likelihood of attaining targets, constraints and needed adjustments; the end term will extract lessons to guide formulation of the successor national development plan.

*Source: Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD) — chapter on Sustaining the Peace, as presented in the supplied content.*

### Part  II  is  the  annex  comprising  the  results  framework  delineating

### Part  II  is  the  annex  comprising  the  results  framework  delineating  the high-level national targets and interventions under each of the four pillars.

### The Pro-Poor Agenda
- Purpose: alter the fundamental structure of the Liberian economy so that growth does not leave the poor behind.
- Focus over the next five years:
  - Address basic needs for income security, better access to basic services, and greater opportunities for self-improvement in a peaceful, inclusive, and stable environment.
  - Priority on removing the binding constraints to reaching Vision 2030 long-term goals.
- Spatial shift in planning:
  - Paradigm shift from sectoral-based national development planning to spatial integrated multi-sectoral planning with major focus on addressing disparities and inequality between demographic groups and regions.
- Urbanization and informal settlements:
  - Nearly two-thirds of the population currently lives in the Montserrado and the North Central statistical regions comprising four counties.
  - Rapid unplanned urbanization and growth in informal settlements create significant health risks and potential threats to peace and stability.
  - Residents of informal settlements generally have little or no security of title and face severe income insecurity; unemployment is twice as high as in rural areas and three times as high among the youthful population.
  - Access to basic services such as electricity, water, and sanitation in some informal settlements is worse than in rural areas.

### Historical Perspective
- Long-term governance pattern:
  - State power and control of natural resources often co-opted by the ruling class to the exclusion of others, impeding national development and eroding public administration culture.
- Formation and dual governance legacy:
  - Liberia became independent in 1847 when five settler communities declared the republic; a dual system of governance developed—one for the five settlement areas and another for the provinces.
  - Local administrators acted as de facto “agents” of the President to the hinterland population; harmonization of the dual system remains incomplete.
- Administrative evolution:
  - By 2001 the 4 hinterland territories had grown into 10 counties bringing the total to 15.
  - Although the 15 counties enjoy co-equal political status by law, access to resources for development remains tightly controlled and perceived historically as a presidential prerogative.
- Political dynamics:
  - Voters’ preference tends to lean towards candidates from their own ethnic group in the first round, but no single group is large enough to decide outcomes under the majority electoral system, requiring cross-ethnic and cross-geographic coalitions.
- Recent political milestone:
  - The inauguration of George Manneh Weah as the 24th President and Jewel Howard Taylor as first female Vice President was the first peaceful and democratic transition of power in 73 years and the first generational change by popular vote since universal suffrage in 1951.

### Population and Development — Total Population
- Liberia’s population was estimated at 4,243,475 in 2016.
- National average household size is 4.3 persons; county range:
  - 3.7 persons per household in Gbarpolu county (Northwest region).
  - 4.9 persons per household in Maryland (Southeastern region).
- Population projection:
  - At the current growth rate, the total population is likely to be between 4.8 and 4.9 million by the end of the planning period in 2023.
- Demographic visuals referenced:
  - Figure 1.1 shows the population pyramid in 2016.
  - Figure 1.2 shows the population forecast to 2028 offering three fertility scenarios—low, medium, and high.

### Gender and Age Distribution
- Sex composition:
  - Females make up 51.1 percent of the population and male 48.9 percent.
  - Sex ratio is 1.011 (1.011 male per 1 females), lower than the global sex ratio of 1.016 male per 1 female.
- Age structure:
  - About 70 percent of the population was below the age of 35 in 2016.
  - Nearly half (44.5%) of the population was below the age of 15 years in 2016.
- Dependency and life expectancy:
  - Age dependency ratios are very high; at about 90 percent each working adult must provide support for himself or herself while providing for a child or a dependent elderly person.
  - Urban age dependency ratio: 78.2 percent.
  - Rural age dependency ratio: 102.7 percent.
  - Proportion of population above age 64: 3 percent.
  - Life expectancy at birth is currently 61 years old.
  - Global life expectancy: 71.
  - Life expectancy in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): 46.
  - If birth and death rates remain at the same level in SSA, female life expectancy: 59 years; male: 55 years.

### Spatial Distribution
- Regional concentration:
  - About 63 percent of the population live in the four counties comprising the Montserrado and North Central regions.
  - Three out of every five people can be found in seven counties.
  - This spatial skew leaves large regions behind in access to basic services and infrastructure.
- Table 1.1: Distribution of the Population by Statistical Regions (selected figures preserved):
  - Montserrado: 1,364,902 — 32.2 percent; Sex Ratio 90.3
  - North Central: 1,308,913 — 30.8 percent; Sex Ratio 97.2
  - South Central: 526,822 — 12.4 percent; Sex Ratio 97.2
  - South Eastern A: 365,145 — 8.6 percent; Sex Ratio 100.9
  - North Western: 359,562 — 8.5 percent; Sex Ratio 101.8
  - South Eastern B: 318,132 — 7.5 percent; Sex Ratio 96.6

### Labor Force and Labor Productivity
- Economically active population (EAP):
  - Expected to grow from 1.6 million in 2018 to nearly 2 million in 2023.
  - Nearly 80 percent of the EAP is in informal employment.
  - About 35 percent of Liberian households make their living predominantly through agricultural related activities.
  - Population in informal employment will grow from nearly 1.3 million in 2018 to 1.6 million by 2023 without significant intervention.
- Formal sector employment structure:
  - 65 percent of wage earners work for private employers in the service sector.
  - About 20 percent work for the government.
  - 15 per work for nonprofit organizations.
- Gender and earnings:
  - As wage incomes rise, the share of women relative to men falls.
  - Most non-farm household enterprises (56.1%) are run by women.
  - 70.8 percent of those enterprises have gross revenue of less than L$30,000 (US$200) monthly.
- Agriculture and productivity:
  - Average household farm size: 1.6 hectares; rises to about 2.2 hectares in the North Central region.
  - Poorest quintile cultivate 0.3 hectares; richest cultivate 3.6 hectares on average.
  - 74 percent of households grow a mix of food crops with rice and cassava predominating.
  - At least a third of farming households have some acreage of permanent/cash crop farms.
  - On average, yields are about 80 percent of the regional crop yields.
- Skills and literacy constraints:
  - 2010 Labor force survey found formal sector employed less than 20 percent of the labor force.
  - 56 percent of the working age population was literate.
  - Female literacy in the labor force was 44.8 percent.
  - About 47 percent of women and girls, and 33 percent of boys and men have never attended school.
- Implication: low labor productivity and shortage of appropriately skilled workers inhibit broad-based economic growth and recovery.

### Urbanization and Sustainable Cities
- Urban residence and labor:
  - 54.5 percent of Liberians live in cities and towns of 2,000 residents or more.
  - 56 percent of the labor force reside in these urban areas (LISGIS HIES 2016).
- Migration patterns:
  - Most movement towards the capital city Monrovia; other shifts observed along economic corridors (Table 1.2 lists major corridors).
- Urban stressors:
  - Agricultural productivity remains low and skill base modest, yet rapid urbanization continues.
  - Monrovia’s urban environment is under unprecedented stress with large areas converting to informal settlements, limited affordable housing stock, and expanding but still inadequate urban road, water, and electricity infrastructure.
  - Risk of instability high due to a largely youthful population searching for income-earning opportunities.
- Policy need:
  - Urgent need for comprehensive urban development strategies that tap into potential of other rapidly growing urban centers such as Ganta, Pleebo, Buchanan, and Greenville.

### Liberians Living Abroad
- Diaspora and remittances:
  - Nearly 38 years since the first wave of out-migration; notion of mass resettlement is unclear.
  - Personal remittances inflow reached 27.1 percent of GDP by 2017—making Liberia the largest recipient of US dollar remittances in Sub-Saharan Africa and the fifth most dependent in the world.
- Diaspora size and distribution:
  - An estimated 500,000 Liberians (about 10 percent of the total global Liberian population) reside abroad.
  - Estimated distribution: 43 percent in North America, 36 percent in the West Africa sub region, 16 percent in Europe, and 5 percent elsewhere.
  - Largest concentration in any one country is in the United States.
- Government approach:
  - Recognizes most Liberians abroad have not reached levels of wealth to make significant capital investments at home.
  - Continuous engagement prioritized to facilitate return for business, nonprofit work, volunteer services in education, health, and social services.
  - Policy priorities include reducing corruption, improving the business environment, and facilitating inflow of family remittances.

### Liberia’s Demographic Dividend
- Age composition enabling potential dividend:
  - Nearly 53 percent of the population between ages 15 and 64.
  - 44.5 percent of the population below age 14 who will enter the labor force over the next decade.
- Challenges to realizing the dividend:
  - Magnitude tempered by formal economy’s ability to absorb and productively employ the workforce.
  - Limited formal sector opportunities push many into farming and informal sector where returns are low.
- Policy interventions required:
  - Establish and sustain minimum living standards.
  - Policies and strategies to harness the demographic dividend critical to sustaining peace.
  - Interventions needed to raise aspirations of the poor, improve human capital, provide income security, and raise savings through:
    - Technical and vocational education.
    - Increased access to new technology.
    - Access to relevant market-needed skills.
    - Expanding access to cross-border markets and training in small business and entrepreneurship.
    - Sustaining an enabling business environment and increased investment in infrastructure.
    - Greater financial inclusion targeting youth and rural populations and adoption of mobile financial services and digital, cashless economy initiatives.

### Poverty and Vulnerability — By Regions
- Poverty and vulnerability have both geographic and demographic dimensions shaped by historical patterns of growth and development.
- National aggregates mask disparities; Figure 1.5 shows absolute poverty by regions and Table 1.8 shows county distribution (figures referenced in source).

*Source: Part  II annex comprising the results framework delineating the high-level national targets and interventions under each of the four pillars.*

### 1.3 Patterns of Poverty and

### 1.3 Patterns of Poverty and Vulnerability

### Regional patterns of poverty
- Table 1.3 (Absolute, Food, and Extreme Poverty by County)
  - Monrovia/Montserrado: Absolute Poverty 20.3; Food Poverty 20.3; Extreme Poverty 2.7
  - Bomi: Absolute Poverty 64.3; Food Poverty 44.8; Extreme Poverty 22.2
  - Bong: Absolute Poverty 71.3; Food Poverty 55.9; Extreme Poverty 24.7
  - Grand Bassa: Absolute Poverty 61.8; Food Poverty 45.0; Extreme Poverty 21.9
  - Grand Cape Mount: Absolute Poverty 53.7; Food Poverty 35.3; Extreme Poverty 19.5
  - Grand Gedeh: Absolute Poverty 63.7; Food Poverty 47.8; Extreme Poverty 17.5
  - Grand Kru: Absolute Poverty 74.4; Food Poverty 50.1; Extreme Poverty 26.8
  - Lofa: Absolute Poverty 68.7; Food Poverty 55.0; Extreme Poverty 26.9
  - Margibi: Absolute Poverty 52.2; Food Poverty 39.6; Extreme Poverty 14.1
  - Maryland: Absolute Poverty 84.0; Food Poverty 71.5; Extreme Poverty 47.5
  - Nimba: Absolute Poverty 66.5; Food Poverty 45.2; Extreme Poverty 20.6
  - River Cess: Absolute Poverty 66.4; Food Poverty 45.2; Extreme Poverty 23.3
  - Sinoe: Absolute Poverty 46.3; Food Poverty 19.4; Extreme Poverty 7.6
  - River Gee: Absolute Poverty 81.9; Food Poverty 68.7; Extreme Poverty 39.4
  - Gbarpolu: Absolute Poverty 60.5; Food Poverty 43.2; Extreme Poverty 19.8
- Key regional observations:
  - More than 4 of every 5 residents (89%) of the Southeastern B region live in absolute poverty.
  - In the North Central region, absolute poverty affects almost the same proportion (82%).
  - In and around the capital city Monrovia, only 28 percent live in absolute poverty and the proportion is declining.
  - The four counties with the lowest levels of poverty are Montserrado, Sinoe, Margibi, and Grand Cape Mount.

### Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) findings
- MPI methodology and thresholds:
  - MPI measures deprivation across 10 indicators in three dimensions—education, health, standard of living.
  - MPI calculations are based largely on data from the 2013 LDHS (LISGIS).
  - A deprivation score greater than 33.3 percent classifies a household as multidimensionally poor.
  - Greater than 20 percent but less than 33.3 percent: household lives near multidimensional poverty and is vulnerable.
  - Greater than or equal to 50 percent: household lives in severe poverty.
- Table 1.4: Liberia Multidimensional Poverty Index 2018 (MPI; H (Incidence); A (Intensity))
  - Liberia: MPI 0.374; H 71.2%; A 52.5%
  - Urban: MPI 0.2906; H 60.5%; A 48.0%
  - Rural: MPI 0.4818; H 84.9%; A 56.6%
  - Montserrado: MPI 0.2505; H 54.2%; A 46.2%
  - Grand Gedeh: MPI 0.3497; H 74.9%; A 46.6%
  - Margibi: MPI 0.3647; H 72.7%; A 50.1%
  - Nimba: MPI 0.3777; H 72.0%; A 52.4%
  - Maryland: MPI 0.3887; H 73.3%; A 50.2%
  - Bomi: MPI 0.4077; H 79.1%; A 51.4%
  - River Gee: MPI 0.4338; H 81.4%; A 53.1%
  - Sinoe: MPI 0.4458; H 84.4%; A 52.7%
  - Lofa: MPI 0.4578; H 83.1%; A 55.0%
  - Grand Kru: MPI 0.4809; H 90.6%; A 52.9%
  - Grand Cape Mount: MPI 0.4828; H 85.6%; A 56.3%
  - Gbarpolu: MPI 0.5058; H 86.3%; A 58.5%
  - Bong: MPI 0.5088; H 83.9%; A 60.6%
  - Grand Bassa: MPI 0.5278; H 86.7%; A 60.7%
  - Rivercess: MPI 0.5369; H 94.5%; A 56.7%
- Aggregate MPI facts:
  - About 3 million Liberians (70.1 percent) were multi-dimensionally poor.
  - Another 924 thousand are near multidimensional poverty.
  - Across Sub-Saharan Africa, about 54 percent of people suffered multidimensional poverty in 2015; 30 of the 35 countries analyzed succeeded in reducing their MPI over time. Liberia is among the five that did not reduce the MPI over time.
  - Liberia’s overall score is 0.356, placing it towards the bottom in ranking of the 102 developing countries in the 2015 Human Development Report.
  - Rivercess, Grand Bassa, Bong, Gbarpolu, and Grand Cape Mount are the five counties most deprived across education, health, and standard of living.
  - Grand Bassa, Bong, Gbarpolu, and Rivercess have the most intense deprivation.
  - Only twelve of the 15 counties are above the national average of 0.374.

### Poverty by demographic groups
- Women
  - Male-headed households: 52.3% poverty.
  - Female-headed households: 46.3% poverty.
  - Poverty by education level of household head:
    - No education: 66%
    - Primary education: 58.7 percent
    - Secondary: 43.8 percent
    - Some post-secondary: 15.9 percent
  - Agriculture:
    - Accounts for an estimated 70 percent of the total labor force.
    - Women make up an estimated 75 percent of that workforce.
    - Poverty highest (79.6%) in households where the head is self-employed in agriculture.
  - Land and asset constraints:
    - Only five percent of cultivated land is privately owned.
    - Less than three percent of farming households have a deed that can be collateralized or transferred intergenerationally.
- Children
  - Child malnutrition and health indicators (2013 LDHS):
    - 32 percent of children under 5 years old are classified as malnourished.
    - 6 percent wasted.
    - 15 percent underweight.
    - 3 percent overweight.
  - Infant mortality rate is among the 20 highest in the world.
  - Stunting increases with the age of the child.
  - Childhood deprivations create long-term risks including intergenerational transfer of poverty, delinquency, and addictions.
- Youth
  - Participation in education decreases substantially after 18.
  - Youth who drop out face higher risk of unemployment or lack of employable skills and may take as much as two years longer to integrate into the formal labor force than peers with qualifications.
- The Elderly
  - Households headed by elderly persons (60+):
    - Slightly more than 60 percent live in absolute poverty.
    - 48 percent in food poverty.
    - 22.2 percent live in extreme poverty.
  - Most elderly have never worked in the formal sector; limited pension coverage.
  - Under current eligibility criteria, no more than 300,000 persons would qualify for the contributory national pension scheme.
- People with Special Needs
  - Disability and poverty are mutually reinforcing.
  - Persons living with disabilities face workplace discrimination, wage discrimination, exclusion from social and economic life, and incomplete fulfillment of rights.

### Economic opportunities and regional potential
- National wealth and capital composition (World Bank estimates)
  - National wealth per capita: US$10,227
  - Natural capital: US$7,037
  - Produced capital: U$$1,219
  - Human capital: US$3,636
  - Net foreign assets: US$-1,665
- Agriculture and land tenure
  - Farming households comprised 35 percent of Liberian households in 2016.
  - Slightly more than half a million Liberians make their livelihood through farm or related ventures.
  - Secure access to productive land is the most valuable resource and the most severe constraint.
  - Passage of the Land Rights Act in 2018 provides a framework to begin addressing constraints to wealth creation; accelerating rollout of its provisions is critical.
  - Constitutional limitations (Article 22 of the 1986 Constitution) ensure state ownership and control of mineral resources and impose constraints on private property rights; communal land ownership validated only when the President signs a tribal certificate under current laws.
- Regional potential (NSS regional breakdown and highlights)
  - Southeastern A (Sinoe, Grand Gedeh, Rivercess)
    - Significant investments in oil palm development.
    - Agricultural Concession Agreements (ACA) could allow production of between 150,000 to 200,000 hectares of oil palm over the next decade.
    - Approximately 40,000 hectares in community oil palm (out-grower scheme) anticipated.
    - Highest forest coverage rate in Liberia; large potential for forest resource development.
    - Port of Greenville rehabilitated for international trade; artisanal coastal fishing with production potential.
  - Southeastern B (Maryland, River Gee, Grand Kru)
    - Competitive potential in agriculture, forestry, cross-border trade, fishing, artisanal mining, expansion of rubber and oil palm.
    - Electricity available at competitive prices; Port of Maryland under rehabilitation.
    - Poor road network constrains development and causes near-seasonal isolation.
  - North Central
    - Traditional food belt of Liberia.
    - Average smallholder household farm size (cultivated acreage/hectares): Lofa 5.4, Nimba 4.82.2, Bong 1.94, (average farm size in Liberia is )1.6 hectares, and 3.41.39 in unspecified contexts (source text contains mixed formatting).
    - Region produced 54 percent of basic food crops—rice and cassava—in 2016.
    - Competitive advantage in arable land; also produces coffee, cocoa, oil palm, and rubber.
- Transformational priorities
  - Improved service delivery, targeted investment in key sectors, reduction in infrastructure deficits, and investment in social protection will be necessary to unlock potential and transform regions outside of Montserrado.

*Source: 1lbrea2021002 - 1.3 Patterns of Poverty and Vulnerability (Republic Of Liberia chapter content).*

### 1.4 Potential Drivers of Growth,

### 1.4 Potential Drivers of Growth, Transformation, and Reduction in Inequality

### Regional Development Potentials
- Nimba region:
  - Iron ore mining in two locations.
  - Significant cross-border trade with Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire.
  - Highest contributor to domestic revenue after Montserrado county.
  - Electricity available at competitive rates in Nimba and being extended to Bong.
  - Major primary road into Lofa under development.
- North Western Region (Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount, Bomi):
  - Huge potential in mining and panning, forestry development, artisanal fishing, and cross-border trade with Sierra Leone and Guinea.
  - Approximately 220,000 hectare of oil palm under development through an ACA.
  - Through the ACA, an additional 40,000 hectares of out grower oil palm farms are to be developed with a potential export value between 50 and 75 million US dollars.
  - Strong tourism potential; affordable energy and road access are key constraints.
- South Central Region (Grand Bassa, Margibi):
  - Traditional rubber belt with largest plantation and numerous large out grower farms.
  - Current projections: total production at the largest plantation at 66 million lbs. by 2025 and 90 million by 2030.
  - Old rubber trees can be harvested as sustainable alternative to hardwoods.
  - Potential for value addition in rubber processing.
  - Hosts Roberts International Airport and the Port of Buchanan (the second largest in Liberia).
- Montserrado Region:
  - Political, social, and commercial hub; location for nearly all non-agricultural manufacturing.
  - Without intervention, most economic growth will naturally occur in and around Monrovia, increasing historical and regional disparity.
  - Strategy: improve business environment in Montserrado and direct significant capital investments to other regions to reduce infrastructure deficits and the cost of doing business.

### Fiscal and Donor Lessons from Previous NDPs
- Government expenditure dynamics:
  - Expenditure on compensation of employees comprised an estimated 51 percent of total by FY2016/2017 and 65 percent by FY2017/2018.
- Donor dependency:
  - Development partners’ share of total expenditure on the AfT rose from 64 percent in FY2012/2013 to 76 percent in FY2014/2015.
  - Overall fiscal balance, without grant support, rose from negative five percent (-5%) to negative eighteen percent (-18%) between FY2012/2013 and FY2014/2015.
  - In response to the 2014 EVD outbreak, an additional US$0.9 billion had been committed to fighting the outbreak in Liberia by the end of the fiscal year.
  - Less than 10 percent of ODA was untied by the end of FY2014/2015.
  - Disbursement rates on projected funding reached 83 percent in FY2014/2015—up from 57 percent in FY2013/2014.
- Aid delivery and effectiveness:
  - Support modalities included direct budget support, directly-executed projects, and technical assistance (e.g., pool fund mechanism, Fixed Amount Reimbursement Agreement (FARA), performance contracts to NGOs).
  - The collapse of the health care system during EVD questioned the efficacy of these aid forms in building critical systems and highlighted the need for a new partnership model for ODA.

### Economic Growth Outcomes and Challenges
- Investment incentives and outcomes:
  - To jumpstart the economy in 2008 the government granted concessions and tax incentives (MDA’s, ACA’s, FMC, TSC, PUP’s).
  - National Investment Incentive Code updated in 2010; incentives attracted commitments of US$16 billion in FDI to be realized over a 25-year period.
- Growth statistics and employment:
  - Overall economy grew by 6.7 percent over the period 2009 to 2013.
  - Mining sector grew by 70 percent between 2005 and 2013.
  - An estimated fifteen thousand jobs were created (period up to 2013), but large numbers were lost in 2014 and 2015 when concessionaires ceased operations.
  - Agricultural sector grew by 2.8 percent over the same period, creating an estimated 500,000 income earning opportunities.
- Structural concerns:
  - Implementation weaknesses: limited capacity to monitor compliance, lack of political will for enforcement, difficulty adhering to First Prior and Informed consent (FPIC).
  - Community impacts: land loss and increased food insecurity in some areas; exploitation of forest resources through elite capture.
  - Liberia remains dependent on natural resource exports and foreign assistance for U.S. dollar inflows needed for food and fuel imports.
  - Recognition that sustainable growth and diversification are possible with the right macroeconomic and fiscal policy mix but structural and institutional inadequacies must be addressed.

### Planning, Coordination, and Delivery Mechanisms
- National planning process:
  - Top-down structure with sectoral and regional consultative meetings intended to connect national, county, district, and community planning.
  - Liberia Development Alliance (LDA) institutions (launched Jan 2013) have four primary responsibilities: coordinating policy making, providing an open platform to stakeholders, following up on “New Deal” commitments, accounting for results and functional M&E under the AfT.
  - Structural and institutional inadequacies limit planning operations and national ownership of NDP commitments.
- LRDC vs LDA:
  - Under the PRS, the Liberia Reconstruction and Development Committee (LRDC) supported cabinet decision-making; LRDC’s standalone secretariat was more effective than LDA’s MFDP-supported secretariat.
  - A Delivery Unit in the Office of the President was created to monitor projects of presidential interest.
  - Multiple new structures for EVD response consumed time and attention, leading to suspension of AfT and replacement by an Economic Stabilization and Recovery Framework (ESRF).
- Recommendation:
  - A delivery mechanism/unit should serve as the locus for PAPD execution, led by a team of professionals set apart but routinely interacting with political actors and sectors to coordinate public investments, service delivery and partner support in targeted geographic areas.

### Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) and Budgeting Frameworks
- M&E system needs:
  - Robust M&E required to disaggregate data and periodically measure progress at sector and regional levels.
  - Significant data gaps on the National Key Indicators (NKI’s) used by the AfT.
- MTEF and fiscal tracking:
  - MTEF provided effective fora and institutional mechanisms for strategic resource allocation, but full adoption as a single reform initiative has been insurmountable.
  - Adhering to spending priorities has been a major challenge; assurances of financing for priority projects were not met.
  - Government has not produced budget performance reports that disaggregate outturns by sectors or regions.
- Proposed adjustments:
  - Use a hybrid approach with a smaller number of NKI’s linked to the SDG’s and the AU Agenda 2063 to allow sector MACs to see their roles while preparing for full migration to results-based reporting.
  - Strengthen the National Statistics System (NSS) and reorient priorities toward data needed for high level decision-making and NDP execution.
  - Apply the Multiyear Fiscal Framework (MYFF) to one or two priority sectors while maintaining cash budgeting or repeatable cost management for others.
  - Continue periodic Performance Expenditure Tracking Surveys (PETS) to improve accountability and validate resource reach to intended beneficiaries.

### Specific Measures and Paradigm Shift in NDP Design
- Strategic acknowledgement:
  - Increasing capital investments and increasing social expenditure are not mutually exclusive and can be mutually reinforcing when properly sequenced.
  - Economic growth provides income security and wealth; social spending increases demand and builds human and knowledge capital.
- Shift in planning and implementation model:
  - Move from sectoral to integrated multi-sectoral approach to remove constraints across multiple sectors.
  - Domesticate the SDGs and align the NDP with the AU Agenda 2063 and ECOWAS 2020.
  - Emphasize development corridors aligned with infrastructure (roads, railways, ports) to shape internal migration and create alternative destinations for migrants.
- New approaches and economic drivers:
  - Recognize significant cross-border economic activity among Mano River Union States often omitted or wrongly captured in official statistics.
  - Build stronger linkages between cross-border activities and economic corridor investments to leverage ECOWAS Protocols, Common External Tariffs, and investments in roads, ports, communications, energy and rail.
  - Locate Special Economic Zones (SEZ) along economic corridors to contribute to economic rate of return needed to justify capital spending.

### New Deal for Fragile States and SDG Implementation Constraints
- New Deal integration:
  - Fragility Assessment and PSG indicators developed in 2012; New Deal Dashboard developed in 2013 and principles incorporated into “Agenda for Transformation: Steps toward Liberia Rising 2030”.
  - Ebola Recovery Assessment conducted with UNDP, World Bank, EU; however, an outline and roadmap for a Compact and inventory of use of Country Systems have not been developed.
- PAPD role and ODA dialogue:
  - PAPD replaces AfT as One Vision, One Plan and establishes basis for dialogue with ODA partners on how New Deal priorities/processes/tools can be built upon in SDG implementation, including greater use of country systems over the 2018 to 2023 period.
- SDG implementation challenges:
  - Liberia among countries where eradicating extreme poverty will be most urgent.
  - Properly monitoring change across the 169 SDG targets—particularly SDG Goal 16 (sustaining peace and building a capable state)—will severely stretch the capacity of the national statistical system and government MACs.
  - A minimalist approach will need to be formulated and included into the PAPD implementation plan.

### Historical Growth Volatility and Structural Implications
- Historical GDP and per capita income:
  - Liberia’s dependence on extractive industry from mid-1960s to late 1980s and rapid population growth contributed to trade imbalances and widening inequality.
  - Per capita GDP increased from about US$ 1,270 in the 1960s to US$ 1680 in the 1970s and sharply declined to below US$1,400 in the 1980s.
  - Liberia experienced the worst decline to less than US$ 115 during the civil war in the mid-1990s.
  - From 1995 onward GDP growth improved and increased to rates of 11 to 14 percent from 2007 to 2012 (from a low base).
  - By 2014, real GDP growth rate plummeted from 8.7 percent in 2013 to 0.7 percent.

*Source: 1lbrea2021002 - 1.4 Potential Drivers of Growth, Transformation, and Reduction in Inequality*

### Introduction and migration to priority development corridors to serve as co-locations for priority regional intervention

### Introduction and migration to priority development corridors to serve as co-locations for priority regional interventions

### Strategic interventions for development corridors
- Introduction and migration to priority development corridors to serve as co-locations for priority regional interventions in partnership with economic and development actors; and establishment of a mechanism through which these decisions are made.
- Implementation of interventions to diversify the economy in anticipation of rising demand for goods and services in the ECOWAS sub region; reemphasizing the scaling up of agriculture and development of appropriate value chains and giving priority to those investments located in the development corridors.
- Establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in development corridors to attract domestic and foreign investments through generous tax and financing incentives to spur economic growth; and the phasing out of project-based incentives to be replaced by sector-wide incentives embedded in the tax codes and made available to all investors reaching defined investment thresholds.

### Baselining, monitoring, and social protection
- Baselining, monitoring, and evaluation based on geographic development regions defined by poverty indicators in the NSS and the SDG’s; and establishment of a social protection floor to form a part of the national aspiration to which an additional 1 million Liberians currently living in poverty and food insecurity will be raised.
- The PAPD breaks targets and indicators down to the regional level to establish baselines against which progressive reductions in geographic disparity can be measured.

### Political, administrative, and rights-based commitments
- While reaffirming a commitment to sustaining an enabling political and administrative environment for private initiatives to thrive, and to the domestication of international conventions ratified by the government, shift efforts downstream to focus more attention on meeting basic needs of Liberians and removing the constraints to their personal growth and development recognizing that widespread poverty is a major inhibitor of the national potential.

### Macroeconomic context and growth performance
- Growth fell to 0.0 percent in 2015, and to -0.5 percent in 2016 due to the twin shocks of the drop in global commodity prices and the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
- Growth improved to around 2.5 percent in 2017 and is expected to rebound to 3.9 percent in 2018.
- Figure reference: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Per Capita (constant 2010 US$) is presented covering years from 1960 through 2016.

### Vision 2030 alignment and priority core aspirations
- The PAPD is positioned as the second in the series of five-year NDP’s towards the national aspirations expressed in the Vision 2030 framework developed in 2012.
- The national vision statement addresses social, economic, political, environmental, cultural, and technological aspirations and the high-level goals of the PAPD align with these dimensions.

- Priority Core Aspirations — A United People:
  - 1. Political stability based on equity
  - 2. A society that embraces its triple heritage and guarantees space for all positive cultures to thrive
  - 3. A society that is democratic, tolerant, respectful of the rule of law and human rights
  - 4. A society of gender equity, empowerment, and opportunities for all.

- Priority Core Aspirations — A Progressive Nation:
  - 1. A self-reliant, innovative, and competitive private sector-led economy with strong indigenous presence
  - 2. People-focused investment policies
  - 3. A nation embracing science and technology as avenues to modernization
  - 4. Agriculture prioritized for food self-sufficiency and income security
  - 5. Healthy, well and relevantly-educated people with improved quality of life

*Source: 1lbrea2021002 - Introduction and migration to priority development corridors to serve as co-locations for priority regional interventions*

### 1.7 The National

### 1.7 The National

### Vision and Principles
- The PAPD centers on a national vision of "a united people and a progressive nation meeting core expectation of stability, equity, and democracy."
- Four pillars at the core of the PAPD (stemming from the Manifesto) are:
  - i) Power to the People
  - ii) the Economy and Jobs
  - iii) Sustaining the Peace
  - iv) Governance and Transparency

### Structural Transformation — Seeds of Change
- Four categories of seeds of change identified to drive structural transformation:
  - i) emerging demographic changes
  - ii) new economic opportunities
  - iii) growing social integration and unity
  - iv) governance system reform

- Demographic Changes
  - A combination of reduced growth rates (population growth rate; fertility rate; and infant mortality rate) and rapid urbanization suggests that Liberia is experiencing a demographic transition. More than half of the people now live in urban areas.
  - The number of female and child-headed households (nearly 30%) has implications for poverty reduction considering the low level of involvement of women in viable economic activities
  - Vulnerability of the elderly has risen and is attributable to the erosion of family-provided social safety nets and community resilience

- Economic Opportunities
  - Oil palm plantations (for industrial uses and as biofuel) have been granted thousands of hectares of land but the impact of mono plant on environment as well as the potential impact of evictions and alienation on livelihood are undetermined.
  - Liberia initiated a multi-year fiscal framework that drew recurrent and development components into the budget exercise, but constrained implementation capacity remains a serious challenge
  - Plans have been developed to explore and exploit opportunities presented by development corridors--identifying prospects for integrating the economic enclaves into the national economy.
  - Ratification of the ECOWAS protocol on the free movement of goods and people provides other possible markets--which may include enhanced participation in African economic integration.
  - Liberian business owners are becoming more vocal. There is a growing concern that the Liberian share of the economy is not commensurate with what should be a fairer deal for nationals.

- Social Integration
  - Liberian society is no longer complacent or silent
  - Sharp cleavages between Liberians who remained at home during the 14 years of civil war and those who fled are emerging
  - Women have emerged as a strong political force
  - Some ethnic groups have expressed a heightened sense of social alienation
  - Education as a means of social mobility has been the norm. Yet social crises occasioned by instability and war have taken a toll, and in the process, impacted value systems as a whole

- Governance Systems Reform
  - The establishment of integrity institutions such as the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), the General Auditing Commission (GAC), the Public Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC) and a developing independent media can be forces for change.
  - The professionalization of the Armed Forces and otherwise rationalizing a national security system will contribute to stability.

### Formulation of the PAPD
- Following the inauguration of the newly elected government on January 25, 2018, a list of Presidential Priority projects was developed to begin cutting waste, realigning the national budget, and re-purposing resources to address critical challenges.
- Thirteen pro-poor impact projects were designed to be delivered across key sectors while setting up the priorities for the PAPD.
- The election manifesto was translated into a short-term Transition Plan to the PAPD; a framework to guide the transition from the AfT and the Manifesto to the PAPD was formulated.
- The PAPD process has been highly participatory:
  - Eleven budget sector meetings were organized with MACs and key partners.
  - Consultations were organized in the 15 county capitals; approximately one thousand persons attended the events.
  - Meetings were held with Liberians living abroad in the United States, Europe, and West Africa.

### Perspectives from the Consultative Process
- Stakeholders were asked to deliberate on: a) what went well under the past NDP, b) failures and possible causes, c) priorities for the PAPD, and d) immediate local issues requiring attention.

- a) What went well?
  - Improved personal safety and security due to security sector reform; improved discipline of security sector personnel and LNP deployment closer to communities.
  - Access to justice improved: construction of new courts, improvement in the caliber of judicial officials, better jury management, increased use of ADR, increased efficiency of judicial proceedings.
  - Economic and livelihoods: expanded opportunities for agricultural commodity processing, supply of improved planting materials, additional agricultural equipment, public transport; construction of fisheries landing sites in coastal areas created youth jobs.
  - ICT expansion (cellphone technology, mobile money) increased financial inclusion.
  - Growing number of local FM radio stations increased community engagement on governance and economic issues.
  - Public infrastructure (feeder roads, public facilities, markets) constructed to reduce cost and risk of doing business.
  - Business training with micro loans and grants by nonprofit organizations contributed to income security.
  - Deployment of County Service Centers (CSC) expanded access to essential government services, increased interest in decentralization; women and people with disability more involved in local advocacy.
  - Establishment of integrity institutions increased awareness of human rights and transparency needs.
  - Access to basic education, health, water, and sanitation improved; rising enrollment of girls, improvement in teachers’ pay and direct payment, and more effective county health teams noted.

- b) Failures and possible causes
  - Security: limited logistics, disparity in salary and benefits, limited training, and delays in court systems undermined access to justice.
  - Weak follow-up on human rights and local peace and reconciliation; traditional practices interfere with girls’ right to education.
  - Limited support for local business and agriculture development hindered youth employment.
  - Infrastructure gaps: limited access to roads and public electricity.
  - Health and education standards remain poor; facilities are weak or dilapidated; access to safe drinking water and sanitation remains challenging.
  - CSCs are not properly supervised; interruptions in services are frequent; capacity challenges in local administration; frequent extended absences of County Superintendents reported.
  - High level of donor dependency threatens sustainability of local programs.
  - Intermittent conflicts with concessionaires operating in counties; calls for review of agreements for compliance.
  - Absence of waste disposal, recreational facilities, and athletics development programs for youth noted as failures.

- c) Recommended priorities for the PAPD
  - Empowerment: prioritize access to good quality education and health; water and sanitation; special programs for youth, women, people with disability, and support for the elderly.
  - Economy and Jobs:
    - Train and deploy “agriculture specialists” to district and clan levels to introduce new technology, provide new skills, improve monitoring, and collect/disseminate data.
    - Prioritize storage, processing, and transport arrangements.
    - Balance attracting FDI with increasing domestic productivity and returns to labor in agriculture; agriculture identified as the major driver of growth and development.
  - Sustaining the Peace:
    - Maintain a visible presence of civilian police and security organizations.
    - Empower community watch mechanisms to augment limited regular security capacity.
    - Improve access to justice through capacity building for magistrates, local deployment of specialized courts, and increased dispute resolution mechanisms.
    - Organize elections of chiefs and city officials as required by law.
  - Governance and Transparency:
    - Improve CSC supervision; review guidelines for the County and Social Development Funds.
    - Reduce influence of the Legislative Caucus on local selection and appointment processes.
    - Strengthen monitoring and evaluation of service delivery and local development interventions.
    - Ensure ownership of the change agenda, make information more accessible, and increase local community participation in decision making and implementation.

- d) Urgent local issues to address
  - Deployment of suitably qualified teachers and health workers and bringing them onto payrolls to ensure stability in service delivery.
  - Resolve frequent out-of-stock situations of essential drugs and supplies at local health facilities.
  - Improve road accessibility to support service delivery and productivity across health, education, CSC, and economic activities.
  - Address deficits in access to financial services, electricity, and markets.
  - Enable domestic private sector growth and develop economic potential of each county.
  - Reduce incidents of sexual and gender-based violence; provide psychosocial rehabilitation and justice support for victims.
  - Introduce prevention and mitigation measures for potential religious and communal conflicts.
  - Enforce and implement existing laws, policies, measures, and initiatives.
  - Implement interventions to reduce poverty and seasonal food insecurity with urgency.
  - Consultations with Liberians living abroad echoed needs for increased investments in infrastructure, education, health, justice, and personal safety and security; corruption cited as an inhibitor to return and investment.

### High-Level Objectives of the PAPD (2018 to 2023)
- 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
- To provide greater income security to an additional one million Liberians, and reduce absolute poverty by 23 percent across 5 out of 6 regions--through sustained and inclusive economic growth driven by scaled-up investments in agriculture, in infrastructure, in human resource development, and in social protection

### PAPD Alignment to Regional and Global Development Initiatives
- The PAPD aligns with the AU Agenda 2063 and the SDG’s at four levels:
  - Level I: Vision and principles
  - Level II: Goals
  - Level III: Priority interventions/pillars
  - Level IV: Indicators for subnational decomposition of measurements
- For the first time, targets of the national development plan will be disaggregated to the regional level.
- Themes of unity, peace, inclusion, and stability under a democratic political dispensation are common across PAPD, Agenda 2063, and the SDGs.
- Power to the People encapsulates Human Development and Cross-cutting pillars of the AfT; Sustaining the Peace and Governance and Transparency replace previous pillars to reflect their role in sustaining the enabling environment.

*Source: 1lbrea2021002 - 1.7 The National*

### 1.  Prosperity

### 1. Prosperity

### Overview and strategic alignment
- PAPD organized around four pillars intended to realize Vision 2030 aspirations and align with Agenda for Transformation (AfT), AU Agenda 2063, and the 17 SDGs.
- Results frameworks will:
  - Assist MACs and partners to link interventions to high-level goals over the next five years.
  - Inform revision of sectoral strategic plans as they expire.
  - Update progress measurement indicators used by the NSS.
  - Inform fiscal prioritization within the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).
- Eight national targets established to support the two high-level PAPD goals; strategies built around four pillars.

### The Four Pillars of the National Development Plan
- Pillar One: Power to the People — Liberians empowered with skills and tools to gain control of their lives.
- Pillar Two: The Economy and Jobs — Private Sector-Led growth and job creation through prudent management of the economic inclusion process and more effective resource mobilization.
- Pillar Three: Sustaining the Peace — Promoting a cohesive society for sustainable development.
- Pillar Four: Governance and Transparency — Building state capability for inclusive and accountable governance and sustainable development.
- Sixteen development outcomes identified across the four pillars and 120 sectoral targets with key performance indicators delineated for progress measurement and tracking.
- HDI and SDG indicators will be used to ensure alignment with development assistance priorities of key partners.

### Theory of Change (TOC) — roadmap and assumptions
- TOC describes how outcomes will be produced: the “seeds of change” government hopes to leverage and the assumptions against which progress can be made.
- Foundational premise: Liberia is rich in human and natural resources; human capital (Pillar One) must be developed to transform natural resources into wealth.
- Enabling environment (Pillar Three) and strengthened governing institutions (Pillar Four) required to empower Liberians.
- Physical infrastructure (roads and other infrastructure) prioritized to create corridors for integrated and multi-sectoral spatial development; emphasis on all-weather roads and Special Economic Zones (SEZ).
- Pro-Poor approach shifts focus from outputs (money, activities, assets) to impact on people (empowerment, participation, health outcomes) and introduces multi-sectoralism and integration into future sector strategic plans.

### Development pathways and headline outcomes
- Two high-level PAPD goals:
  - 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.
  - To provide greater income security to an additional one million Liberians, and reduce absolute poverty by 23 percent across 5 out of 6 regions.
- Four development pathways (linked to pillars) feed into the two Long-Term Outcomes (LTO).
- Figure 1.9 (Pillars One and Two) pathway aims:
  - Provide income security to an additional one million Liberians.
  - Reduce absolute poverty by 23 percent in the 5 out of the 6 statistical regions where poverty is rising.
  - Key interventions: scale up investment in skills development (including agricultural production and marketing technology), social protection, steady economic growth, reductions in disparity in infrastructure (roads, ICT, affordable energy, water and sanitation).
  - Government aspires to achieve 27 and 34 high-level national targets under Pillar One and Pillar Two, respectively.
- Figure 1.10 (Pillars Three and Four) pathway aims:
  - Build more capable state institutions for a stable, resilient, inclusive nation aligned with AU 2063.
  - Pre-conditions: a cohesive society demonstrating three key characteristics; an inclusive and accountable public sector demonstrating two characteristics (reformed and rebalanced away from Monrovia with more robust structures reducing wastes).
  - Government aims to achieve 32 and 25 high-level national targets, respectively, under Pillars Three and Four.
- Demographic seeds of change and reduced poverty and inequality are basic assumptions for reduction in fragility and building trust in state institutions.

### National targets and indicators (selected high-level targets and numerical goals)
- By 2023, Liberia’s Human Development Index rises to the Sub-Saharan Africa average (from 0.427 to 0.523).
- By 2023, Reduced disparity in access to health, education, and decent living standards (measured by improvement in the Multi-dimensional Poverty Index--MPI):
  - in Urban areas MPI will fall from 0.290 to 0.259
  - in Rural areas MPI will fall from 0.481 to 0.290
- By 2023, Greater income security provided to an additional one million Liberians to reduce the proportion of people living in absolute poverty:
  - in Southeastern Region B from 81.3% to 58.3%
  - in North Central Region from 68.5% to 45.5%
  - in North Western Region from 58.6% to 35.6%
  - in Southeastern Region A from 57.2% to 34.2%
  - in South Central Region from 57.2% to 34.2%
- By 2023, Liberia’s Social Cohesion and Reconciliation Index improves from 6.6 to 8.

### Pillar One: Power to the People — goals, development outcomes, and current condition
- Pillar One Goal: To empower Liberians with the tools to gain control of their lives; reaching the furthest first and leaving no one behind.
- Four development outcomes by 2023 under Pillar One:
  1. Achieving more inclusive and higher quality education with greater access to ICT through the life cycle of all Liberians.
  2. Increased and inclusive access to quality essential health and reduced overall morbidity/mortality.
  3. Gender equality entrenched as a cross-cutting concern leading to more empowered women and girls.
  4. Increased access to integrated services for Youths and Young Adults.
  5. Enhanced access to social safety nets through social assistance, social cash transfer, and social inclusion through work opportunities for the most vulnerable and extremely poor groups and regions.
- Current conditions:
  - More than two decades of civil crises (starting 1980 and ending in 2005) undermined human capital development, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths, internal displacement, and outmigration of skilled labor.
  - Constraints concentrated in access to basic education, basic health, and women and girls’ empowerment.
  - UNDP Human Development Index and supporting analyses used as measurement framework across three dimensions: i) long and healthy life, ii) access to knowledge, and iii) decent standard of living.
- Strategic investments in human capital development will be complemented by efforts to create an enabling environment to unleash abilities and talents innate to the Liberian people.
- Pillar One interventions directly support social cohesion and reconciliation outcomes in Pillar Three.

### Implementation approach and capacity considerations
- PAPD implementation will be multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary but sectoral and linear in management and execution.
- Government acknowledges capacity constraints to understand and implement the complex framework and anticipates resistance to changing ways of doing government business.
- Implementation will identify strategic partners early as consultants or service providers within Pillar Working Groups.
- Detailed implementation and M&E plans will define timelines, sequencing, prioritization, institutional arrangements, and responsibilities for implementation and M&E.

*Source: 1lbrea2021002 - 1.  Prosperity*

### 2.1  shows  the  HDI  indicators  and  the  related  indicators  of  the

### 2.1 shows the HDI indicators and the related indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

### HDI components and related SDG indicators
- Health / Nutrition — SDG 2 (Zero Hunger)
- Child Mortality — SDG 3 (Health and Well-being)
- Education — Years of Education; School Attendance — SDG 4 (Quality Education)
- Living Standard — Cooking Fuel, Electricity — SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)
- Living Standard — Sanitation, Drinking Water — SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation)
- Living Standard — Floor — SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)
- Living Standard — Assets — SDG 1 (No Poverty)

### Liberia’s HDI and comparator statistics (2015)
- Liberia HDI value: 0.427; ranking: 177 of 188 countries
- Liberia HDI change 2000 to 2015: from 0.386 to 0.427 (or by 0.41 points)
- Life expectancy at birth:
  - Liberia: 61.2 years
  - Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): 58.9 years
  - Low HDI countries: 59.3 years
- Mean years of schooling:
  - Liberia: 4.4
  - SSA: 5.4
  - Low HDI countries: 4.6
- Liberia falls below SSA and Low HDI averages in overall HDI and in mean years of schooling

### Inequality-adjusted HDI losses
- Overall loss in HDI value due to inequality:
  - Liberia: 33.4 percent
  - Sub-Saharan Africa: 32.2 percent
  - Low HDI countries: 32.3 percent
- Loss due to inequality in life expectancy at birth:
  - Liberia: 33 percent
  - Sub-Saharan Africa: 34.9 percent
  - Low HDI countries: 35 percent
- Loss due to inequality in education:
  - Liberia: 43 percent
  - Sub-Saharan Africa: 34 percent
  - Low HDI countries: 37.1 percent

### Gender Inequality Index (GII) and related indicators (2015)
- Liberia GII ranking: 150 of 159 countries
- Key reported figures (as presented in source table):
  - Liberia GII value and related row (as presented): 0.649774 31 108.810.717.339.758.063.9
  - Comparative entries (as presented) for Sub-Saharan Africa and Low HDI countries include: Sub-Saharan Africa 0.572551103.023.325.333.964.9 84.6 ; Low HDI countries 0.590553101.822.014.825.960.377.1
- Footnote: UNDP calculated maternal mortality figure is 725 per 100,000 births. MOH reports 774 per 100,000 births.

### Desired outcomes in human capital development (Pillar One)
- Four interlinked outcomes focused on: women and girls (gender), children, people living with disability, and youth
- Emphasis on lifelong learning opportunities on an equitable and inclusive basis
- Specific priorities reflected across outcomes:
  - Empowering women and girls:
    - Reduce out-of-school rates; increase retention and completion for girls
    - Raise minimum infrastructure standards for boys and girls
    - Ensure appropriate responses to GBV
    - Reduce maternal mortality and prevent teenage pregnancies
    - Reduce under-five malnutrition for girls and boys
    - Reduce women inequality in political, social, and economic life via policy, legislation, gender-responsive budgeting (GRB), and implementation of the Revised National Gender Policy
  - Supporting meaningful transition of youth into adulthood:
    - Expand social inclusion through work and life skills opportunities
    - Scale-up TVET interventions; target young adults of whom half will be women
    - Provide Alternative Learning Programs (ALP) for over-age out-of-school youths
  - Social protection investments:
    - Expand access to four minimum guarantees:
      i) access to essential health care,
      ii) basic income and food security for whole families (including vulnerable groups and people with disability),
      iii) basic income for working age population via pre-employment support and household enterprises, expansion in national social pension scheme, enforcement of the Decent Work Act,
      iv) social grants for the elderly, pregnant women, and people living with disability
    - Raise total spending on social protection-related investments from less than one percent to two percent of GDP, prioritizing those in extremely poor and food insecure households and regions to reduce overall inequality

### Education: basic, TVET, and higher education — key facts and gaps
- Basic education and ECE:
  - Primary Net Enrollment Rate (NER) in Liberia significantly lower than rates in Low Income Countries (LIC) in Sub-Saharan Africa
  - Persistent NER gap from 2013 to 2015 (Figure 2.1; percentages shown in source: 20.4%, 26.7%, 26.1% vs 77.3% for SSA LIC across 2013–2015)
  - Approximately 82 percent of primary students and 75 percent of children in Early Childhood Education are above age for their grade levels
  - Gender parity in NER across levels, but nearly two thirds (61.5%) of schools do not have a library
  - Media centers with computers are virtually non-existent or nonfunctional
  - Only 58 percent of schools have latrine facilities segregated for boys and girls
  - Female teacher representation: overall less than 10 percent of teachers are female in the instructional staff
  - School ownership: Public 48%, Private 30%, Mission 16%, Community 6%
  - Average students per teacher in public schools:
    - Primary grades: 158:1
    - Senior High School: 93:1
  - Estimated deficit of qualified public-school teachers in 2017: 7,600
  - Early Childhood Development (ECD) enrollment (2015): 13% of children aged 0-4 years; urban 19%, rural 9.8%
- TVET and STEM:
  - Programs underdeveloped; no national qualification framework or competence-driven curriculum exists
  - Severe mismatch between student disciplines and current/future labor demand
  - MOE forecast potential demand for 620,000 skilled workers by 2030
  - Table of sectoral demand (current vs potential by 2030) includes:
    - Oil Palm & oil palm Manufacturing: 37,700 -> 156,000
    - Rubber & rubber product manufacturing: 49,000 -> 267,000
    - Cocoa and Cocoa product manufacturing: 30,000 -> 100,000
    - Agriculture & Food Processing: 2,500 -> 35,000
    - Fisheries and fish processing: 30,000 -> 38,000
    - Other light manufacturing: 3,000 -> 24,000
    - Total: 152,000 -> 620,000
- Higher education:
  - Thirty-four Higher Institutions of Learning (HIL)
  - Category breakout (as presented):
    - Public University: 2
    - Private University: 7
    - Private Colleges: 12
    - National Teachers College (public): 2
    - Specialized Health Institutions (public and private): 3
    - Distance Learning Center (public program): 1
    - Community colleges (public): 7
  - Key challenges: ‘failure of aspiration’ (graduates unable to find suitable opportunities), rapid private growth without quality improvements, shortage of instructional staff, infrastructure deficits, and affordability constraints
  - Curriculum concerns: predominance of Anglo-Eurocentric perspectives limiting national cultural relevance
  - National Commission on Higher Education objectives: focus HIL on specialized skills for priority sectors (agriculture, infrastructure, health, education, fisheries, forestry), second-chance opportunities, income-generating affiliated businesses, and promoting Africa regional outlook

### Challenges going forward (education sector)
- Three categories of challenges:
  1. Expanding good quality education infrastructure (including improving access to ICT for men and women)
  2. Improving instructional quality, impact, and achieving gender balance in the classroom
  3. Delivering more relevant skills to meet demand of the growing economy and the competitive global knowledge environment

### Strategic priorities and targets (Basic Education, TVET, and Higher Education 2018–2023)
- Selected high-level national targets and interventions (short-, medium-, long-term) excerpted from Table 2.8:
  - Reduce ECE student to classroom ratio below 50:1 in all counties and rollout standardized curricula and specialized ECE training
    - Short-term: develop standardized curricula and sustainable programs in ECE; ensure capacities built
    - Medium-term: systematic monitoring for conformity to curricula & standards
    - Long-term: school renovation and classroom construction; new and upgraded facilities; inter-sectoral collaboration to sustain ECE programs
  - Ensure that 70% of male and female Senior High School Students will pass WASSCE with a score of Division 1-6
    - Short-term: introduce competency and demand-driven skills curriculum; rollout 3-track multidisciplinary high school curriculum; upgrade learning resource centers and provide well-equipped labs
    - Medium-term: introduce specialized training for STEM teachers; mandatory continuous professional development for teachers and principals; facilities upgrade; recruit qualified STEM teachers
    - Long-term: establish 3 regional STEM institutions
  - Increase proportion of appropriately qualified and trained teachers to 60%; and double the number of female teachers in public school classrooms
    - Short-term: remove unqualified/delinquent teachers from payroll; invest in training B-Certificates and hiring more teachers with Bachelor’s degrees
    - Medium-term: establish teacher licensing system; roll out specialized training and certification for ECE teachers
    - Long-term: construct housing for teachers in remote communities
  - Provide lifelong learning opportunities through market-driven TVET and Alternative Learning skills
    - Short-term: expand ALP to areas of low adult literacy; implement national service program recruiting adults for on-the-job skills training
    - Medium-term: upgrade 4 TVET institutes
    - Long-term: certify BWI to award degrees in TVET to train and license TVET instructors
- Higher Education strategic approach (FY2018/19 onward):
  - Complete a comprehensive assessment of Higher Institutions of Learning (HIL)
  - Focus on six core thrusts for HIL during the PAPD period (thrusts introduced; detail continuation in subsequent section of source)

*Source: 1lbrea2021002 - 2.1 shows the HDI indicators and the related indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals (extracted from the provided IMF PDF content)*

### 1. Create a strategic, systematic, and affordable long-term

### 1. Create a strategic, systematic, and affordable long-term plan for higher education transformation

### Higher education strategic thrusts and interventions
- High-level national objective: Rollout a more structured strategy for improving the relevance of HIL for men and women around six core thrusts by 2020.
- Six stated strategic objectives:
  1. Create a strategic, systematic, and affordable long-term plan for higher education transformation
  2. Reinforce the governance and management system of higher education
  3. Improve the cultural and economic relevance, level of capacity, accessibility, and participation in higher education; in the context of emerging demands for highly skilled and culturally-sensitive professionals in government and in the private sector
  4. Enhance the quality of higher education pedagogy and infrastructure to be at par with regional standards
  5. Rationalize the disciplines on offer and the content of degree-granting programs among the network of community colleges to make them more relevant to anticipated local demand for a mid-level professional workforce
  6. Build strategic partnerships with HIL overseas for the long-term growth of higher education institutions
- Short-, medium-, and long-term interventions (selected actions preserved from source):
  - Identify programs to offer in fields which align with professional manpower needs for economic development around science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
  - Harmonize and roll out curriculum with English West African Countries
  - Conduct comparative cost-effectiveness study in financing the offering of five disciplines in three HIL’s
  - Establish quality assurance mechanism; and strengthen accreditation system

### Immediate rollout target
- Rollout target date: by 2020

---

### Improving Health Service Delivery and Infrastructure

### Progress and key health indicators
- Skilled birth attendant to population is now 11.8 per 10,000 population from 4 per 1000 in 2006 (MOH).
- Infant mortality:
  - now 54 per 1,000 live births
  - compared to 72 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2007 (LDHS)
  - infant mortality declined from 71 deaths per 1,000 live births to 54 deaths per 1,000 live births
- Neonatal mortality decreased from 32 to 26
- Under five mortality decreased from 110 to 94 deaths per 1,000 live births
- HIV:
  - national HIV prevalence among sexually-active adults (15-49 years) estimated at 2.1 percent (2013 LDHS)
  - estimated adult HIV population of 25,000-35,000 by the end of 2015
  - Spectrum data estimated that 87% of the overall HIV population were adults of which 12% were aged 15-24 years
  - Females constituted 53% of all PLHIV in the country
- Contraceptive prevalence:
  - currently married women: increased from 10.3 in 2007 to 19.1 percent in 2013
  - sexually active un-married women: increased from 23.1 in 2007 to 34.6 in 2013 (LDHS)
- Population access to healthcare within 5KM or 1-hour walk is 71 percent—up from 41 percent in 2008 (NHPC & LDHS)

### Community Health Assistants (CHA) program
- CHA coverage: 76.2 percent or 2,904 of the overall targeted 4,000 CHAs have been recruited, trained, and deployed in 13 counties.

### Communicable diseases and diagnostics
- Malaria:
  - accounted for 42 percent of outpatient department attendance and 39 percent of in-patient deaths (HFS, 2013)
  - total number of cases reported fell nearly 29 percent from 1,517,115 to 1,069,880 between 2016 and 2017
- TB:
  - case notification improved by 24 percent in 2015, placing overall notification at 7,119 (56%) at the end of 2016
  - Liberia TB treatment success rate increased from 68 percent in 2015 to 76 percent in 2016
- Leprosy prevalence: 3.61/10000 (above WHO threshold)
- Neglected Tropical Diseases: mass drug administration ongoing for Onchocerciasis and Soil transmitted helminths in all counties; Lymphatic Filariasis MDA ongoing in 13 counties except Bomi and Gbarpolu; Schistosomiasis MDA ongoing in 13 counties except Rivercess and Grand Kru
- Diagnostic capacity:
  - Molecular diagnostic and Microbiology techniques up and running at the National Reference Laboratory (NRL), and at Phebe and Tappita hospitals
  - About 70 percent of the laboratory infrastructure at JDJ hospital has been improved
  - Average laboratory diagnostics capacity: facilities were able to perform 1 out of 12 tests

### Non-Communicable Diseases and mental health
- Mental health workforce gaps:
  - Liberia needs over 1,000 mental health professionals
  - WHO estimates Liberia needs 427 trained psychiatric nurses (9.5 for every 100,000 population)
  - Liberia has only one psychiatrist, no doctoral level psychologists, and few social workers (WHO-AIMS 2017)
  - One psychiatric referral hospital and four Wellness Units exist
- Cancer services:
  - Only two (2) public and one (1) private facility are currently screening for cancer
  - Little or no access to chemotherapy and radiotherapy
- Eye health: available but at high cost in Monrovia; limited outside Monrovia at specified secondary hospitals (Ganta, Phebe, Zwedru, Fishtown, Harper, Barclayville and Greenville)

### Immunization and medical products
- New antigens added to routine immunization program (with year):
  - Yellow Fever - 2007
  - Pentavalent Vaccine - 2009 replacing DPT
  - Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine - 2014
  - Rotavirus Containing Vaccine, RCV - 2016
  - Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Demonstration in Bong & Nimba Counties
  - Inactivated Polio Vaccine, IPV - 2017
- Drugs and medical supplies:
  - A central warehouse on the outskirts of the capital is 85 percent completed with pending occupancy in June
  - A temporary quality testing lab will house the Liberia Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency (LMHRA); construction of a new testing lab that meets ISO standard is being planned
  - LMHRA is currently receiving and evaluating medicines and health products for registration

### Disease surveillance and outbreaks
- Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) platform managed by the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHI)
- Eleven of the 15 counties experienced disease outbreaks and humanitarian emergencies; most frequent outbreaks: measles (20), Lassa fever (5), pertussis (5)
- Two health-related emergencies reported involving flood and mudslides in Margibi and Bong Counties; one incident of chemical spills in Bong County

### Challenges going forward (explicit list)
1. High maternal and under five mortalities
2. Heavy reliance on donor financing and high out of pocket expenditure
3. Inaccessibility to healthcare for 29 percent of the population (largely rural areas)
4. A relatively large, and yet insufficient, health workforce that requires substantial investments and skills upgrading
5. Looming health threats due to diseases of epidemic potential

- Maternal mortality: 774 per 100,000 live births
- Under five deaths: 94 per 1,000 live births

### Service readiness and capacity gaps
- Only 56 percent of health facilities are ready to provide services according to the general readiness index (SARA 2018)
- Despite a 15 percent increase in the number of health service delivery points from 2016 to 2018, availability of essential medicines reduced by 8 percent

Key density and readiness statistics (Table 2.10)
- Population living within 5KM in Liberia: 71%
- Health infrastructure per 10,000 population: 1 (standard is 2)
- Inpatient beds per 10,000 population: 6.3 (standard is 25)
- Maternity beds per 1,000 pregnant women: 4 (standard is 10)
- Core health workers per 10,000 population: 11.8 (WHO standard is 23) with three out of 15 counties with as low as 1-3 per 10,000 population
- Outpatient visits per person per year: 1.8 (standard is 3-5)
- Health facilities have basic amenities (water, electricity and sanitary facilities): 57%
- Laboratory diagnostics capacity on average: facilities were able to perform 1 out of 12 tests
- Availability of basic equipment: 19% of health facilities
- Facilities with all requirements for standard score for standard precaution: was only at 11%
- Essential medicines were available on average: 66%
- General score for health centers 2017: 59%

### Nutrition
- Malnutrition prevalence among children under-five:
  - Approximately 32 per cent of children under five are stunted
  - 59 per cent are micronutrient deficient
  - 6 per cent are wasted
  - 5 per cent are under weight
- National prevalence of stunting reduced from 39.4 percent (DHS, 2007) to 32 percent (DHS,2013) and has since plateaued
- Government will scale up 10 direct nutrition interventions across the life cycle

### Financing health care: current issues and reforms
- Free Health Care Policy:
  - Among households who received health care services for the most recent visits, 58 percent paid user fees for inpatient services and 49 percent for outpatient services
  - The Free Health Care Policy offers limited protection; prevalence of catastrophic health expenditures is twice as high for the poor than for high income earners: 15 percent of poor households incur catastrophic health expenditures compared to 8 percent for the non-poor
- Pooling and purchasing:
  - Only about 20 percent of the on-budget external financing is pooled under the health sector pool fund (HSPF)
  - Purchasing function remains passive: health facilities and staff are paid based on historical budget
  - Fixed Amount Reimbursement Agreement (FARA) introduced with USAID for strategic purchasing in Bong, Lofa, and Nimba (reimbursements contingent on agreed deliverables)
  - Allocation of funding is neither population nor need-based; example: US$89 urban vs. US$32 rural per capita
  - About 76 percent of resources spent on curative care and 10% on preventive care
  - High out-of-pocket expenditure: 42% of total (NHA 2013/2014)
- Proposed reform:
  - The Liberia Health Equity Fund (LHEF) is a proposed health financing mechanism and strategy to achieve equitable Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for Liberia (Health Sector Investment Plan 2015-2021)
- Misallocation and governance:
  - Lack of a subsidy policy on health sector grants has misguided allocations/transfers to spending entities
  - Government identifies wastage, misuse of resources, and corruption as major impediments; hospital component consumes 38% of government funds when much disease burden can be averted by community health and preventive measures

### Partnerships and access disparities
- Number of functional government facilities increased by 32 percent between 2006 and 2015
- Private health facilities increased by 425% over the same period
- About 200 of the 252 private health facilities in 2015 were in Montserrado county
- Urban access: 86 percent of the population living in urban areas lived less than one hour’s walk from a health facility by 2015
- Government views both nonprofit and private actors as strategic partners in health service delivery over the NDP period

### Strategic priorities (2018 to 2023)
- PAPD commits to:
  - increasing access to quality health care delivery
  - setting into place an effective and sustainable healthcare financing arrangement
  - reducing morbidity and mortality with special focus on malaria (42% of morbidity) and on reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH)
- PAPD aims to achieve eight targets over the next five years (2018–2023); corresponding targets, SDG links, strategies, priority programs and activities, and intersectoral linkages are provided in the results framework (Annex III)

*Republic of Liberia — Pro-Poor Agenda For Prosperity And Development (excerpts)*

### 1. Reduce maternal mortality ratio from 774 to 497 per

### 1. Reduce maternal mortality ratio from 774 to 497 per

### High-level health targets (short to medium term)
- Reduce maternal mortality ratio from 774 to 497 per 100,000 live births.
- Reduce Under-5 mortality ratio to 57 per 1000 live births.
- Reduce Under-5 stunting (malnutrition) from 32 percent to 22 percent.
- Reduce malaria prevalence by more than half to 20 percent.
- Raise the share of rural population living within 5KM of service delivery point to 75 percent.
- Ensure that ninety percent of public health facilities report no stock out of essential medicines.
- Respond to 100 percent of disease outbreaks within 48 hours.
- Reduce out of pocket payments to 35 percent of total health care cost through sustainable health financing mechanism.

### Short-, medium-, and long-term interventions for maternal and child health
- Train, and equitably deploy health care providers (CMs, RNs, PAs & MDs) in CEmONC and BEmONC services.
- Carry out routine ANC based ITNs and periodic ITNs distributions nationwide and Scale up IPT uptake to prevent malaria in pregnancy.
- Heighten maternal death surveillance and response; provide and maintain ambulances to strengthen referrals networks.
- Provide medicines and supplies to strengthen community case management for malaria; carry out education and clients/defaulters tracing for HIV&TB through CHAs.
- Scale up family planning services and train health care providers and mentors to deliver adolescent friendly health services including Sexual Reproductive Health and family planning for both in and out of school adolescents using multi-sectoral approach.
- Provide more effective health financing and training of health care workers with up to date technology.
- Validate health financing reform strategy and implement in phases.
- Develop, enact and implement Liberia Health Equity Fund (LHEF) legislation.
- Train, equip, incentivize and deploy health workers throughout the country.
- Enroll 90% of professional health workers on the GOL payroll that are contractors and provide motivational packages base on area of assignment.

### Key statistic (target year)
- Maternal mortality ratio: 497 per 100,000 live births by 2023.

---

### Vulnerability, inequality, and legal framework
- Government has passed into law, ratified, and acceded to thirty domestic and international conventions to end vulnerability and reduce gender and social inequality, including (selection of instruments listed in source):
  - Constitution of the Republic of Liberia-Chapter III: Fundamental Rights
  - Inheritance Act of 1998
  - The Rape Law of 2005
  - The Anti-Human Trafficking Act of 2005
  - Children’s Law of 2015
  - Revised Act of the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP) of 2017
  - African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa 2005
  - Conventions on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW and its Optional Protocol)
  - Convention on the Rights of Child of (1990) and its Optional Protocol
  - Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006)
  - International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966)
  - International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (1966)
  - ILO Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105)
  - ILO Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Conventions, 1958 (No. 111)
  - ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 102)
  - UN Security Council Resolutions 1325, 1820, 1612
  - Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995)
  - International Conference on Population and Development (1994)
  - United Nations Declaration on Violence Against Women (1993); MDGs (2000)
  - Vienna Declaration and Program of Action in 1993
  - Universal Declaration of Human Rights
  - Millennium Declaration (MDGs)
  - Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

### Implementation challenges and priorities
- Fiscal space is limited.
- Capacity to gather and organize impact and service delivery information systematically is limited.
- Institutional knowledge and knowledge retention on related policies and strategies are weak.
- Need to strengthen understanding and utilization of concepts at senior and mid management levels of responsible MACs.
- Government strategy includes targeting poor, disadvantaged, and vulnerable groups (women and girls’ empowerment, at-risk children and youths, people with disability, people living with HIV, and EVD survivors) to reduce absolute poverty by an additional 23 percent over the next six years.

---

### Children protection and social protection interventions

### Children protection progress and commitments
- Number of orphanages declined from 114 (2005) to 56 (2017); number of orphans declined from 5,000 plus to 2,251.
- Of the 8,697 children affected by the EVD outbreak, 2,310 received case management services including follow-up visits, medical, food and nonfood items and educational services.
- Government commits to reunification with family (or next of kin) as first option for children.
- Government committed to implementing the Child Welfare and Protection Policy and updating accompanying 5-year plan of action.
- Adoption law and accompanying standard operating procedure will be followed by adoption agencies and individuals.

### Social protection as long-term investment
- Social protection (SP) is framed as a long-term investment to develop Liberia’s human capital and reduce poverty and economic inequality.
- SP investments will be leveraged to reduce regional inequality, unemployment and underemployment, expand access to finance for food insecure and labor constrained households, capitalize microenterprises, and stimulate local demand and supply.
- SP will be used to address risks and vulnerability through cash or in-kind transfers—both contributory and noncontributory programs.

### Global consensus and national SPF aspiration
- Liberia is state party to the two-dimensional strategy on extension of social protection adopted by the 100th Session of the International Labour Conference in 2011.
- Liberia aspires to establish a national social protection floor (SPF) comprised of four social security guarantees:
  1. access to essential health care, including maternity care.
  2. basic income security for children, providing access to nutrition, education, care and other necessary goods and services.
  3. basic income security for persons in active age who are unable to earn enough income in cases of sickness, unemployment, maternity and disability.
  4. basic income security for older persons.
- Guarantees to be provided progressively to all residents and all children as defined in national laws and regulations.

---

### Social protection programs and child-related expenditures
- National average household spending on school related expenses as at 2016: LD 8,843 per year.
  - National: 8,843
  - Urban: 12,763
  - Rural: 1,774
  - Poorest Quintile: 2,271
  - Richest Quintile: 20,002
- Typical component expenses (national figures):
  - School fees: 5,796
  - Books: 689
  - Uniforms: 1,010
  - Transport: 75
  - Extra Tuition: 223
  - Other materials: 895
  - Extra-Curricular: 69
  - Other contribution: 86

### Major SP programs linked to children
- Liberia Social Safety Net project (LSSN):
  - LSSN targets extremely poor and food insecure households in Bomi, Maryland, Grand Kru, and River Gee.
  - LSSN budget amounts to 10 million USD from 2017 to 2021 (effectively).
  - From 10 million USD, 8.1 million USD will be delivered as transfers to 10,000 households.
  - Transfers will be made to the female member in each household with primary responsibility for household spending.
  - Transfer amount pegged between 10 USD and 34 USD per month, depending on household size.
  - Project will develop a Social Registry targeted to register 200,000 households in the six counties in its first phase with objective of becoming a national household registry.
- School feeding programs:
  - Coverage currently extends to 300,000 students (declined from 500,000 participants in 2015).
  - Program provides around 300,000 school meals in nine counties.
  - Provides take-home rations to 3,000 adolescent female students.
  - Two projects piloting Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) in three districts of Nimba County targeting 20,000 school children.

---

### Women and girls empowerment targets and interventions
- High-level national targets:
  - 375,000 women to be empowered across the 15 counties over the next 5 years.
  - Increase political participation of women at the national and local levels to reach a target of 30% by 2023.
  - Incidence of SGBV reduced by 50% by 2023 through the provision of appropriate support services & access to justice systems.
  - Reduce overall gender inequality index (GII) by half.
- Short- and medium-term interventions:
  - Assess the existing status of women and girls and compile needs for prioritization.
  - Ensure allocation of public expenditure on gender equality policies via gender-responsive budgeting (GRB).
  - Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation promoting gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls.
  - Strengthen implementation of the National Gender Policy to reduce and eliminate discrimination against women and girls.
  - Establish mechanisms for regular and consistent monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of gendered interventions through collection of gender-disaggregated data.
  - Develop methodologies and standards for collecting data on proportion of women in leadership positions; extend to local government level in partnership with UCLGA.
  - Build women’s capacity to influence decision-making and address needs of women participating in politics and decision-making at all levels.
  - Measure prevalence of SGBV, raise community awareness about referral systems, sensitize traditional, religious and community leaders, and popularize SGBV concepts in academic institutions beginning with secondary schools.
  - Organize regular training programs for stakeholders.
  - Eliminate harmful practices such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

*Source: 1lbrea2021002 - 1. Reduce maternal mortality ratio from 774 to 497 per (National Health Investment Plan excerpts).*

### 1. Improve food and nutrition security in vulnerable

### 1. Improve food and nutrition security in vulnerable communities through increased local production and consumption of nutritious foods

### School feeding program: objectives and current scale
- Objectives:
  - Increase farmers’ income and enhance resilience to shocks by promoting access of smallholders to production inputs and market opportunities through the home-grown school feeding program.
  - Use the provision of daily school meals to increase enrolment to basic education and student retention, to ultimately gain academic performance improvements.
- Current planned expenditure of the school feeding program is equivalent to around 0.8 percent of GDP.
- Table of two main child-related social protection projects (as presented):
  - Social Safety Net project: 10,000 (HH) beneficiaries; Total Budget 2,000,000 USD; Share of GDP 0.09%; Status On-going.
  - School Feeding Programs: 300,000 beneficiaries; Total Budget 18,635,400 USD; Share of GDP 0.8%; Status On-going.
- Preliminary ILO and government cost estimates for universal pre- and primary school feeding (annual cost estimate of 60 USD per child / per annum), covering over 679,000 children by 2022:
  - 2019: Cost (as a % of GDP) 0.39%; Number of beneficiaries 129,100.
  - 2020: Cost (as a % of GDP) 0.81%; Number of beneficiaries 295,500.
  - 2021: Cost (as a % of GDP) 1.21%; Number of beneficiaries 467,700.
  - 2022: Cost (as a % of GDP) 1.58%; Number of beneficiaries 679,700.
- Rationale and innovation:
  - Scaling up School Feeding is considered fundamental for direct impact on school enrolment rate and human development capacity.
  - Combining school feeding with local food production initiatives provides multi-sectoral social protection targeting school enrolment and nutritional needs of children, and food and income security for participating youth and working-age persons.

### Policy recommendations and program components for school feeding
- Training on nutrition-sensitive agricultural practices (growing nutrient–dense crops) through Farmer Field Schools.
- Train women groups on improved production of micronutrient-rich foods.
- Provide nutrition-related education and advocacy to targeted vulnerable communities in targeted counties.
- Provision of agricultural stimulus package (combination of cash and agricultural inputs) to poor smallholder farmers.
- Support establishment and functioning of community food reserves.
- Establish school gardens for piloting in the Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) schools.
- Sensitize local food consumption through various communication channels; build interlinkages with Education and Health Sectors to reduce malnutrition among children and keep girls in school.

---

### Social Safety Nets and Basic Income Security for Working Age Population (NASSCORP and related programs)
- Legal and institutional framework:
  - Protection via 1975 and Revised 2017 National Social Security and Welfare Act; creation of the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP).
- Coverage and contributions:
  - Employment Injury Scheme (EIS) current coverage is 125,000 workers—close to 10 percent coverage of the total labour force and around 40 percent of formal employment.
  - Effective July 2018, total contribution rate to NASSCORP will amount to 10 percent of the monthly wage: 8 percent to the National Pension Scheme; 2 percent to the Employment Injury Scheme.
  - EIS provides participants with a maximum of 65 percent of their covered earnings in the event of a work-related accident.
  - In case of death, the participant’s family receives a lump sum equal to 38 percent of the accrued annual old-age pension.
- Constraints:
  - Low access to EIS benefits due to lack of information and cumbersome bureaucratic claims procedures.
  - LISGIS estimates: workers in the informal economy account for 78 percent of the labour force—with 80 to 90 percent in vulnerable employment situations.
- Ongoing measures to improve NASSCORP sustainability and coverage:
  - Periodic actuarial valuations; strengthening institutional governance structures; development of regulatory oversight.
  - Institutional capacity building via MIS and human resource investments.
  - Effective enforcement of contribution compliance by employers.
  - Government multi-year premium re-payment schedule to reduce contribution arrears and commitment to timely payment of current contributions.
- Current programs and budgets (as presented):
  - Employment Injury: Participants 125,000; Total Budget -- ; Status On-going.
  - Youth Opportunities Project: Participants 15,000; Total Budget 3,000,000 USD; Share of GDP 0.14%; Status On-going.
  - National Pension Service (NASSCORP administered pension for private sector workers): Beneficiaries 8,000; Total Budget (estimated US$) 4,560,000; Share of GDP 0.21%; Status On-going.
  - Civil Service pension (now under NASSCORP administration): Beneficiaries 16,509; Total Budget 7,429,000 USD; Share of GDP 0.35%; Status On-going.

### Policy recommendations for working-age income security
- Short-term measures to extend NASSCORP coverage:
  - Enforcement of registration and contribution by formal sector employers.
  - Development and implementation of adapted programs to enable participation of informal economy workers.
- Review of human/IT resources and procedures; Actuarial valuation of NASSCORP funds; Strategy to enroll informal workers; Review articulation with the Decent Work Act.
- Strengthening governance structure of NASSCORP.

---

### Youth and Sports Development: programs and targets
- Youth Opportunities Project (YOP) (2016–2020):
  - Objective: Improve access to income generation opportunities by vulnerable youth and strengthen government capacity to implement embedded public works cash transfer program.
  - Directly benefit about 15,000 targeted youth aged 15–35 years.
  - Gender target: 50 percent participation rate by vulnerable female youth.
  - Public works component: 100 days of work and training at 3 USD per day; main target beneficiaries are vulnerable youth in rural areas.
  - Components:
    - Pre-employment social support and household enterprises for urban youth (three sub-components: pre-employment social support; business development support to household enterprises; capacity and systems building of YOP).
    - Productive public works and life skills support (roll-out and administration of productive public works; provision of life skills).
    - Capacity building for cash transfer program (improve efficiency in delivery of cash transfers to targeted households).
- Youth Entrepreneurship and Employment Project (YEEP):
  - Invest in revitalization of TVET system; develop and deliver entrepreneurship curriculum; establish business incubation centres to support SMEs.
- Program budgets and participants (as presented):
  - Youth Opportunities Project: 15,000 participants; Total Budget 3,000,000 USD; Share of GDP 0.14%; Status On-going.
- High-level national targets and interventions for youth:
  - Target: 15,000 targeted youth aged 15–35 years by 2020; half of which are women.
    - Short-term: Pre-employment social support, household enterprises.
    - Medium-term: Capacity and systems building; productive public works and life skills support.
    - Long-term: Establish rehabilitation services for vulnerable youths.
  - Target: 10,000 young people enrolled in productive public works and life skills training by 2023.
    - Short-term: Information, Education, and Communication Campaign and Community Sensitization; Formation of the County Steering Committee; Selection of Districts and Clans.
    - Medium-term: Recruitment of Community Facilitator; Signing of Performance Contract between LACE, Community Facilitator, and Community Oversight Committees; Beneficiary Selection; Completion and Commissioning; Grievance and Redress; Subproject Launch and Implementation.
  - Target: Six sports academies established throughout Liberia—at least 4 in poor regions.
    - Short-term: Restructure national teams and link to athletic programs at Multilateral schools for sports facilities upgrading and sharing.
    - Medium-term: Expose coaches and athletes to new learning opportunities.
    - Long-term: Strengthen school and grassroots community sports development programs; engage for-profit and nonprofit private sector in investments and sponsorship opportunities.

---

### Old-age pensions and elderly income security
- Institutional reform:
  - Two pension systems covering private sector employees and civil servants merged under Revised NASSCORP Act (2017) to facilitate portability of accrued pension rights between public and private sectors.
- Coverage and gaps:
  - As at 2015, 24,509 people receiving pensions from NASSCORP administered National Pension Program and Civil Service Scheme.
  - 2016 Household Survey: 163,545 people aged 60 and above in Liberia.
  - Approximately 85 percent of people older than 60 do not receive any pension.
  - Labor force participation of elderly (2016 Household Survey):
    - Only 30.1 percent of people older than 60 are not working.
    - 38.7 percent of people older than 70 are not working.
    - 41.5 percent at age 75 and above are not working.
- ILO universal pension cost estimates (prospective benefit amount of 10 USD (L$1500) per month), with qualifying age set at 70 years:
  - Universal Old Age Pension Programs (Age 70+):
    - 2019: Cost (as a % of GDP) 0.09%; Number of beneficiaries 15,800.
    - 2020: Cost (as a % of GDP) 0.2%; Number of beneficiaries 36,400.
    - 2021: Cost (as a % of GDP) 0.3%; Number of beneficiaries 58,800.
    - 2022: Cost (as a % of GDP) 0.4%; Number of beneficiaries 86,800.
  - From these estimates, cost expected to peak in 2022 at 0.4 percent of GDP (assuming full participation).

### Policy recommendations for elderly income security
- Implement universal old-age program to complement LSSN, encourage enrolment in national identification registry, and promote contributory participation in the national pension scheme for the working population.
- Payments system; Information Education and Communication mechanism; Screening and enrollment of beneficiaries; Accompanying measures; Interlinkages to education and health for improvements in elderly-headed households.

---

### Disability and People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV): needs and proposed interventions
- Prevalence and vulnerability:
  - Provisional estimate of disability rate in Liberia at 20 percent of the population.
  - Estimated 30,000 PLHIV.
  - Government estimates incidence of absolute poverty among the disabled to be near 99 percent.
- Proposed interventions:
  - Introduction of a cash transfer program for the severely disabled; expected to benefit disabled persons and their families.
  - Economic empowerment via education, rehabilitation, and work-related programs developed in partnership with Disabled Persons Organizations (DPOs).
- ILO universal cash transfer cost estimates for severely disabled (monthly benefit amount 10 USD (L$1,500), assuming a 1 percent severe disability rate):
  - Universal Cash Transfer Programs (Severely Disabled):
    - 2019: Cost (as a % of GDP) 0.07%; Number of beneficiaries 10,762.
    - 2020: Cost (as a % of GDP) 0.14%; Number of beneficiaries 24,798.
    - 2021: Cost (as a % of GDP) 0.21%; Number of beneficiaries 39,492.
    - 2022: Cost (as a % of GDP) 0.28%; Number of beneficiaries 57,746.
- Policy elements:
  - Income Generating Activities, skills assessment and empowerment, Self Help Groups strengthening.
  - Vocational Training; roll out of national action plan for the inclusion of persons with disabilities.
  - Construction of ramps at major public and private schools.
  - Identification and capture of people with disability in social register; resourcing and capacity building.
  - National Commission on Disability (NCD) to be fully established and five-year strategic plan elaborated; alignment with National Action Plan for inclusion of Persons with Disabilities and UNCRPD.

---

### Overall priorities, financing targets, and expected coverage of social protection investments
- Global and cumulative cost perspective:
  - Universal cash transfers for children, pregnant women, persons with severe disabilities and the elderly are affordable in low income countries, costing on average 4.2 percent of GDP.
  - From a Liberian perspective, cumulative cost estimates of universal cash and in-kind transfers to children, pregnant women, persons with severe disabilities, and the elderly are estimated to start at 1 percent of GDP in 2019, peaking at 4.18 percent of GDP in 2022 (when full participation is expected and a conclusive social protection floor attained).
- Institutional arrangements:
  - National Social Protection Steering Committee (NSPSC) operationalized to drive implementation of social protection policy agenda and coordinate resource mobilization.
  - NSPSC to discharge SPF implementation and coordination mandate and form the Social Protection Technical Working Group.
- Coverage and impact targets by 2023:
  - 200,000 workers enrolled in NASSCORP by 2023.
  - Public investment in Social Protection increase from 0% to 4% GDP by 2023.
  - 300,000 students receiving school meals by 2023.
  - 10,000 Extremely Poor and Food Insecure Households and 13,000 individual beneficiaries receive cash transfers by 2023.
  - 10,000 disabled people receive disability allowance.
  - 70,000 people receive old-age non-contributory pensions by 2023 (full take up).
- Expected direct and indirect reach:
  - In addition to 200,000 persons enrolled in contributory national schemes, 439,000 persons will receive assistance in cash or in kind through government and donor-funded initiatives.
  - An additional 259,000 persons in households receiving assistance will benefit indirectly.
  - SP-themed interventions should impact 1.5 million Liberians by 2023.
- Short-, medium-, and long-term priority investment actions (selected highlights from Table 2.18):
  - For NASSCORP coverage expansion: actuarial valuation; strategy to enroll informal workers; strengthen governance.
  - For public investment scale-up: partnership formation with “left behind” groups; advocacy campaign for prioritization within multi-year fiscal framework; continuous media messaging.
  - For school meals scale-up: nutrition-sensitive agricultural training; agricultural stimulus package; community food reserves; school gardens; interlinkages with Education and Health.
  - For cash transfers to extremely poor and food insecure households: payments system; screening and enrollment; accompanying measures including home gardening and nutrition; linkages with infrastructure projects for social inclusion through work initiatives.
  - For disability allowance: income-generating activities; vocational training; national action plan roll-out; construction of ramps; capture of people with disability in social register.
  - For universal old-age pensions: payments system; screening and enrollment; accompanying measures and interlinkages to education and health; NCD establishment and five-year plan rollout.

*Source: 1lbrea2021002 - 1. Improve food and nutrition security in vulnerable communities through increased local production and consumption of nutritious foods*

### 3.1 Introduction

### 3.1 Introduction

### Pillar Two: Strategic Focus
- Emphasis on maintaining macroeconomic stability, developing adequate infrastructure, and providing a business-friendly environment to stimulate private investment across key sectors, with the aim of creating high-quality jobs critical to sustaining peace and long-term economic growth.
- Complements Pillar One’s social investments in education and healthcare with macroeconomic interventions to help the poor lead more productive lives and increase return on investment in agriculture and in small-, medium-, and micro-enterprises.
- Government aim: improve human well-being by creating an enabling environment for growth with benefits more broadly and equitably distributed over the medium to long term, with emphasis on inclusive economic growth and protection of the vulnerable in an environment of fairness, equal justice, and political freedom.

### Current State of the Economy (3.1.1)
- Liberia is a small open economy with high external dependency and vulnerability, strengthening the case for economic diversification.
- Commodity price outlooks:
  - Favorable global market price outlook for main agricultural exports over the next five years; relative stability in price of imported rice.
  - Price of gold expected to decline slightly; iron ore prices expected to decline faster between 2018 and 2020 and rebound thereafter.
  - Government expects declines in iron ore prices to be counterbalanced by new oil palm plantations, rising price and increasing value addition in the rubber industry.
- Personal remittances (net inflows) volatile 2010–2017:
  - 2010–2012 net inflow increased by 123.1 percent.
  - 2013 net inflows declined by 49.3 percent.
  - 2014 upsurge in personal net inflows (probable Ebola effect).
  - Last two years (to 2017) personal inflows continued to decline.
- External vulnerabilities: volatility in global prices of fuel and essential consumables; decline of official development assistance; donor funding often not addressing private sector value addition, increasing vulnerability.

### Macroeconomic Outlook (3.1.1.1)
- Recent historical growth:
  - Real GDP: 2012 = 8.4, 2013 = 8.8, 2014 = 0.7, 2015 = 0.0, 2016 = -1.6, 2017 = 2.5 (annual percent change).
- Sectoral and structural developments:
  - Agriculture and fisheries contribution to real sector GDP rose from 24 to 27 percent (2012 to 2017).
  - Rice yields increased from 1.5 mt/ha to 3.5 mt/ha (2011 - 2015).
  - Cassava production increased from 5.0 mt/ha to 8.0 mt/ha.
  - Illegal fishing reduced from 83 percent to 30 percent (2009 - 2014).
  - Cocoa yields increased from 200kg to 800kg per ha (2010 to 2017).
  - Rubber yields reached 0.8mt/ha in 2013.
  - Forestry real GDP rose from 8.0 percent in 2012 to 11 percent in 2017; chainsaw milling revenue estimated at about 3 to 4 percent of GDP.
  - Service sector share of real GDP rose from 43 percent in 2013 to 46.3 percent in 2017.
- Trade and external balances:
  - Exports as percent of GDP fell from 27.6 percent in 2012 to 22.6 percent in 2014; downward trend to 2017 mitigated by GDP rebasing effects.
  - Current account balance moved from negative 55.4 percent in 2014 to negative 44.1 percent of GDP in 2017.
- Fiscal trends:
  - Fluctuating but generally widening fiscal deficits from 2012 to 2017 (see Figure 3.4).

### Constraints to Sustainable Economic Growth (3.1.1.2)
- Infrastructure deficits in roads, energy, transport, and ICT increase cost of doing business and impede investment.
- High dependency on primary commodity exports with limited diversification and value chain linkages reduces export earnings and reserves and worsens the current account.
- Weak business and investment climate has declined in recent years, potentially delaying investments, increasing unemployment, undermining revenue generation, and long-term growth.
- Sequencing challenges of macroeconomic policies to address inflation and monetary depreciation, especially under Liberia’s dual currency regime; loss of foreign exchange has had pass-through effects on inflation and cost of living.
- Vulnerability to external shocks, natural disasters, and disease epidemics; need for economic diversification, ending fragility, and strengthening institutional and private sector resilience.
- Lessons from previous national development plan implementation should inform PAPD approaches; resolving constraints may yield relatively stable prices and exchange rate, reduced inflation, improved public financial management, enhanced domestic resource mobilization, and private sector competitiveness.

### Macroeconomic Scenarios and Development Outcomes (3.1.2)
- Key development outcome: stable macroeconomic environment, greater diversification and competitiveness, and significantly improved infrastructure; additional outcomes include better natural resource management and technology use for growth and job creation.
- Two growth scenarios:
  - Business as Usual (BAU) scenario
  - Optimistic scenario

  Business as Usual / Baseline Scenario (3.1.2.1)
  - No shock; real GDP path aligned with IMF and World Bank medium-term forecasts.
  - GDP growth projected to increase from 3.0% in 2018 to 5.3% by 2023.
  - Underpinned by modest growth in agriculture exports, fisheries, and services, with very limited FDI inflows.
  - Inflation projected to return to single digit during 2020-2023 due to prudent monetary and fiscal policies.
  - Exports projected to increase from 12.8 percent to 14.0 percent of GDP.
  - Domestic revenue projected to increase from 13.0 percent to 15.2 percent of GDP.
  - Annual external loan disbursement expected to double from about US$60 million to US$120 million in the medium term.

  Optimistic Scenario (3.1.2.2)
  - Assumes full implementation of PAPD interventions; macro prospects better than BAU.
  - Real GDP grows from 3.0 percent in 2018 to 5.8 percent in 2023.
  - Aims to reach or exceed the SDG target of at least 7 percent growth for least developed countries (within reach under optimistic assumptions).
  - Growth underpinned by effective fiscal and monetary reforms, transformed regulatory space improving business environment and competitiveness, and increased investments in productive sectors—agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and services.
  - Infrastructure investments to be labor intensive and enhance local content; higher annual external loan disbursements in line with Liberia’s debt sustainability threshold to meet capital investment needs (roads, ports, ICT, WASH).
  - Public Private Partnerships in some SOEs may expand port infrastructure and support trade expansion.
  - Scale-up of human capital investments expected to improve labor productivity.
  - Higher revenue intake from the Domestic Resource Mobilization Strategy (DRMS) will be better targeted to private sector outcomes while protecting social sector spending.

- BAU forecasts (selected indicators, Table 3.2 highlights):
  - Real GDP (annual percent change): 2018 = 3.0, 2019 = 4.5, 2020 = 4.8, 2021 = 5.3, 2022 = 5.2, 2023 = 5.3.
  - Consumer prices (annual average): 2018 = 20.4, 2019 = 24.5, 2020 = 20.0, 2021 = 16.0, 2022 = 12.0, 2023 = 8.5.
  - Exports (percent of GDP): 2018 = 12.8, 2019 = 12.8, 2020 = 13.8, 2021 = 14.7, 2022 = 14.3, 2023 = 14.0.
  - Total revenue (percent of GDP): 2018 = 13.0, 2019 = 13.8, 2020 = 14.5, 2021 = 14.9, 2022 = 15.1, 2023 = 15.2.
  - Overall fiscal balance, including grants (percent of GDP): 2018 = -5.6, 2019 = -5.3, 2020 = -5.3, 2021 = -5.6, 2022 = -5.6, 2023 = -5.2.
  - Public external debt (percent of GDP): 2018 = 27.3, 2019 = 33.9, 2020 = 39.0, 2021 = 43.0, 2022 = 45.1, 2023 = 46.3.
  - Gross official reserves (months of imports): 2018 = 2.9, 2019 = 3.1, 2020 = 3.0, 2021 = 3.0, 2022 = 3.0, 2023 = 3.0.

- Optimistic scenario selected indicators (Table 3.3 highlights):
  - Real GDP (annual percent change): 2018 = 3.0, 2019 = 4.6, 2020 = 4.7, 2021 = 5.3, 2022 = 5.6, 2023 = 5.8.
  - Agriculture & fisheries (annual percent change): 2018 = 3.1, 2019 = 4.1, 2020 = 4.3, 2021 = 5.1, 2022 = 6.8, 2023 = 8.0.
  - Total Revenue (as percentage of GDP): 2018 = 13.0, 2019 = 13.8, 2020 = 14.5, 2021 = 15.7, 2022 = 16.0, 2023 = 16.2.

### Policy Directions and Targets
- Government will improve Liberia’s position as a transport and re-export trade corridor by reducing trade barriers with Cote D’Ivoire, Guinea and Sierra Leone; establish a dry port in Northern Liberia; operationalize Special Economic Zones to enhance cross-border trade.
- Strategy to increase share of FDIs over five years through: 1) resolving constraints to private sector investment; and 2) value addition.
- New DRM measures expected to improve revenue performance by FY2020.

### Pillar Two Goal, Corresponding Global Frameworks, and Outcomes
- PILLAR’S GOAL: A stable macroeconomic environment enabling private sector-led economic growth, greater competitiveness, and diversification of the economy.
- Corresponding SDGs (for 2030): Goal 2; Goal 5; Goal 6; Goal 7; Goal 8; Goal 9; Goal 10; Goal 11; Goal 12; Goal 13; Goal 15; Goal 17.
- Corresponding Agenda 2063 Aspirations: Aspiration 1; Aspiration 2; Aspiration 6; Aspiration 7.
- Corresponding New Deal Peacebuilding and Statebuilding Goals (PSG): PSG 4: Economic Foundation; PSG 5: Revenue and Services.
- Four development outcomes under Pillar Two and their development results:
  - Creating the Right Policy Environment: Effective fiscal governance and prudent monetary and financial sector management.
    - Development outcome: An improved environment for private-sector led growth, balanced revenue and expenditure outturns, and enhanced domestic revenue.
  - Improving the Competitiveness of Existing Industries: More competitive and diversified economic sectors.
    - Development outcome: Increased agricultural production and productivity and improved forest utilization through competitive value chains and market linkages for food and income security, economic growth, and job creation.
  - Transforming the Infrastructure: Productivity increases through reduction in infrastructure deficits including gender gaps.
    - Development outcome: Increased and inclusive social and economic activity and connectivity through critical infrastructure improvements.
  - Sustained Medium to Long Term Economic Growth: Increasing economic competitiveness while expanding markets.
    - Development outcome: Improved fiscal and monetary policy management to sustain economic growth and job creation.

### Near-Term Objective
- By 2020/2021 the Government aims to achieve a more stable, resilient, and supportive macroeconomic environment focused on rapid, broad based, inclusive and sustained economic growth, enabling movement toward counter-cyclical fiscal and macroeconomic policy (where government spending does not rise proportionately with the rise in commodity prices).

*Source: 3.1 Introduction, 1lbrea2021002 - Pro-Poor Agenda For Prosperity And Development (PAPD).*

### 3.3 Creating the Right Policy

### 3.3 Creating the Right Policy

### 3.3.1 Expanding the Fiscal Space
- Fiscal space has shrunk over the past five to six years due to macroeconomic shocks; expanding it requires fiscal austerity, more prudent cash and debt management, and enhanced revenue generation.
- Key reforms and instruments to deliver fiscal space and budget credibility:
  - More effective cash management and revenue forecasting to keep spending in line with realistic revenue projections.
  - Wage reform and unification of fragmented data systems among the Civil Service Agency, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, and large Government ministries to reduce wage corruption and clean the wage bill.
  - Limit new public sector hiring; as revenue performance improves with limited new hiring, the wage bill is expected to decline over the course of the PAPD.
- Public financial management priorities include achieving greater budget transparency, effectiveness, efficiency, and predictability.
- The Government will communicate the national budget more effectively and provide user-friendly access to expenditure data so citizens and stakeholders can trace public spending impacts on health, education, agriculture, and the private sector.

#### 3.3.1.1 Enhanced domestic revenue mobilization
- DRM strategy objectives in line with the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA):
  - Strengthen tax administration and broaden the tax base over the medium term.
  - End tax preferences, minimize tax expenditures, address transfer pricing abuses by multinational enterprises, and ensure more transparent taxation of extractive industries.
- Measures to prevent abuse of tax exemptions:
  - Limit waivers to development priorities and revise the revenue code.
  - Formalize businesses in the informal economy, enhance e-governance infrastructure, boost tax administrative capacity, and seek international technical assistance to modernize public finance and tax reform.
- Medium- to long-term structural transformation to broaden the tax base will include:
  - Scaling up infrastructure investment to reduce production and trade costs.
  - Promoting private sector development, including small and medium enterprises.
  - Consolidating governance reforms to improve tax system efficiency and the investment climate.
  - Regional integration to increase market size and trade.
- De-dollarization objective:
  - Re-balance the proportion of $US-$LD tax receipts in favor of strengthening the transactions demand for the Liberian dollar as a major aim in the long-term de-dollarization roadmap.

#### 3.3.1.2 Reduced overall fiscal deficit
- Fiscal consolidation has been a challenge since 2012 with persistent revenue shortfalls; increased spending during the 2014 EVD outbreak saw debt stock rise from 10.5 percent to 22.9 percent of GDP from FY12/13 to FY14/15.
- Fiscal consolidation must be informed by private sector considerations because consolidation may dampen growth, particularly where public debt has not translated into private sector gains.
- Government actions to improve budget credibility and predictability:
  - Contain budget pressures and limit borrowing to finance deficits.
  - Significantly limit discretionary or off-budget spending in the 2019/20 fiscal budget.
  - Contain other recurrent spending and redirect savings to priority investment projects.
- Improve public understanding of PFM gains through creative communication and transparent display of expenditure data.

#### 3.3.1.3 Maintain debt at a sustainable level
- Debt and risk:
  - Both external and domestic debt are at levels of moderate debt distress.
  - Debt-to-GDP ratio: 26.1 percent in 2018 growing to 33.8 percent in 2023.
  - This is below the benchmark of 38 percent, the threshold for high risk of debt distress.
- Debt management policy:
  - Ensure debt repayment, compensation, and non-discretionary payments align with priorities.
  - Strong limit on new debt financing, even concessional, while reducing off-budgetary expenditures and containing the wage bill.
  - Any new borrowing for infrastructure investment must be balanced against principal payments on more than US$600 million of concessional loans that are falling due in two years.
- Targeted infrastructure investments to support private sector expansion and job creation:
  - Energy transmission and distribution; road and ports construction; fiber optic installation and distribution; water and sanitation projects.
- Forecasts:
  - Figure referenced shows forecast of debt-to-GDP ratio rising moderately under baseline assumptions.

### 3.3.2 Stabilize the Monetary System and Enhance Financial Inclusion
- Monetary context and challenges:
  - Liberia operates a dual currency regime, complicating monetary and exchange rate management, especially during macroeconomic shocks.
  - Past sources of “soft foreign exchange” (post-war investment spikes, aid, UNMIL spending, remittances, higher commodity prices) masked the need for new monetary instruments; transition to “hard money” requires new tools.
  - Much remains unknown about the optimal monetary–fiscal policy mix under current conditions; short-term import dependence increases vulnerability to exchange rate and inflation pass-through.
- Monetary policy objectives and instruments under the PAPD:
  - Place Liberia on a path of sustained and gradual de-dollarization to impart value and strength to the Liberian dollar.
  - Enhance monetary policy transmission through more effective liquidity management instruments, development of a deep financial sector, and an adequate interbank market.
  - Strengthen fiscal–monetary policy coordination to contain inflation, which disproportionately affects the poor and vulnerable.
  - Build up international reserves and safeguard the country’s reserve position.
  - Better situate the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) as lender of last resort.
- Recent macroeconomic indicators and targets:
  - Inflation rose in 2018 to around 21 percent from an average of 15 percent in 2017.
  - Fiscal and monetary authorities will focus on achieving exchange rate stability and limiting the pass-through impacts of exchange rate overvaluation on inflation.
  - CBL will enhance and modernize its monetary policy framework and employ various instruments to manage liquidity and coordinate with fiscal authorities to reduce inflation.
- Protecting the poor and coordinating policy:
  - Major aim to significantly limit impacts of recent macroeconomic shocks on the poor.
  - Exchange rate drivers include UNMIL’s foreign exchange inflows, development assistance, remittances, and debt servicing.
  - For pro-poor economic openness, CBL will implement an appropriate regime to ensure stability in the foreign exchange market with the medium-term objective of exchange rate stability, while the government pursues export promotion and sustains fiscal prudence.
  - CBL will coordinate closely with fiscal authorities while protecting its operational independence within the confines of the CBL Act.

*Source: 3.3 Creating the Right Policy, Pro-Poor Agenda For Prosperity And Development (PAPD).*

### 1999. The CBL will continue to issue financial market instruments

### 1999. The CBL will continue to issue financial market instruments

### Monetary operations, financial market instruments, and liquidity management
- The CBL will continue to issue financial market instruments on behalf of Government and CBL bills and other market-based instruments to foster an active interbank market, while at the same time promoting and sustaining financial deepening as means toward better excess liquidity management.
- The CBL will develop a framework with specific indicators to monitor performance of the economy and consumer and business perceptions of the economy.
- The CBL will foster an active interbank market to widen participation in the T-bill auction to include private firms and individuals.
- The CBL will encourage fiscal authority to offer more attractive yields on treasury instrument to create secondary market and develop additional policy instrument for effective management of excess liquidity in the economy.
- The CBL will lead the process towards a gradual de-dollarization guided by a roadmap for the medium to long term transition to a single Liberian dollar currency by instituting policies to preserve the purchasing power of the Liberian dollar.

### Financial deepening, local bond market, and digital payments
- The development of local currency bond market and movement toward a digital economy with cashless payment systems will be advanced as steps toward financial deepening.
- Expected impacts:
  - Minimize excess liquidity.
  - Mobilize savings to finance investment projects.
  - Reduce exchange rate pressures via recourse to payment systems which enable consumers to avoid the frequent use of cash.

### Business regulatory environment and investment climate
- New business registration increased by 160% from 2009 to 2013, of which 94 percent were Liberian owned.
- Foreign-owned businesses grew from 162 in 2009 to 774 in 2012.
- MSMEs grew from 3,059 in 2011 to 7,938 in 2013, of which women-owned businesses increased by 30%.
- The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) established a Department of Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide policy direction and monitor MSMEs.
- After earlier gains, business climate deteriorated sharply in the past three to four years:
  - Number of days to legally register a business declined from 20 to 4.5 days in 2015.
  - Global Competitiveness Report (GCR) 2017/18 placed Liberia at 3.08 score and ranked 131st of 137 countries.
  - Liberia Doing Business rank declined from 149th in 2012 to 172nd in the 2018, out of 190 countries.
- Key constraints identified in 2018: lengthy and complicated procedures, time and cost to get connected to the electricity grid, reliability of electricity supply, and transparency of tariffs.
- Government policy priorities and reforms:
  - Improve access to finance; strengthen the regulatory environment, property rights, and contract enforcement.
  - Provide quality infrastructure to increase competitiveness and reduce the cost of doing business.
  - Reduce administrative burdens, simplify regulation, strengthen competition, and cut red tape in business registration.
  - Expand the Liberia Business Registry centers in five (5) counties and develop single window platforms.
  - Ensure the National Standard Laboratory facilities are fully accredited and aligned with the 15 requirements of International Organization of Standardization (ISO).
  - Engage with regional institutions (the West African Monetary Agency and West African Monetary Institute) and the broader monetary union on regional integration program.
  - Encourage Liberian firms to subscribe to ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) certification—mainly for palm oil, rubber, cocoa, fish, and cassava.
  - Enforce the Common External Tariff (CET).
- Sectoral support objectives:
  - Facilitate development of more competitive and diversified agricultural, fishery and forestry sectors.
  - Remove counter-productive regulations, ease restrictions on setting up businesses, reduce inflation to comparable international rate to reduce investment risk, and ensure that the exchange rate is competitive.
  - Improve returns for light manufacturing industries (food, beverages, household utensils and furniture) to support employment generation.

### Agriculture: production, productivity, issues, and targets
- Approximately 50% of the labor force currently make their living in the agricultural sector.
- Agriculture contributes slightly more than half of the value (56%) of Liberia’s exports and makes a positive impact on the balance of payments (BoP) position.
- Identified constraints and challenges:
  - Low productivity due to limited application of modern technology, small landholdings, aging agricultural workforce, limited skilled workforce, and inadequate resources for extension services.
  - Limited incentives to improve productivity.
  - Competition from imported food products intensified by persistent overvaluation of the Liberian dollar.
  - High costs of imported inputs due to weak infrastructure and limited support to agricultural research and development.
  - Access to productive land constrained by conflicting claims under customary and private rights holdings.
  - Infrastructure deficits, including inadequate feeder roads and energy, limit potential for industrialization and job creation.
  - Under-developed agricultural value chains.
  - Poorly performing marketing system: high informality in distribution channels, limited market information, inadequate funding, and high pre- and post-harvest losses.
  - Weak policy, regulatory, and institutional framework and policy choices that favor urban consumers create disincentives for producers.
  - Environmental issues: soil erosion from inadequate soil conservation techniques, use of chemical fertilizers, and impact of natural hazards.
- Sector development outcomes to 2023:
  - By 2023, Liberia will have a more competitive and diversified agricultural sector that promotes value chains for food self-sufficiency, increased exports, job creation, and livelihood opportunities.
  - Implementation of LASIP II must be accelerated.
  - Partnerships with agricultural concessions and smallholders in the private sector to increase local food production and processing.
  - Improve regulatory environment for aggregators and quality control by accelerating establishment of the Liberia Agricultural Commodity Regulatory Agency (LACRA).
  - Use SEZ strategy to boost value addition in food production and processing of forest products.
  - Government anticipates an increase of at least 5 percent of the economy wide total factor productivity because of increase of 5 percent of public spending on raising agriculture productivity.

### Priority food crops—current projections (2018–2023)
- Rice
  - Domestic production (MT): 215,000; 224,348; 248,215; 284,413; 357,025; 459,690
  - Deficit (Imports) (MT): 378,250; 381,799; 370,829; 347,528; 292,842; 210,941
  - Total national requirements (MT): 593,250; 606,147; 619,043; 631,940; 649,867; 670,630
- Cassava
  - National requirements (MT): 739,200; 755,270; 771,339; 787,409; 809,745; 835,617
  - Crop hectares (ha): 92,400; 94,409; 96,417; 98,426; 101,218; 104,452
  - Home consumption (MT): 369,600; 377,635; 385,670; 393,704; 404,873; 417,809
  - Processed to finished cassava products (Gari, depah, HQCF, etc.) (MT): 369,600; 377,635; 385,670; 393,704; 404,873; 417,809
  - Potential Revenue from processed cassava (US$ mn) at US$ 1,017/MT: 376; 384; 392; 400; 412; 425
- Vegetables
  - National requirements (MT): 36,500; 37,293; 38,087; 38,880; 39,983; 41,261
  - Crop hectares (ha): 304,167; 310,779; 317,391; 324,004; 333,195; 343,841
- Notes: Baseline data from the Ministry of Agriculture. Projections done based on population growth to 2023.

*Source: 1lbrea2021002 - 1999. The CBL will continue to issue financial market instruments — https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/cr/2021/english/1lbrea2021002.pdf*

### 22.4  percent

### 1lbrea2021002 - 22.4  percent

### Food production and staple crops
- Key strategy: support private sector participation, including using contract farming to attract farmers and encourage production around processing facilities to reduce reliance on imported rice.
- Target: agriculture contribution to GDP to rise from 26 percent to 35 percent by 2023.
- Cassava:
  - More than 60 percent of farming households, about 264,009 households, are engaged in cassava cultivation.
  - Government actions: enhance cassava value chains by increasing access to inputs (especially for female farmers concentrated in subsistence farming), intensify R&D on appropriate production technology and processing, empower smallholder organizations, and foster an entrepreneurship mindset for farmers’ cooperatives.
- Vegetables:
  - Annual vegetable requirement is 36,500 metric tons; projected to rise to 41,261 metric tons over the PAPD period.
  - Government support: appropriate production technology and processing (equipment, assorted improved seeds and planting material, storage facilities); targeted duty-free policy on agriculture equipment and products to sustain incentives for improved technology use.

### Priority export commodities: palm oil, rubber, cocoa
- General policies:
  - Boost productive capacity, particularly at the smallholder level, by resolving access to land challenges and investing in skills development of out-growers and the labor force in collaboration with industry.
  - Provide business and extension services to strengthen cooperatives and Farmer Field Schools (FFS).
  - Harmonize national agricultural instruments with regional and international standards; strengthen policy coordination, agricultural research and the extension system.
  - Re-activate the Agriculture and Cooperative Development Bank (ACDB) to increase access to agricultural finance with specific options for women and youth farmers.
  - Strengthen Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) and LACRA to improve agribusinesses along commodity chains and facilitate linkages to input and output markets.

- Palm oil:
  - Bringing an additional 84,000 ha of out-grower oil palm into production is estimated to lead to:
    - 13,000 jobs,
    - 150 million USD in exports,
    - 48 million USD in tax revenues,
    - Benefit 34,000 residents of rural communities with a guaranteed source of livelihood,
    - Improve lives of 180,000 dependents.
  - Table 3.6 projected figures (2017–2023):
    - Crude palm Oil Export (US $ 000's): 6,865; 7,192; 7,526; 7,863; 8,213; 8,557; 8,911.
    - Price (US$/MT): 715; 715; 715; 715; 715; 715; 715.
    - Export volume (MT): 9,605; 10,064; 10,530; 11,003; 11,492; 11,973; 12,469.
    - Production volume (MT): 11,176; 11,709; 12,252; 12,802; 13,371; 13,930; 14,508.

- Rubber:
  - Rubber remains the highest contributor to agriculture export and is anticipated to attract more than US$86 million (12 percent increase) in export earnings.
  - Government actions: strengthen trade support network, improve access to infrastructure and services, facilitate and strengthen access to inputs and R&D, and foster entrepreneurship mindset and access to finance for small producers with RPAL partnership.
  - Seven (7) major rubber plantations will provide raw materials to the value chain: Firestone; Liberia Agricultural Company (LAC); Guthrie (Goodrich plantation); Nimba Rubber inc.; Salala Rubber Corporation; Cavalla; Sinoe Rubber Corporation (SRC).
  - Table 3.6 projected figures (2017–2023):
    - Rubber export (US $ 000's): 76,978; 79,076; 80,964; 82,449; 83,854; 85,172; 86,469.
    - Price (US$/Kg): 1.843; 1.843; 1.843; 1.843; 1.843; 1.843; 1.843.
    - Export Volume (MT): 41,768; 42,906; 43,931; 44,737; 45,499; 46,214; 46,918.
    - Production volume (MT): 46,540; 47,712; 48,721; 49,606; 50,452; 51,293; 52,143.
  - Nimba Rubber Inc. (NRI):
    - Covers 4,800 hectares; processing plant hourly production capacity of 2000kg dry rubber in TSR 10 and TSR 20.
    - With adequate raw rubber supply, plant can produce 6,000-7,000 tons of processed rubber per annum operating for 11 months at 80% efficiency.
    - Nimba County has approximately 25,000 smallholders producing about 3,000 tons of raw cup lumps/month.
    - NRI signed rubber wood processing agreement with Shangyou Wood Industrial Development (Liberia) Ltd to produce 8,000 tons of rubber wood monthly.
    - NRI secured financing opportunity with the LBDI to expand operations, buy from smallholders, increase export capacity, and provide additional income and jobs.

- Cocoa:
  - Cocoa projected to become the second highest agriculture export commodity by value; forecast more than US$27 million in export earnings.
  - Yields increased from 200 kg to 800 kg per ha from 2010 to 2017.
  - Total production expected to increase from 6,773 to 52,847 metric tons by 2023.
  - Government actions: strengthen trade support network, improve access to infrastructure and services, facilitate increased access to and use of trade information, improve quality and efficiency of Licensed Buying Agents, support cooperatives and FFS, develop a strong Liberian cocoa brand and leverage potential for exporting certified cocoa.
  - Table 3.6 projected figures (2017–2023):
    - Cocoa export (US $ 000's): 2,759; 7,558; 9,356; 11,657; 15,026; 19,975; 27,363.
    - Price (US$/Kg): 2.03; 2.03; 2.03; 2.03; 2.03; 2.03; 2.03.
    - Export Volume (MT): 1,360; 3,724; 4,610; 5,744; 7,404; 9,843; 13,483.
    - Production volume (MT): 6,773; 14,597; 18,069; 22,513; 29,021; 38,579; 52,847.

- Observed pattern:
  - Figures show modest gains in domestic production but significant increases in export value due to favorable market prices.

### Fisheries improvement
- Subsector contribution: fisheries contributes 3 percent of the real GDP.
- Natural resources and production:
  - Liberia’s coastline and continental shelf has 20,000 sq. km of fishing ground.
  - Current production: about 8,000 tons of marine fish per year.
  - Fish consumption capacity: 23,800 tons, with 15,800 tons being imported.
- Investments and infrastructure:
  - Government invested in fish landing and cold storage infrastructure in Robertsport and Monrovia; another landing and cold storage being developed in Grand Bassa County.
  - Government will facilitate private investment in construction and operations of a modern fishing harbor complex with facilities for repair and maintenance of fishing vessels and storage, preservation and processing of fish.
- Social and economic impact:
  - Women make up approximately 60 percent of those making a living in the fishing industry.
  - Average cooperative income is estimated at US$66,700.00 per year.
  - Work opportunities for 37,000 Liberians and 114 fishing communities in the nine coastal counties.
  - Twelve fishing cooperatives are registered and supported by the Cooperatives Development Authority.
- Challenges:
  - Industrialization hindered by weak regulations, continual illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, unskilled labor force, poor processing and preservation infrastructure, limited use of modern fishing technology, and high cost of electricity.
  - Long-term threats: overharvesting, habitat destruction, pollution, and incursion by fishing vessels from other countries.
- Targets and policy responses:
  - Increase domestic market supply from 8,000 tons to 16,000 tons annually by 2023, largely from semi-industrial, artisanal, inland, and aquaculture fisheries activities.
  - Tackle IUU fishing by establishing a multi-year plan for a robust fishery monitoring and surveillance systems.
  - Expand the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership agreement with the European Union to attract other partners.
  - Develop a medium-term business plan for the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA).

### Forestry and forest utilization
- Sector contribution and employment:
  - Forestry contributed between 8-11 percent of the real GDP from 2012 to 2017.
  - Approximately 24,000 workers are employed in the industry.
- Revenue estimates:
  - Annual revenue from chainsaw milling alone estimated at US$31-41 million, or about 3-4 percent of GDP.
  - Commercial timber processing estimated annual value of US$88 million in 2016, contributing about 10 percent of GDP.
  - Demand for charcoal grows at approximately 4 percent per year with potential annual market value of about US$25 million.
- Environmental and economic costs:
  - High deforestation rate averaging 0.46 per cent per year.
  - Economic costs of forest depletion increased from 0.5 to 32 percent as a share of GNI between 2005 and 2015.
- Constraints:
  - Poor infrastructure, complicated processes, poor data quality, limited downstream processing, challenges from local communities related to Forest Management Contracts (FMC) and Timber Sales Contracts (TSC).
  - Shifting cultivation practices, unregulated chainsaw milling, unregulated charcoal production for urban markets, encroachment by commercial and artisanal miners, weak governance, lack of adequate logistics and technical skills.
- Progress and legal framework:
  - Since 2005, capacity of the Forestry Development Agency (FDA) reinforced.
  - Regulatory framework established through National Forestry Reform Law (NFRL) in 2006 and Community Rights Law (CRL) in 2009.
  - Weak enforcement and institutional capacity at the FDA remains a constraint to raising productivity and managing forest resources sustainably.

*Source: Pro-Poor Agenda For Prosperity And Development (selected excerpts).*

### 3.7  shows  exported  round  logs  worth  US  $2.6  million  in  2017,

### 1lbrea2021002 - 3.7  shows  exported  round  logs  worth  US  $2.6  million  in  2017,

### Round logs exports and projections
- Table 3.7: Projected Production and Exports of Round Logs.
- Round logs export (US $mns): 2.6 (2017), 2.8 (2018), 3.5 (2019), 4.8 (2020), 6.8 (2021), 9.9 (2022), 12.1 (2023).
- Price (US$/Cubic meter): 356.33 (2017), 356.33 (2018), 356.33 (2019), 356.33 (2020), 356.33 (2021), 356.33 (2022), 356.3 (2023).
- Volume (Cubic meters): 7,321 (2017), 7,801 (2018), 9,800 (2019), 13,476 (2020), 19,136 (2021), 27,863 (2022), 34,026 (2023).
- Production volume (cubic meters): 73,311 (2017), 76,408 (2018), 79,542 (2019), 82,765 (2020), 86,140 (2021), 89,631 (2022), 93,239 (2023).
- Baseline data from CBL. *Export and production volume projected using GDP growth prospects of key importers. Identification of export partners is done through the Trademap from the International Trade Centre (https://www.trademap.org ).

### Government policy and capacity building for the forestry sector
- Government will focus on the human and institutional capacity of the sector to enhance productivity and promote value addition in wood products.
- Emphasis on forest contract and concessional enforcement to promote effective distribution of benefits via Community Benefit-Sharing Mechanism (CBSM).
- Objectives include spurring sustainable economic development and empowering communities living and working in the forest.
- Government will improve the policy, legal and institutional framework for forestry management; strengthen monitoring and law-enforcement capabilities; enhance transparency of operations; and bolster accountability in forestry governance.
- Regulations on drivers of deforestation and environmental degradation will be enforced.
- Government will continue to implement forest products enterprise development policies for chainsaw and sawmill regulations; and for regulations on biomass and third-party access and abandoned logs.
- Government will support sustainable fuel-wood and charcoal production while creating alternatives for domestic energy sources and establish an information dissemination and data management repository system.
- To reduce deforestation and environmental degradation, alternative livelihood for forest dependents and local communities will be created in select areas.
- By 2023, Liberia will have effective institutions and systems in place for sustainable management and utilization of forest resources as well as preservation of the environment for biodiversity.

### Environment — legal instruments, monitoring, and waste management
- Government has developed the Environmental Management Law as a legal instrument for enforcing environmental protection.
- The law will be supported by 22 guidelines, of which 5 have been developed.
- A compliance monitoring regime has been established with project developers obligated to make quarterly, biannually, and annual reports.
- Government has developed the CRL and its regulations, Ten Core Forest Harvesting practices, National Forestry Reform Laws of 2006, Wildlife and Protected Area Management Law, Wetland and Climate Change Policies, ESIA procedural guidelines and Fees regime, Noise and Asbestos regulations, Water quality guidelines, and a dispersant policy.
- Thirty-eight inspectors are deployed in 10 of the 15 counties of Liberia and this effort will be sustained.
- By 2023, Liberia will have improved management of natural resources and conservation of biodiversity.
- Government will establish an inter-sectoral environmental sector network and environmental school clubs and units in ministries and agencies and develop a national environmental action plan (NEAP) which will incorporate climate change into national development programs.
- All forms of wastes will be managed more efficiently; the waste sector will be reviewed to determine existing institutional, policy and legal constraints/barriers to improve policy, legal and institutional framework for waste management at the national and local levels.
- The domestication of the Paris Declaration and safeguard information system, and the training of GHG technicians and policy-makers will be completed.
- Government will begin implementation of the Revised National Biodiversity Action Plan for the next 10 years and complete the economics of Ecosystem and Biodiversity-TEEB framework.

### Disaster risk management
- Liberia is prone to natural disasters such as floods due to location and weather conditions.
- Constraints include high population growth, uncontrolled urbanization, rural and urban poverty leading to unplanned settlements in marginal and environmentally-sensitive areas, and weak policy, legal and institutional framework for disaster preparedness, physical planning systems, and land use practices.
- Inadequate hazard data and mapping, and lack of vulnerability assessments exacerbate environmental degradation.
- A National Adaption Action Plan (NAP) is currently being supported by the government and the UN System to identify climate change adaptation needs and develop and implement strategies and programs to address those needs.
- By 2023, Liberia aims to have: a) improved resilience to all forms of hazards; b) improved emergency response capability; and c) climate change-sensitive development process.
- Government will modernize the legal framework related to disaster risk reduction; strengthen Disaster Management Committees at national, district, county and clan levels; enhance preparedness through early response and early warning mechanisms; and focus on mitigation and adaptation.
- Government will use knowledge, innovation, and education to build a culture of safety and resilience and create mechanisms to fully consider the impacts of climate change and "climate proof" all future national policies and sectoral plans.

### Natural resource management and mining
- The management of natural resources presents opportunities for investment and economic development and risks of political and social instability from mismanagement.
- Mining is a major source of real GDP and comprises artisanal/small-scale miners (ASM), medium size domestic enterprises, large-scale mining, and exploration companies.
- There are approximately 1293 mining operations in the country, of which 1142 (88.3%) are ASM, 65 (5%) are medium size, 78 (6%) are exploration companies, and 8 (0.6%) are large-scale enterprises.
- Major producers among large-scale companies include Arcelor Mittal (iron ore), China Union Investment (iron ore), MNG Gold Inc. (gold), and Aureus Mining Inc. (gold).
- Table 3.8: Major Mineral Development Agreements (selected entries):
  - Nimba Range/AML 2005; 25 years — 5.1 Mt ore — Iron ore; hematite, magnetite — 65-69% Fe — Open pit — Estimated reserves 417 Mt.
  - Bong Mines/China Union 2009; 25 years — 0.70 Mt ore — Iron ore; magnetite — 35-45% Fe — Open pit — Estimated reserves 290 Mt.
  - Putu Range/PIOM 2010; 25 years — Mine development — Iron ore; itabirite, goethite — 45% Fe — Proposed Open pit — Estimated reserves 4.5 Bt.
  - Bomi, Bea, Mano/WCL 2011; 25 years — Mine development — Iron ore; hematite, magnetite — 51% Fe — Proposed Open pit — Estimated reserves 563 Mt.
  - Kokoya/MNG 2004; 25 years — 619.48 Koz Au — Gold — 3.54g/t Au — Open pit — Estimated reserves 1.84 Mt.
  - Bea Mt./Aureus 2002; 25 years — 2376.45 Koz Au — Greenstone gold — 4.17g/t Au — Open pit — Estimated reserves 8.7 Mt.
- Concessions model has not yielded expected dividends to communities; export of raw materials and lack of relevant information expose Liberia to price distortion and disadvantage communities in benefit distribution.
- Weak legal and regulatory framework and institutional oversight lead to revenue loss for government and income loss for artisanal miners.
- Government actions going forward:
  - Encourage Corporate Social Investment (CSI) with strong Local Content Development Framework and Strategy for local benefits, and Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) for community engagement for all concessions.
  - Improve management of natural resources and conservation of biodiversity while generating lawful revenues for development.
  - Strengthen regulatory mechanisms to provide greater transparency and cater to welfare of small-scale miners while safeguarding the environment.
  - Establish a compliance monitoring Global Information System (GIS) laboratory.
  - Establish a National Benefit Sharing and Conservation Trust Board and Fund.
  - Review and improve the regulatory system in compliance with mineral production strategies with emphasis on strengthening small-scale mining to enable quality job opportunities and build capacity of vulnerable and unskilled extreme poor segments.
  - Improve enforcement of regulation on artisanal, small scale and large skill mining activities through robust monitoring; review concessional agreements for compliance with laws and regulations especially those that benefit local communities.
  - Promote governance framework to implement Sustainable Natural Resource Management (NRM) through enhanced stakeholder participation, cross-sectorial cooperation, coordination, coherence and synergies at all levels via a natural resource governing committee.
  - Facilitate inter-sectorial planning and coordination, MEAs and climate change in national development programs, wetland, waste and disaster risk management, and promote development of a national Green Economy strategy.
- Government will mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance Sustainable Natural Resource Management (NRM) including enhancement of natural resource-based economy and improving livelihoods of natural resource dependent communities.

*Source: 1lbrea2021002 - 3.7  shows  exported  round  logs  worth  US  $2.6  million  in  2017,*

### 3.5 Transforming Infrastructure

### 3.5 Transforming Infrastructure

### Overview
- Lack of adequate infrastructure remains the binding constraint to Liberia’s development, particularly road, energy, ICT, and water and sanitation.
- Lack of access to all-weather road and basic infrastructure impedes movement of goods and services, equipment, and machinery for production, which directly affects the poor and vulnerable.
- Government commitment: ensure all projects incorporate livelihood programs directly and indirectly into their supply chains to allow local community dwellers and local businesses to participate.
- Government objective: make significant inroads in transforming infrastructure over the next five years and place the economy on a sustainable and inclusive growth pathway that can generate productive employment and livelihood opportunities by 2023.

### 3.5.1 Road Infrastructure — Findings and Targets
- National road network totals approximately 11,536 kilometers (km) of primary, secondary, urban and feeder roads.
  - Unpaved: 1,899 km primary; 2,479 km secondary; 6,263 km feeder roads.
  - Paved: approximately 622 km.
- Bridges and culverts:
  - Liberia has 2,884 bridges and 7,651 culverts.
  - Approximately half of the bridges and one-quarter of the culverts are in poor condition.
  - Only 15 percent of bridges and half of the culverts are in excellent or good condition.
- Constraints impeding progress:
  - Weak domestic contracting and consulting industry lacking technical capacity.
  - Inadequate materials testing facilities.
  - Negligible road maintenance interventions.
  - Unpredictable weather due to global climatic change.
  - Low Government funding and investment in the road sector and lack of human capacity in the infrastructure sector.
- Government intentions and measures:
  - By 2023, a more expansive national road network to reduce cost of transport and doing business, support decent employment, and transform living conditions of the poor and vulnerable.
  - Link road investments to development corridors and establish growth clusters comprising SEZ and agriculture value chains in rice and cassava production.
  - Fully implement the Road Fund Act and establish a Road Authority.
  - Establish five materials testing facilities, zonal planning processes and database, and a more effective road maintenance system.

### 3.5.2 Air and Sea Transport — Findings and Targets
- Strategic view: air and sea ports and railways are gateways to trade, industrialization, investment promotion, and economic development.
- Current limitations:
  - No adequate rail network nor significant rail transportation investment.
  - Air transport: limited domestic and international aerodrome infrastructure; runways cannot accommodate large aircrafts; insufficient air cargo facilities; limited domestic airports; inadequate support services at Roberts International Airport (RIA) contribute to high cost of travel.
  - Sea transport: seaports constrained by a weak policy, regulatory and institutional framework; low-skilled workforce; limited cargo handling capacity, increasing freight costs, creating administrative hurdles, and causing delays.
- Government targets and projects by 2023:
  - Construct new and rehabilitate existing air and sea infrastructure, including completing rehabilitation of RIA and priority county airports.
  - Upgrade the Freeport of Monrovia to pre-war status as supply hub for northern Guinea, western Cote d’Ivoire, Mali and Burkina Faso.
  - Reclaim and renovate the Monrovia Free Zone.
  - Expand and develop, through private investment, the ports of Buchanan, Greenville, and Harper.
  - Construct an inland dry-port in Ganta, Nimba County.
  - Develop alternative intermodal traffic options in partnership with private investors.

### 3.5.3 Post and Telecommunication — Findings and Targets
- Main actors: postal and courier services; three private GSM mobile network operators (Lonestar Cell MTN, Orange formerly Cellcom, and Novafone); Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPT); Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA); Liberia Telecommunications Corporation (LIBTELCO).
- Progress to date:
  - 2007 Telecommunications Act liberalized the sector; MPT serves as policy institution; LTA created as regulator; LIBTELCO remained national operator.
  - 2011: the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) fiber optic cable landed in Liberia to facilitate backbone construction.
  - A Metro-Monrovia Ring is under construction to improve connectivity and reduce telecommunications costs in Greater Monrovia.
  - Postal facilities increased from 12 to 24.
  - National Postal Address System (NAPAS) phase one completed: numbered approximately 2666 (0.313%) structures and vacant lots in Congo Town.
- Remaining constraints:
  - Weak policy and regulatory regime.
  - Inadequate trained personnel for companies and organizations in the industry.
  - Limited telecommunication/ICT infrastructure in rural/remote areas.
  - Growing cybersecurity issues and high costs for telecommunication services.
- Government intentions and targets:
  - Make Liberia a technology-enabled society where telecom/ICT is fundamental to job creation and quality of life improvements.
  - Place 6 ministries and agencies on e-government platforms to improve productivity and service delivery; increase access to incorporate all government ministries and agencies.
  - Improve infrastructure and regulatory framework to double ICT access and coverage.
  - Expand fiber optic infrastructure, including industrial installation to cover 30% access to fiber optic backbone and ensure universal access and services to marginalized communities, women, rural dwellers, and physically challenged population.
  - Roll out a national postal address and mail delivery system in all 15 counties.

### 3.5.4 Access to Affordable Energy — Findings, Targets, and Measures
- Current costs and infrastructure:
  - Energy cost reduced from 0.55/kwh in 2012 to 0.36/kwh in 2017.
  - Mount Coffee Hydro-Electric Dam refurbished and restored; plant’s 88-megawatt capacity is vastly under-utilized because of transmission and distribution problems.
  - The hydro dam’s run-of-the-river nature means in the dry season capacity plummets to a mere 20 megawatts.
- Sector challenges:
  - High dependence on imported petroleum, vulnerability to crude oil price changes.
  - Limited private sector investment, public financing, and political support.
  - Corruption and electricity theft undermining transmission, distribution, and sustainability.
  - Low human capital and technical capacity.
  - Lack of transparency and accountability, low awareness on affordability options for electrification, and very low marketing strategy.
- Rural and renewable energy progress:
  - Rural Electrification and Strategic Master Plan sets targets and identifies least-cost projects and technologies (mini and small hydropower and solar).
  - Rural and Renewable Energy Agency (RREA) achievements:
    - Rehabilitated mini-hydro plant delivering 60 KW in Yandohum in Lofa County.
    - Contracted 2 MW hydro plant on Kaiha River, Lofa to benefit 50,000 homes and businesses.
    - Completed feasibility studies for three hydropower sites—Gbedin and Ya in Nimba, and Gee in River Gee.
    - Distributed 31,000 solar lanterns/lamps and installed solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in 9 facilities in Lofa County.
- Investment opportunities and large-scale potential:
  - Building a reservoir at the confluence of the Via and St. Paul River could stabilize Mount Coffee at 88 megawatts year-round.
  - Reservoir and cascading dams along the St. Paul River can generate as much as 500 to 800 megawatts of power.
- Sector targets by 2023 (exact government objectives):
  - Increase universal electricity access by 30%.
  - Increase electricity generation from 134mw to 270mw.
  - Reduce energy cost from 0.36kwh to 0.25kwh.
  - Increase transmission and distribution from 511km to 2279km.
- Government measures to enhance productivity and electrification:
  - Revise energy sector policy.
  - Establish energy sector working group.
  - Invest more in generation, transmission, and distribution with emphasis on private sector distribution network.
  - Accelerate implementation of the Rural and Renewable Energy Agency strategic master plan.

### 3.5.5 Water and Sanitation — Findings, Targets, and Measures
- Current access and losses:
  - Access to drinking water estimated at around 73 percent.
  - Access to sanitation estimated at 17 percent.
  - About 15 percent of the population has access to sanitation and hygiene.
  - In rural areas, open defecation is widespread with as many as 85 percent practicing open defecation.
  - Only 6 percent of the rural population currently have access to improved sanitation.
  - Estimated annual loss due to poor sanitation: USD 17.5 million.
  - Those in the poorest quintile are almost 7 times more likely to practice open defecation than those in the wealthiest.
- MDG 2015 targets (for context):
  - Access to improved drinking water sources: 79 percent.
  - Access to improved sanitation: 63 percent.
  - Rural targets: 67 percent access to improved water sources; 52 percent access to improved sanitation.
- Service gaps:
  - An estimated 35 percent of existing clinics and schools lack adequate access to water and sanitation facilities.
  - Formal solid waste management services are only available in Monrovia.
- Major limitations to sustainable WASH services:
  - Institutional fragmentation.
  - Weak legal and regulatory framework.
  - Inadequate water distribution infrastructure due to lack of funding.
  - Inadequate sanitation services.
  - Lack of trained manpower, inadequate data on access to services, and difficulties with planning, resource financing, and assessing progress.
- Government objectives and measures by 2023:
  - Achieve equitable, safe, affordable and sustainable water supply and sanitation services for all Liberians.
  - Establish the WASH Commission.
  - Mobilize resources for water supply infrastructure and provide rural water supply.
  - Facilitate supply and financing for water resources management.
  - Mobilize communities to fully participate in planning, operation and maintenance of WASH facilities.
  - Eliminate open defecation nationwide while enforcing minimum standard WASH packages.

*Republic Of Liberia — Pro-Poor Agenda For Prosperity And Development, Chapter 3.5 Transforming Infrastructure*

### 3.6 Sustaining Medium to

### 3.6 Sustaining Medium to Long-Term Economic Growth

### State and reform of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs)
- SOE gross revenues growing year-on-year by 6 percent or from more than US$186 to US$208.6 million (anticipated for FY2018/19) over the past three years.
- Despite revenue growth, SOE’s still require approximately US$14 million a year in subsidies.
- Only about a third of the 15 SOE’s showed operating surpluses over the past three fiscal years.
- Many SOEs rely on government and donor financing, constraining fiscal space.
- Government actions and targets:
  - Review financial position of SOEs to qualify them for subsidies and grant-aid.
  - Financially viable SOEs to pursue efficiency in service delivery; non-viable SOEs to undergo structural reforms.
  - Open opportunities for PPP arrangements to attract private investment into energy, telecommunications, and rubber.
  - Review SOE mandates and core functions to avoid overlap and market failure and re-position them for growth.
  - Review managerial competency and introduce performance-based subsidies.
  - Encourage coordination with MACs for joint infrastructure investment and co-location of projects.
- Government targets by 2023:
  - Double number of users of SOE-provided services.
  - Reduce subsidies by 50% and concurrently increase the total amount of revenue transfers.
  - Increase private equity investment by at least 10%.

### Diversifying the economy — private sector development
- Rationale: private sector as engine of growth and inclusion; international concession holders model for resource exploitation.
- Key constraints for businesses in Liberia:
  - Weak legal and regulatory framework.
  - Weak and unclear property rights.
  - Limited infrastructure.
  - High costs of energy.
  - High administrative and regulatory costs due to red tape, corruption and lack of transparency.
  - Difficulty accessing low interest and favorable-term finance, especially long-term financing.
  - Many firms lack entrepreneurial and business operation skills and operate informally.
- Commitments:
  - Transform business climate to facilitate competitive private sector, generate decent jobs, and promote inclusion.
  - Implement Insolvency and Restructuring Law of 2017 to reduce lender risk and improve borrowing/lending efficiency.
  - Explore innovative access-to-finance measures, strengthen regulatory environment, and improve customs administration.
- Financing approaches to boost private sector and job creation:
  - Public-private partnerships (PPP): analyze joint ventures for BOOT/BOT/BOO models; establish a PPP unit and build MACs capacity for PPP negotiation, contracting, and management; review Freeport of Monrovia contract with APM Terminal for lessons learned.
  - Private Sector Finance Fund (PSFF): pursue social investors; PSFF to provide start-up financing and/or take equity in Liberian companies; collaborate with IFC, AfDB, EBID, and Diaspora Liberians; PSFF will finance companies that have more than 100 employees and need capital equipment for large investment in road construction, energy, ICT, and Water and Sanitation.
  - Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) development and Business Development Services (BDS).
  - Special Economic Zones (SEZ).
- Explicit sectoral and investment priorities (pathways to growth):
  1) Capital and labor-intensive investments in infrastructure development
  2) Intensify research and extension services and remove constraints to raise food production in the ‘food basket’ counties by 25 percent
  3) Double acreage under oil palm cultivation using out grower communities to boost export potential
  4) Value addition in agriculture processing to increase exports
  5) More effective forest utilization to added value and exports
  6) Special Economic Zones in development corridors to balance regional growth and attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
- MSME indicators and support:
  - Total number of MSMEs grew from 3,059 in 2011 to 7938 in 2013.
  - Women-owned MSME’s increased by 30%.
  - Government appropriated US$1.2 million as seed capital for loans for MSME development in the FY2018 budget.
- SEZ strategy:
  - Review and implement SEZ law to accelerate regional growth through development corridors; crowd-in business and infrastructure; provide incentives for location in SEZ; colocate vocational and skills development programs near SEZs.
- Business Development Services (BDS):
  - Facilitate capacity building via public-private partnerships with private, civil society, and donor partners to provide development and incubation services, training, coaching, technical assistance, market access, access to finance, and trade facilitation.

### Financial sector development
- Current characteristics and challenges:
  - Liberia’s financial system is shallow, dominated by the banking sector, and vulnerable to shocks.
  - Low financial intermediation, high cost of credit, and limited access to financing for MSMEs.
  - High non-performing loans (NPLs) and high operating costs; infrastructure constraints (e.g., electricity) limit credit expansion and financial service reach.
- FSDIP (Financial Sector Development Implementation Plan), launched in 2016 by the CBL, targets access to finance, pension reform, credit information, financial inclusion, payments systems, and expansion of digital financial services.
- As at end-2017 financial access footprint:
  - Commercial Banks: 9
  - Commercial Bank Branches: 90
  - Rural Community Finance Institutions: 12
  - Foreign Exchange Bureaus: 131
  - Development Finance Company: 1
  - V Unions (CUs): 260
  - Insurance Companies: 19
  - Mobile Money Service Providers: 2
  - Mobile Money Agents: 2110
  - Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA): 2300
- CBL reforms already implemented: collateral registry, credit reference system, licensed mobile money service providers.
- Vision by 2023: significant steps toward a stable, modern, and competitive financial system providing supportive infrastructure and access to quality and affordable financial services.
- CBL actions under PAPD period:
  i) Safeguard the financial sector through effective prudential regulation and supervision of financial institutions; including pension schemes.
  ii) Reform the insurance sector and promote the use of digital financial services for financial inclusion; especially in inaccessible regions and for the poor.
  iii) Develop and implement a success plan consistent with the PAPD.

### Manufacturing and industrial development
- Manufacturing sector contribution to real GDP:
  - 7.7% in 2014
  - 6.6% in 2018
- Sector composition: local production of cement, paints, flour, furniture, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and handicrafts.
- Constraints:
  - Weak linkages between manufacturing and primary sectors (agriculture, fisheries, minerals).
  - Low manufacturing output due to weak infrastructure and import-dependence.
  - Shortage of skilled workforce (especially women).
  - Inadequate and unreliable supply of raw materials and a small domestic market.
  - High cost of capital and unreliable and high-cost energy.
- Government actions under PAPD:
  - Remove infrastructure constraints: affordable electricity, improved road access and transport equipment, support aggregators to provide processing, storage, and preservation facilities.
  - Facilitate access to finance for MSMEs in manufacturing in collaboration with the CBL.
  - Use SEZ development to consolidate industries, reduce production costs, increase market access, and attract FDI.
  - Promote certification of Liberian products under ETLS and CET for ECOWAS market.
  - Promote gender-balanced manufacturing workforce and woman manufacturing MSMEs.
  - Link TVET and youth employment programs with manufacturing; promote market access and information via ICT solutions.

### Expanding regional integration and trade
- Liberia’s diplomatic and regional engagement:
  - Active in MRU, ECOWAS, AU, and UN.
  - Became Chair of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS in 2016.
  - Heads the Secretariat of the MRU, the Administrative and Conference Commission of ECOWAS, and the Peace and Security Council of the AU.
  - Joined the WTO in December 2015 and is implementing a WTO post-Accession Implementation Support program.
- Preferential trade windows to exploit: AGOA, ECOWAS Economic Partnership Agreement, Voluntary Partnership Agreement on forest products, Everything but Arms (EBA), 97% Export Tariff reduction with China, and bilateral agreements.
- Government targets and actions by 2023:
  - Improve foreign relations and sustain diplomatic presence for international cooperation, regional integration, and cross-border trade.
  - Improve service delivery through professional Foreign Service training and merit-based deployment.
  - Expand Liberia’s diplomatic presence in 3 strategic regions (Australia, Southern America, and Southeast Asia).
  - Strengthen online application processes, automate e-visa issuance, and deploy passport application centers in regions with high concentrations of Liberian Diasporas.
  - Strengthen resource mobilization via bilateral and multilateral cooperation, trade and investment dialogues, and active engagement in regional cooperation.
  - Operationalize existing bilateral and multilateral cooperation agreements and establish new strategic cooperation with emerging economies.
  - Align development plan with bilateral cooperation forums: TICAD, FOCAC, and IAFS.

### Short- to medium-term priority investments and national targets (high-level highlights from Table 3.10)
- Transforming infrastructure (By 2023):
  - 517km roads connecting all county capitals, 260km of urban roads, 237.1km secondary road constructed and paved; constructed material testing facilities in 5 regions; 4,184.7km of primary, secondary and urban roads maintained; zoning laws standardized and enforced.
  - Increase universal electricity access by 30%; generation from 134mw to 270mw; reduce cost from 0.36kwh to 0.25kwh; increase transmission and distribution from 511km to 2279km.
  - 30% access to fiber optic backbone; Double ICT access and coverage; 6 ministries and agencies on e-government platform.
  - Rollout national postal address and mail delivery system in 15 counties.
- Increasing competitiveness of existing industries (By 2023):
  - Increase agriculture and fisheries contribution from 26% to 35% of real GDP.
  - Reduction in post-harvest loss by 50%.
  - Double the number of women farmers, and agro-business incubators in agriculture value chain.
  - Reduce by 18% population that are food insecure in food insecure regions.
  - 75% of farmers accessing extension services and the level of productivity; 75% of women farmers adopting new and innovative technology.
  - Target: 10,000 out-grower farmers in sub-sectors.
- Creating the right policy environment (By 2023):
  - Increase average annual real GDP growth rate from 3.2 to 5.8%.
  - Improve tax compliance and increase domestic revenue collection from 14% to 20%.
  - Maintain and sustain single-digit inflation consistent with acceptable sub-regional standard.
  - Achieve a single Liberian dollar currency in line with ECOWAS objective of a single currency regime.
  - Improve Doing Business Ranking from 172 to 152/190; 10% and 50% reduction in transaction cost and time (short- and medium-term targets respectively).
  - Open business registration centers in five counties; implement post-WTO accession programs.
  - SOE reforms: Double number of users by 2023; Reduce subsidies to SOE by 50% and increase revenue transfers; 10% private equity investment; introduce performance-based subsidies; pursue PPP for efficiency in service delivery; formulate new SOE guidelines for effective governance and sustainability.

_Pro-Poor Agenda For Prosperity And Development — Chapter 3.6 (Sustaining Medium to Long-Term Economic Growth)_

### 3. Strengthening National

### 3. Strengthening National Security and Defence

### Overview
- Goal: A more peaceful and unified society that enables economic transformation and sustainable development.
- Pillar objectives:
  - Ending fragility and addressing root causes of conflict: a cohesive society that enables sustainable development.
  - Ensuring equal access to justice and human rights: Justice Systems work to the benefit of the poor and most marginalized / National owned and sustainable access to justice and rule of law initiatives.
  - Strengthening national security and defence: more professional and inclusive security forces responsive to the needs of the Liberian people.
- Corresponding SDG and Agenda 2063 links:
  - GOAL 5; GOAL 16.
  - Agenda 2063 Aspirations 3, 4, 5, 6.

### Key Findings and Statistics
- Personal safety and crime perceptions:
  - HIES 2016: 69.4% of Liberians were satisfied with the protection available to them against crime.
  - Recorded crime decreased by 13 percent within the past year (2016–2017).
  - Crime committed by age groups:
    - Ages 20–24: decreased 8.3%.
    - Ages 25–29: decreased 19.4%.
- Mo Ibrahim Index proxy indicators:
  - Indicators measured on a score of 0 to 100.
  - Since 2011, Liberia performed above the African average on the National Security proxy indicator (2015 Mo Ibrahim Index).
- Security force deployment and capacity:
  - In 2017, of the 5,545 police deployed, 3,817 (68.8%) were deployed in Montserrado County.
  - Montserrado accounts for 32% percent of the population.
  - Only 79 LNP Emergency Response Unit (ERU) personnel are based outside of Monrovia serving a population of more than 2.5 million people.
- Justice system capacity and pre-trial detention:
  - Sixty-five percent of prisoners have never been convicted of a crime (are awaiting trial).
- Social cohesion and civic trust metrics:
  - 2016 Social Cohesion and Reconciliation (SCORE) Index:
    - Intergroup Harmony: 7.0 (Country Average: 7.0).
    - State Service Delivery satisfaction: Country Average: 3.5.
    - Less than four out of every ten persons are satisfied with state service delivery; only five out of every ten have confidence in national institutions (textual description).
  - Target improvements:
    - SCORE rating improvement: from 6.6 to 8.0.
    - SCORE rating for civic trust and coexistence improvement: from 5.2 to 7.0 (disaggregated by county, gender).

### Challenges to Sustaining Peace and Security
- Peace characterized more by absence of violence than by equitable access to opportunities and justice.
- Gaps in security forces’ ability to provide safety:
  - Absence of oversight and accountability mechanisms.
  - Capacity gaps, insufficient funding, and corruption.
  - Limited human capacity, poor ICT connectivity, limited access to electricity, and bad roads impede emergency response.
- Legislative and regulatory gaps:
  - Key legislations remain before the Liberia National Legislature for enactment.
  - Need for accompanying regulations and administrative instructions for:
    - Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency Act 2014.
    - Liberia Immigration Service Act 2015.
- Service centralization and inequitable distribution:
  - Concentration of educational, economic, justice, rule of law, and security personnel in Monrovia and surrounding areas.
  - Only one juvenile detention center and no dedicated facilities for women; all prisons operating well above capacity.
- Structural drivers of fragility:
  - Limited capacity of justice institutions, land tenure insecurity, inadequate numbers of public defenders, magistrates, courts, prisons, and rehabilitation centers.
  - High cost of access to justice (court fees, travel time/expenses) for impoverished Liberians.
  - Persistent political and economic exclusion and over-concentration of power that enable endemic corruption.
  - Continued division and extreme socio-economic inequalities that sustain fragility despite reforms.

### Goals and Development Outcomes (2018–2023)
- High-level GOAL: A more peaceful and unified society enabling economic transformation and sustainable development.
- Development outcomes:
  - Ending fragility and root causes of conflict: A society that embraces its triple heritage and guarantees space for all positive cultures to thrive.
  - Ensuring equal justice and human rights: A society where justice, rule of law and human rights prevail.
  - Strengthening national security and defence: Improved security service delivery nationwide with adequate capacity to deter and/or respond to security threats.
- Measurement and monitoring:
  - Use SCORE and the Social Cohesion and Reconciliation Index to gauge civic trust, coexistence, civic engagement, satisfaction with state service delivery, and reduction in violence.

### Interventions and Priorities
- Broad strategies:
  - Promote social cohesion objectives to create shared values, mitigate conflict, reduce income inequalities, and improve access to basic services and upward mobility.
  - Deconcentrate government services to strengthen confidence in state and local institutions and improve access to justice, rule of law, and security for the poor and vulnerable.
  - Targeted human and institutional capacity building for security, justice, and rule of law services.
- Reconciliation and social healing:
  - Follow through with Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations.
  - Implement the National Peacebuilding Plan and the Strategic Roadmap for Healing, Peacebuilding and Reconciliation.
  - Use reconciliation to mend relationships, address historical wrongs and structural root causes of conflict, and bridge social, economic, and political differences.
- Community-level and economic interventions:
  - Youth recovery and women’s empowerment programs focused on entrepreneurship and social, cultural and economic activities.
  - Palava and Peace Hut engagements restructured to provide conflict/atonement processes, mental health support, and awareness of national frameworks and economic opportunities.
  - Combine economic incentives with psychological counselling to promote group healing and improve inter-group harmony.
- Deconcentration and regional hubs:
  - Strengthen justice and security regional hubs targeting areas disproportionately affected by poverty and conflict.
  - Improve satisfaction with state service delivery via redistributed services.
- Cross-sector coordination:
  - Required coordination across Human Rights Commission, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Gender, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Agriculture, and Ministry of Education.

### Short-, Medium-, and Long-Term Priorities (selected targets)
- Target 1: SCORE rating improves from 6.6 to 8.0
  - Short-term: Review and implement Liberia Peace Building Plan and Strategic Roadmap for Healing, Peacebuilding and Reconciliation.
  - Mid-term: Revised national curriculum which includes peacebuilding and reconciliation; Youth recovery and women’s empowerment programs focused on entrepreneurship and social, cultural and economic activities.
  - Long-term: Reparations Trust Fund established; Community-based reparation program designed and implemented.
- Target 2: SCORE rating for civic trust and coexistence improves from 5.2 to 7.0 (disaggregated by county, gender)
  - Short-term: Deconcentrating security, justice, rule of law services using justice and security regional hubs mechanisms.
  - Mid-term: CSO/AID engagement strategy revised and implemented; Sports used as tool for peace and reconciliation for children, young men and women in and across communities.
  - Long-term: National Youth Service Program; Strengthen and scale-up community-based access to finance initiatives and community-based insurance schemes (for artisan cooperatives, community-based unions and private sector initiatives etc.).

*Source: 1lbrea2021002 - 3. Strengthening National*

### 3.5 to 6.0

### 3.5 to 6.0

### 4.2.2 Decreasing Violent Tendencies
- Conflict study (2016) mapped motivations and opportunities for peace; found feelings of disadvantage and marginalization were the leading motivation of those engaged in conflict behavior in all counties.
- Spatial overlap: counties with highest risk perception of existing and latent conflict coincide with counties with highest levels of absolute poverty.
  - Highest absolute poverty: River Gee, Maryland, Grand Kru; Bong also high.
  - Highest perceived risks of conflict: Grand Kru, Maryland, Bong; River Gee medium perceived risk.
- Perceived causes of conflict (conflict mapping exercise):
  - Land and property disputes: 57.8%
  - Corruption: 40%
  - Border/boundary disputes: 22.8%
  - “Corruption” used to express grievances about “the mismanagement of public funds and natural resources, reflected by the inequitable distribution of the benefits of said resources” and exclusionary decision-making.
- Urban-rural disparity in satisfaction with basic services:
  - Health care satisfaction: 49.6% (rural) versus 73.8% (urban)
  - Education satisfaction: 52.7% (rural) versus 75.4% (urban)
- Regional poverty rates:
  - Monrovia: 20.3 percent
  - South Central: 57.2 percent
  - North Western: 58.6 percent
  - North Central: 68.5 percent
  - South Eastern: 81.3 percent
- SGBV and aggression indicators (SCORE Index):
  - National SGBV rating: 1.8 (meaning 18 percent of those surveyed expressed tendencies towards committing SGBV)
  - County SGBV tendencies: Rivercess 39, Grand Gedeh 32, Sinoe 26, Grand Cape Mount 25 (percent)
- Pillar linkages to reduce conflict:
  - Pillar One: social protection (cash transfer programs) to decrease economic inequalities and improve education and health services.
  - Pillar Two: economic opportunities targeting regions most affected by absolute poverty.
  - Pillar Three: interventions to improve access to land rights and land tenure security (Land Rights Act recognition of customary communities).
  - Pillar Four: reduce corruption and improve state accountability to address perceived mismanagement of national resources.
- Conflict management priorities:
  - Use restructured Palava and Peace Hut engagements for conflict resolution, mental health training and group therapy for PTSD, and awareness of national frameworks suited to resolve serious crimes, particularly SGBV.
  - Table 4.3 outlines short-, medium-, and long-term priorities aimed at reducing conflict and decreasing violent tendencies.

- Hi-Level national targets (from Table 4.3):
  - SCORE Index rating for violent tendencies decreases from 1.9 to 0.5 (disaggregated by county, gender).
    - Especially targeting Grand Cape Mount (decrease from 4.0 to 1.0), Grand Gedeh (decrease from 3.0 to 1.0), River Cess (decrease from 2.7 to 0.5).
  - National average for tendencies towards SGBV decreases from 1.5 to 0.5 (disaggregated by county, gender).
    - Especially targeting Rivercess (decrease from 3.9 to 0.5), Grand Gedeh (decrease from 3.2 to 0.5), Grand Cape Mount (decrease from 2.5 to 0.1), Margibi and Lofa (decrease from 2.1 to 0.1).
  - National average for tendencies towards aggression in daily life decreasing from 2.7 to 1.0 (disaggregated by county, gender).
    - Especially targeting Grand Cape Mount (decreasing from 7.7 to 2.7), Grand Gedeh (decreasing from 4.0 to 2.7), Lofa (decreasing from 4.4 to 2.7).

- Short- and medium-term interventions (selected):
  - Develop conflict-sensitive national reconciliation policy based on county visions and plans; undertake 7 county reconciliation dialogues and organize phase II national conference on reconciliation.
  - Strengthen conflict Early Warning and early response System at county and district levels.
  - Leadership, non-violent communication and conflict mediation training program for youth.
  - Restructured Palava Hut engagements to address conflicts/atonement; mental health training for PTSD (group therapy); create awareness of national frameworks for serious crimes (particularly SGBV).
  - ADR through Palava Hut and other forums; County Peace Committees at district and county levels; address transitional justice issues in line with TRC recommendations.
  - Technical and human capacity building at the Liberia Land Authority to strengthen land administration processes.
  - Develop regulatory framework for the actualization of Liberia Land Authority Act and the Land Rights Act.
  - Implement the Land Rights Act, particularly customary land rights provision; improve land use planning and natural resource management frameworks to ensure fair distribution of benefits from natural resources.

### 4.3 Ensuring Access to Justice, Rule of Law and Human Rights

#### 4.3.1 Improved Satisfaction with Judicial System and Rule of Law
- Objective: prioritize formal and traditional justice systems to benefit the poor and marginalized and increase satisfaction with quality and outcomes of services.
- Judicial reform goals: strengthen court system at all levels across 16 Judicial Circuits (15 counties) to ensure access to justice and improve public confidence.
- Achievements over past fourteen years:
  - Infrastructure expansion rendering 242 courts functional.
  - Human resource capacity enhancement.
  - Development of a database management system for tracking jurors in the 16 Judicial Circuits.
  - Expansion of magisterial courts’ jurisdiction to trial jurisdiction over 116 categories of offenses.
  - Establishment of Liberia’s first Commercial Courts.
- Key constraints impeding the effective functioning of the Judiciary:
  1. Inadequate physical infrastructure and required human and logistical resources for Circuit, Magisterial, SGBV, and Juvenile Courts.
  2. Inadequate numbers of functional public defenders with logistical resources to increase representation in the 242 courts across the 15 counties.
  3. Lack of a case management policy and a digitized case management system to measure and improve performance.
  4. Limited public confidence in the ability of the courts to uphold the rule of law.
  5. Inadequate Juvenile Justice System.
  6. Short court terms that do not take into account the case burden of the current system.
  7. Lack of defined law for alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
  8. Inadequate jury management facilities across the 16 Judicial Circuits.
  9. Inadequate dissemination of court costs, fees, and fines schedules.
  10. Centralization of the office of the court administration, resulting in insufficient monitoring of local court administration, inspections, and reporting.
  11. Need for greater transparency of court fees and costs.

- Table 4.4 short-, medium-, long-term priorities (selected Hi-Level national targets and interventions):
  - Target: Increase from 69.1% to 85% the proportion of people that are satisfied with the quality of judicial system or rule of law available to their household (% of people satisfied and very satisfied, disaggregated by county, gender).
    - Short-term interventions: Implement transparency initiative clarifying court fees and costs; improve physical infrastructure for jury management facilities.
    - Mid-term interventions: Increase number and capacity of clerical staff, public defenders, and magisterial officers particularly targeting rural and vulnerable areas; coordinate with Palava Hut and Peace Hut engagements to create awareness of legal protections and national frameworks.
    - Long-term interventions: Construct, furnish, and equip physical infrastructure for outstanding Circuit, Magisterial, SGBV and Juvenile court facilities in three additional counties.
  - Target: Increase adjudication of cases rate from 50% to 75% annually.
    - Short-term interventions: Develop case management policy; increase term of court to allow adequate timeframe towards adjudication of cases.
    - Mid-term interventions: Digitize court systems beginning with the commercial courts.
    - Long-term interventions: Digitize specialized and magisterial courts; implement an effective case management system.

#### 4.3.2 Improving Access to Justice
- Progress over past 14 years:
  - Establishment of three Regional Justice and Security Hubs to improve security service delivery and access to justice.
  - Establishment of public service offices in eight counties as justice referral points.
  - Training of justice sector staff on fundamentals of child protection.
  - Improvements in services for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
  - Legal reforms via the Law Reform Commission, implementation of the National Law Reform Policy and the national legal aid scheme.
  - Civil society and private actors contributing to strengthening access to justice.
- Remaining constraints impeding equitable and equal access to justice:
  1. Inadequate access to statutory systems in rural areas due to insufficient numbers of police officers, prosecutors, judges, public defenders, and lawyers; dual statutory and traditional systems sometimes conflict; mistrust leads to underuse of statutory provisions.
  2. Lack of public confidence in the formal justice system, perceived as inaccessible and unreliable and favouring elites; perception exacerbated by rampant corruption.
  3. Excessive pre-trial detention: 64% of all those detained by the state have not been to trial; inadequate detention and rehabilitation facilities and an under-resourced judiciary are key causes.
  4. High prevalence of SGBV and HTP with a legacy of impunity from the civil war; more needed to reduce impunity and provide victim support.
  5. Insufficiently supported and adequate Alternative Dispute Mechanism Programs: ADR programs not sustainably resourced; ADR can help resolve disputes, mitigate conflict and reduce pre-trial detention.
  6. Insufficient consideration of special needs and rights of children:
    - Child justice program underfunded and under-resourced.
    - Diversion Program available in eight counties; absence elsewhere means juveniles are held in adult prisons.
    - Child Justice Program only available in seven counties; children in remaining eight counties do not have access to justice.

_Pro-Poor Agenda For Prosperity And Development — Excerpts from chapter content._

### 7. Consistency and Sustainability of Justice:  The justice

### 7. Consistency and Sustainability of Justice:  The justice

### System capacity and funding constraints
- The justice system suffers from chronic capacity constraints in basic infrastructure and material resources and acute shortages in human and financial resources.
- Several justice sector initiatives, including those related to juvenile justice and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), are funded by international partners and non-governmental organizations; when these funding sources are withdrawn, vulnerable Liberians are left with inadequate access to justice.

### Access to justice for women and vulnerable groups
- Women, especially in rural areas, face hurdles accessing justice, particularly for SGBV, exacerbated by lack of awareness that women’s rights are fundamentally human rights.
- The government will employ strategies to eliminate barriers preventing people from understanding and exercising their rights and to deliver fair outcomes, prioritizing the following strategies and interventions.

### Strategies to reduce pre-trial detention
- Develop and implement an effective case management system to decrease inefficiencies and expense of the justice system, increase adjudication rates and improve justice service delivery.
- Support ADR mechanisms, especially in rural areas with inadequate access to statutory systems.
- Pass and implement the criminal procedure bill.

### Strategies to improve access to justice for the poor and vulnerable
- Increase the number and capacity of public prosecutors, public defenders, legal aid practitioners, corrections officials, and social workers (especially female social workers) to improve service delivery in rural areas.
- Identify and fill critical gaps of human resource, infrastructure, quality service delivery, and logistical support financially for child justice initiatives to improve child justice and combat child trafficking.
- Educate the people of Liberia about the law and their fundamental rights.
- Provide mental health training for justice sector staff.

### Strategies to improve access to justice for women
- Strengthen justice sector SGBV initiatives.
- Pass the Domestic Violence Bill.
- Implement a women’s rights awareness campaign.

### Key national targets and related priorities (as presented)
- Increase from 69.1% to 85% the proportion of people that are satisfied with the quality of judicial system or rule of law available to their household (% of people satisfied and very satisfied, disaggregated by county, gender).
  - Short-term interventions include improving justice service delivery in rural areas by increasing numbers and capacity of justice personnel; harmonizing customary and statutory systems; educating the public about law and rights; identifying and filling gaps in human resources and infrastructure; investing in accountability and oversight mechanisms including the Professional Standards Division in the Liberia National Police and the Courts Inspectorate Unit in the Judiciary.
  - Medium-term and long-term interventions include building capacity among traditional justice systems to protect women’s legal rights and strengthening SGBV units of the Ministry of Justice and coordination with Ministry of Gender.
- Proportion of BCR detainees held without trial decreases from 65% to 20%.
  - Short-term measures include prioritizing legal aid and assistance to pre-trial detainees; put in place a plea-bargaining system; pass ADR law and policies.
  - Medium-term measures include supporting ADR mechanisms in rural areas; providing mental health training for justice sector staff and developing a referral program linked with health and social protection initiatives.
  - Long-term measures include building capacity in the probation and parole program; passing and implementing the criminal procedure bill.

### Human rights commitments, progress, and gaps
- Liberia is a founding member of the United Nations and since 1966 has signed and ratified almost all human rights treaties.
- Liberia has signed and ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
- Key legislative and policy steps:
  - Domesticated the CRPD in 2012; National Commission on Disabilities (NCD) designated Secretariat for CRPD; Government adopted a national strategy on CRPD implementation in 2013; Liberia signed the Optional Protocol to the CRPD and favourably considers its ratification.
  - Children’s Law passed in 2011.
  - Five-Year National Action Plan in the Fight Against Trafficking in Human Beings launched in 2014; National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force established.
  - Ministry of Health and Social Welfare placed a moratorium on international adoptions and submitted a proposed Child Adoption Act to the Legislature.
  - Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INRC) conducted trainings for rule of law and security officials and public awareness campaigns targeting traditional leaders and elders on harmful traditional practices.
- Constraints hindering effective human rights protection:
  - Weaknesses in administration of justice have led to excessive pre-trial detention and poor prison conditions.
  - Limited knowledge among duty-bearers and rights-holders reduces accountability.
  - Harmful traditional practices persist, including female genital mutilation (FGM), trial by ordeal, and accusations of witchcraft.

### Limited protection for specific vulnerable groups
- Children’s rights:
  - Trafficking of children continues; laws not properly enforced.
  - Impoverished and vulnerable children from rural Liberia are trafficked to cities, often exploited in street selling and commercial sexual exploitation instead of attending school.
- Women’s rights:
  - Article 11 guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms irrespective of sex, but institutional and legal protection for women’s rights are lacking.
  - No explicit definition of gender discrimination in the Constitution or Liberian legislation.
  - Liberia has not ratified the Optional Protocol on Violence Against Women.
  - Progress report highlights low quality of legal services (including for GBV survivors), under-representation of women in the justice sector, corruption, and lack of protection of women’s rights.
  - Liberia’s SCORE index ratings show tendencies towards sexual and gender-based violence are concerning.
- Rights of persons with disabilities:
  - Despite ratification of CRPD in 2012, persons with disabilities experience discrimination.
  - Primary, senior secondary and tertiary institutions lack necessary infrastructure to accommodate persons with physical or mental disabilities; health facilities often ill-equipped.

### Socio-economic rights challenges
- Access to health:
  - Access remains a challenge, especially in rural communities and for patients with special needs; health facilities are distant and road conditions worsen access.
- Right to education:
  - Education is not readily available and accessible for all; quality often depends on finances with private schools generally providing higher quality than state institutions.
- Right to housing:
  - Threatened by land grabbing and environmental degradation such as coastal erosion and flooding.

### Human rights policy priorities and targets
- All interventions will emphasize a human rights approach to sustainable development.
- Government intends to provide some form of income security to an additional one million Liberians over the next six years through sustained and inclusive growth, dependent on enjoyment of socio-economic rights.
- Tabled national targets (selected):
  - Increase from 69.1% to 85% of people satisfied with the quality of judicial system or rule of law available to their household.
  - Liberia’s compliance with International, Regional and National Human Rights Obligations and reporting on implementation is improved by 80%.
- Short-term interventions to improve socio-economic human rights include implementing social protection initiatives on health and education.
- Medium-term and long-term interventions include cash transfers focusing on rights of women and vulnerable groups, passing and implementing the Land Rights Act to improve land tenure security.
- Strengthening policy framework for human rights protection includes developing and implementing a New Human Rights Action Plan (2019-2023) to outline government priorities and ensure better coordination between duty-bearers.
- Strengthening women’s access to justice includes fostering specialisation across the justice chain to handle complex SGBV cases, sensitisation of justice and security personnel on rights and needs of women and girls, and monitoring and reporting on UPR recommendations and treaty reporting (including updating submission of annual reports on CEDAW, CAT and UN1325).

### Security sector capacity and challenges
- Objective: ensure security services are available nationwide, including to the most vulnerable and hardest-to-reach areas, and that security forces remain professional and responsive.
- Capacity shortfall: United Nations recommends on average of one police officer for every 450 citizens; the Liberian police force has roughly 1 police officer for every 849 persons.
- Security sector capacity gaps are prevalent across agencies and infrastructural capacities.
- Identified challenges:
  1. Poor infrastructure: inadequate facilities, limited road connectivity, inadequate access to electricity, limiting deconcentration of services and rapid emergency response.
  2. Inadequate oversight and supervision: insufficient mechanisms to monitor enforcement/adherence to rules and regulations and inadequate redress mechanisms for complaints.
  3. Inadequate specialised capacity building: lack of training on mental health, terrorism, and transnational organized crimes including financial crimes.
  4. Undue political interference: influence from politically connected and powerful actors constrains impartial service delivery.
  5. Limited ICT infrastructure and training: hampers information sharing and crime/conflict prevention.
- Government response: strengthen and implement policies, provide targeted training, improve infrastructure, and deconcentrate services (e.g., through community policing) to improve personal security and create a secure environment for economic development.

_Italic: Content derived from "7. Consistency and Sustainability of Justice: The justice" (Pro-Poor Agenda For Prosperity And Development)._

### Part IV of this document.

### Part IV — Pillar Four: Governance and Transparency

### Improving Security Service Delivery
- Based 5,545 Police officers (MOJ 2017) to population of 4,243,476 (LISGIS 2008) 4.5
- High-level national targets and interventions (short-, mid-, long-term):
  - Target: 110% reduction in violent crimes
    - Short-term interventions:
      - Strengthening community policing initiatives;
      - Strengthening County and District Security Councils;
      - Strengthening operational capacity of the security sector;
      - Decentralizing hotline support at a county and district level with the aim of reducing response times, reduce crime, and mitigate and deescalate conflict;
      - Harmonizing salary, allowances and entitlements of Security Sector.
    - Mid-term interventions:
      - Improving security services delivery outside Monrovia by deconcentrating training and recruitment and improving existing structures for training outside of Monrovia — targeting five areas most affected by conflict and crime including SGBV.
    - Long-term interventions:
      - (Implicit continuation of decentralization, harmonization, and capacity strengthening).
  - Target: Increase from 69.4% to 85% the proportion of people that are satisfied with their protection against crime/their safety (% of people satisfied and very satisfied disaggregated by county, gender).
    - Short-term interventions:
      - Improving legal, regulatory and policy framework for security sector by: Passing Public Safety Bill, Bureau of Correction Bill, Fire Service Bill; Drafting and enacting law for medical examiner office; Reviewing and domesticating Arms-Trade Treaty.
    - Mid-term interventions:
      - Improving capacity of security sector personnel through: Targeted capacity development and training for security sector personnel.
    - Long-term interventions:
      - Targeted and specialized recruitment for security sector personnel; Professionalizing the security sector and improving oversight and disciplinary mechanisms.
  - Recurrent interventions to support targets:
    - Improving capacity of the Armed Forces of Liberia Engineering Unit used to build necessary physical infrastructure for security services as a means of improving service delivery, improving the image of the security services, and preventing conflict.
    - Developing fully funded maintenance initiatives for the upkeep of existing equipment, human capital, and physical infrastructure;
    - Increase proportion of security sector budget dedicated to maintenance.

### The Current State of Governance
- Liberia transitioned from a failed to a recovering state supported by: security sector reform (SSR); rebuilding of the civil service; instituting rule of law to a good measure; and achieving macroeconomic stability.
- Decentralization efforts to date:
  - Establishment of a decentralization policy followed by a Local Government Law.
  - Under the policy: 15 service centers and 4 pilot county treasuries were established.
  - Appropriations and contributions by central government and private corporations supported County Development and Social Development Funds for locally-driven initiatives.
  - Service centers intended to deconcentrate government services away from Monrovia.
- Public-sector modernization and administrative tools:
  - A Public-Sector Modernization Program is being implemented to standardize civil service conditions, harmonize employment processes, cleanup payrolls, and review mandates and functions.
  - The National Identification Registry (NIR) was established for biometric registration to cleanup government payrolls and improve election data integrity.
- Economic governance and integrity institutions established or revamped:
  - Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), General Auditing Commission (GAC), Internal Audit Agency (IAA), Public Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC), Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI), National Bureau of Concessions (NBC).
  - Rollout of PFM instruments and systems: PFM Law, Public Procurement Law, IFMIS, IPSAS, ASYCUDA, Standard Integrated Government Tax Administration System (SIGTAS), Tax Administration System (TAS), and a PPCC database.

### Key Governance Challenges
- Centralization and mandate fragmentation:
  - A high degree of centralization in the CMA’s, and fragmented or overlapping mandates and functions, impede effective service delivery and create bottlenecks for basic services at local levels.
  - Local project implementation often misaligned with execution due to political influence; projects sometimes driven by political and elitist interest rather than local community needs.
- Infrastructure and capacity gaps:
  - Variability in capacity of personnel at service centers to execute customers’ requests.
  - The single window for multiple services is inadequate for the range of services (driver licensing, vehicle registration, marriage licenses, birth registrations, business registration, etc.).
- Public sector reform limitations:
  - Full implementation of the public-sector modernization plan remains a challenge due to shifts in civil service entries, grades, and functions.
  - Overlapping job descriptions, unclear functions, and organizational structures persist across the public sector.
- State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs):
  - Effective governance of SOEs remains a challenge: operations opaque, nearly all inefficient, heavily reliant on government and donors for operational support and subsidies.
  - Four SOE’s accounted for 65 percent of operating revenues in FY2016/17 while five absorbed 50 percent of all subventions and grants.
- Public Financial Management and accountability:
  - Implementation of the PFM Act remains a major challenge.
  - Only 50 percent (34 of 68) of spending entities are compliant with the implementation of IFMIS, IPSAS, procurement and other PFM instruments.
  - Only 13 out of 68 MACs utilize financial management tools or software for effective tracking of budgets, expenditure, or disbursements.
  - About 75 percent of the MACs are fully audited (internal and external) and the audit recommendations have been submitted to the National Legislature; however, it can take up to a year for needed actions to be initiated, if at all.
- Natural resource governance:
  - Serious weaknesses in capacity of responsible institutions to track and ensure more equitable shares from exploitation of national wealth.

### Development Outcomes and Targets (to 2023 and 2030)
- Pillar Four’s contribution to PAPD development goals:
  - Directly supports building a peaceful, stable, and inclusive nation through political and economic governance.
- Specific development outcomes by 2023:
  - A reformed public sector exhibiting improved fiscal discipline and service delivery, and a rebalance in the concentration of economic and political activities away from Monrovia.
  - Improvement in natural resource governance.
  - More robust structures reducing waste and other systemic losses in the operations of Ministries, Agencies, and Commissions.
  - Universal migration to ICT platforms and wider adoption of e-government to improve processes and productivity.
- Strategic foci going forward:
  - Deepening fiscal transference, strengthening local administrative capacity for public service delivery, and elections reform (political governance).
  - Improving SOE governance for more effective service delivery, better financial management, improved procurement, and reduction of subsidy dependence (economic governance).
  - Passage and acceleration of the Land Rights Act and ensuring full functionality of the Land Authority to improve land security and productive land use.
- Alignment with SDGs and Agenda 2063 (selected):
  - SDG goals cited: Goal 1; Goal 5; Goal 9; Goal 11; Goal 15; Goal 16; Goal 17.
  - Agenda 2063 aspirations cited: Aspiration 2; Aspiration 3; Aspiration 6; Aspiration 7.

### Key Strategies and Policy Commitments
- Government commitments to build a more capable state:
  1. A radical shift to fiscal and administrative deconcentration and strengthening local governance capacity for service delivery by increasing the capacity of the service centers and aligning the plans of the CDFs and SDFs with pro-poor interventions.
  2. Piloting the concept of sustainable cities in five selected cities with emphasis on urban renewal around informal settlements and city planning and zoning; waste reduction, reuse, and recycling; and expansion in public water, sanitation, and hygiene resources.
  3. Institutional strengthening and capacity building for nurturing responsible leaders.
  4. Improved and aggressive fiscal frameworks and instruments (e-government via IFMIS) to increase revenue and minimize corruption.
  5. A flexible and more robust tax system – SIGTAS, TAS, & ASYCUDA, to strengthen revenue collection that can foster growth and social development.

*Part IV — Pillar Four: Governance and Transparency (excerpt).*

### 6. Strengthening   and   implementation   of   current   legal,

### 6. Strengthening   and   implementation   of   current   legal, institutional and regulatory framework to induce private sector-led economic growth.

### 5.2 Building a More Capable State — Expanding Public Sector Capacity and Delivery
- Priorities:
  - Enact provisions of the Local Government Law to provide legal framework for empowering local administrative structures.
  - Over the next five years, enable local government to participate more effectively in some level of budgetary and financial processes.
- County Service Centers (CSC):
  - Improve operational capacity of the 15 County Service Centers by increasing service outlets and building personnel capacity to accelerate services.
  - Strengthen existing service centers through man-power development to increase access to services.
  - Increase the number of county treasuries to cover all the 15 counties to make fiscal services affordable and accessible at the local level.
  - Review implementation of SDFs and CDFs to focus on interventions that benefit the most deprived areas of the county.
- Public-sector/civil service reform:
  - Complete public-sector modernization project to standardize civil service employment, clean payrolls, and review mandates and functions across the public sector.
  - Improve competitiveness and equity in civil service pay levels and ensure incentive-based rewards tied to performance and productivity.
  - Link the National Identification Registry (NIR) database with key MACs for payroll cleaning and biometric information for all civil and public servants.
  - Expand autonomy of the Civil Service Agency (CSA) by revising legal framework to establish the Civil Service Commission (CSCm) with greater independence to roll out individual and institutional performance management across MACs.
  - Deploy a user-friendly e-government platform across MACs supporting record management, Personnel Action Notices (PAN) processing, performance appraisals, regular citizen survey, and civil service testing.
- SOE reform:
  - Develop an SOE Act/policy including targets on efficiencies, fiscal management, standardized percentage SOE’s contribution to government, and sustainability.
  - Enforce International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) for SOEs to link reporting with budget harmonization, performance monitoring, financial statements, and performance trends.
  - Include strategies to strengthen Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in infrastructure, agriculture, health and education.
- Nurturing responsible leadership:
  - Invest in Human Capacity Development and mentorship for high-level and mid-level personnel.
  - Develop a specific program on capacity building and knowledge management for middle and senior-level cadres of the civil service.
  - Improve alignment of LIPA services to civil service/public sector capacity building priorities.
  - Establish an independent Civil Service Commission (CSCm) with autonomy to implement modernization objectives (standardizing civil service employment, cleaning payroll, reviewing mandates and functions).
- Natural resource tenure and environment:
  - Accelerate rollout of the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) to consolidate land-related functions, strengthen land tenure security and improve land information management.
  - Develop a comprehensive urban land policy to address growing informality.
  - Review approaches to acquire, survey, and map concession lands to ensure communities with existing tenure receive maximum benefit.
  - Mainstream environment issues: awareness on climate change, environmental degradation, natural resource management and biodiversity; LEITI and EPA to increase access to environmental information and harmonize legal instruments; EPA to lead monitoring and evaluation of environmental impacts and ensure environmental impact assessment of public and private projects.
- Sustainable Cities Initiative:
  - Pilot sustainable cities in five cities: Monrovia, Paynesville, Gbarnga, Buchanan, and Ganta.
  - Objectives: holistic planning, balance social and economic needs, sanitation, environmental conservation, and administrative autonomy to foster economic growth.
  - Initial interventions: revenue and cost-sharing with national government (real estate tax enforcement, zoning, city ordinances), eventual organization of local elections of mayors and councils.
  - Support decentralization: new fiscal arrangements of the LRA regarding real estates and local taxes/fees within the five piloted cities, supported by county treasuries.
  - Support Paynesville City Corporation (PCC) cities alliances initiative; potential extension to other cities.

- Framework target examples (Table 5.2 highlights):
  - By 2023, Increase service delivery from 22% to 50% through County Service Centers (CSC).
  - By 2023, improve overall service delivery and wage bill management in the Public Sector by 20% of its current capacity.
  - Short-term interventions include strengthening existing centers, programs around citizens’ participation, and deconcentration through placement of public services in proximity to citizens.
  - Medium- and long-term interventions include rollout of individual and institutional performance management systems across MACs; e-government initiatives; PFM legislation amendments on SOEs; PFM Law and supporting HRM and fiscal management tools; Revision of the CSA Legal Framework for transition to the CSCm.

### 5.3 Reducing Corruption
- Context and commitment:
  - Transparency International (2017) ranked Liberia 122 out of 180 countries with a 26% increase in corruption from 0.37. In 2012, Liberia ranked 75 of 174 countries.
  - Government commits to attain the 2012 ranking or above by improving anti-corruption indicators: free speech, independent media, political dissent, open and engaged civil society, and openness in government budgeting and public procurement.
- Measures to reduce corruption:
  - Strengthen financial and procurement management systems and instruments including the PFM Law, IFMIS, SIGTAS, TAS, ASYCUDA and the PPCC laws.
  - Complete audits and implement audit recommendations to deter corrupt and fraudulent practices.
  - Strengthen LACC (Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission) with human resource capacity and tools and review its mandate to enable investigation and prosecution; assess need for a fast-track anti-corruption court.
- Specific anti-corruption measures the government commits to implement:
  1. Periodic audits of all government institutions and full implementation of all recommendations to strengthen controls and reduce corruption.
  2. Utilization of e-procurement to improve efficiencies, foster transparency, reduce recurring costs and automate processes.
  3. Mandate review of the LACC to give direct prosecutorial power to quickly investigate and prosecute corruption cases.
  4. Establishment of a fast-track anti-corruption court to speedily prosecute corruption cases.
  5. Passage of the Whistleblower Protection Act to encourage more Liberians to freely report issues of corruption.
  6. Full implementation of the Code of Conduct including Ombudsman for enforcement.
  7. Full implementation of the Freedom of Information Law (FOI) for openness in government processes relating to budgeting, procurement and expenditure.

### 5.3.1 Improving Fiscal Discipline, Reducing Waste, and Systemic Losses
- Improved tax administration:
  - Adopt a domestic resource mobilization strategy to increase tax revenue and minimize tax fraud.
  - Key initiatives: direct bank transfer tax payment system for all domestic taxes; electronic single window system for international/cross-border trade; Electronic Cash Register for GST administration.
  - Transition Goods and Services Tax (GST) to Value-added Tax (VAT) to scale up revenue base.
  - Improve monitoring systems for revenue collection, tax education, manpower strength through fiscal decentralization and full implementation of tax laws.
- PFM effectiveness:
  - Amend the current Public Financial Management (PFM) Act and expand use of the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMIS) for budgeting, fiscal management, budget control, financial oversight, financial controls, revenue mobilization, and transparency in procurement, budgeting and public expenditure.
  - IFMIS is currently deployed on 55 of the 107 MACs; target is deployment to an additional 15 MACs by 2023 to make a total of 70.
- Strengthening anti-corruption and integrity institutions:
  - Work with partners to strengthen the National Code of Conduct, pass the Corrupt Offense and Whistleblower Acts, consider a fast-track corruption court, and increase LACC functional mandates to have direct prosecutorial powers.
  - Build capacity of LEITI, NBC, and other anti-graft institutions to monitor forest management, agricultural concessions, mineral concessions and fisheries.
- E-governance and ICT:
  - Mainstream ICT through expansion of e-governance services and automation to minimize human inputs.
  - Integrate and interface IFMIS with PFM databases including project management modules, budget management, Commonwealth Secretariat’s Debt Recording and Management System (CS-DRM), e-procurement system, CBL transaction on behalf of MFDP, and Tax Administration System (TAS).
  - Benefits: enhance tax revenue, budget management, support NBR/NIR, support e-procurement, asset management and elections systems.
- National Biometric Registry (NBR):
  - Work with partners on enhancements to the NBR.
  - Current status: 22,312 individuals representing 0.5% of the current population have been inputted in the National Biometric database.
  - Target: 50% inputs by 2023; will require funding, institutional and manpower development, and infrastructure.
  - NIR deployment can reduce duplicate/triplicate registrations and support election reform and data integrity.
- Asset management:
  - Develop an automated asset management system for tracking, assessment, updating, and retirement of government assets.
  - Current asset management is flawed, manual, with registry and tracking errors; review framework regarding retirement of assets for equitable outcomes.

- Short- to long-term priorities and targets (Table 5.3 highlights):
  - By 2023, strengthen e-governance via ICT to:
    - Increase revenue generation by 10% per annum from 14% of GDP;
    - Increase financial transaction via IFMIS from 48% (50/104) to 65% (70/107) by FY2022/2023;
    - Increase citizens and residents’ registration in the national biometric database from 0.5% (22,312) to 50%, and link database with 4 key MACs;
    - Deploy e-procurement system linked with IFMIS to 50 MACs.
  - By 2023, reduction by 50% from its current position the number of land dispute cases through surveying, mapping, rollout of the Land Rights Act, and improved land administration and management.
  - By 2023, increase total number of cases persecuted by LACC, through MoJ, from 6 to 30 via strengthening LACC capacity, asset declaration and verification programs, formation of integrity clubs, and mandate review to give prosecutorial powers; longer term includes establishment of a fast-track anti-corruption court and passage of the Whistleblower Protection Act.

_Pro-Poor Agenda For Prosperity And Development — Chapter excerpt: 6. Strengthening and implementation of current legal, institutional and regulatory framework to induce private sector-led economic growth._

### 6.1   Introduction

### 6.1   Introduction

### Overview
- This section of the NDP presents the implementation and coordination arrangement for delivery of the PAPD.
- The PAPD draws on lessons learnt and builds upon coordination and implementation mechanisms developed under previous NDP’s to develop a results-driven, efficient, and effective implementation framework.
- The implementation framework:
  - combines the planning and coordination of interventions;
  - clarifies the roles of MACs, Pillars and Technical Working Groups and other implementing structures; and
  - presents strategies to effectively mitigate risks and potential challenges.
- The framework is intended to guide management of the PAPD and to be used as a tool for coordination and as a reference for monitoring and evaluation.

### Anticipated Challenges to Implementation Effectiveness
- Transitioning to sweeping new ways of doing government business will face major challenges; multiple layers of stakeholders tend to capture the development agenda and create emergencies with intent to bend high-level choices towards areas of self-interest.
- Capacity challenges remain despite improved state institutions, including:
  - poor work environment (appropriate office space, equipment, reliable access to electricity and ICT); and
  - difficulty translating a high-level time-sensitive NDP into actionable plans at the pillar, sector, regional, and institutional levels.
- Liberia’s public administration culture does not encourage innovation; front-line administrators remain focused on activities undertaken rather than outcomes produced.
- Monitoring and accountability functions (monitoring and evaluation, audits, public expenditure reviews) risk politicization rather than being used to take corrective actions.
- The Mid-Term Review of the AfT found significant variance in approved vs. actual spending in the national budget, explained by:
  - inability of sector institutions to utilize budget allocations because of institutional weaknesses;
  - poor activity and procurement planning; and
  - unmet pre-conditions to the use of allocated funds.
- Low-skilled labor force limitations will not dissipate overnight and will continue to affect implementation.
- Transition in administration and changes in leadership could affect institutional memory and knowledge retention, potentially contributing to delays in delivery of the 120 targets of the PAPD; this is expected to be offset by strategic placement of a new corps of leaders focused on future possibilities.

### Migration to a Multi-Sectoral and Integrated Approach
- The multi-sectoral approach will leverage investments of government, private, and ODA actors to deliver development outcomes and will cover the full range of policy actions, strategies, and investment decisions going forward.
- Given implementation limitations, initial investments focus on infrastructure projects and human capital.
- The multi-sectoral approach will begin with efforts to justify, match, and arrange investments in roads and other infrastructure with new training initiatives and labor force development.
- Regulatory improvements for FDI will be accompanied by efforts to boost domestic production and empower micro, small, and medium sized enterprises to take advantage of government procurement and regional integration opportunities.
- Future education investments will be tailored to skills needed for jobs likely to be generated in priority development corridors; TVET locations and curricula will be decided based on fit to industries, trade, and agricultural production in a development corridor.
- Health delivery services placement will consider domestic trade patterns (which weekly markets feed into which daily markets).
- Social protection investments (social grants, school feeding, maternity grants, etc.) will be used to stimulate local markets; government will intervene in certain circumstances to accelerate effective demand.
- The Pro-Poor approach will progressively introduce multi-sectoralism as existing sector strategic plans expire; subsequent sector policies and strategic plans must analyze cross-sector effects, prioritize, and plan with increased attention to specific target groups and regions.
- The integrated approach will draw together multiple goals or packages for projects to be delivered to specific target populations or geographic regions.

### Development Corridors and Special Economic Zones (SEZ)
- Social Development Funds used as Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives over the past decade have had very limited impact on reducing inequality in access to basic education and health.
- Liberia continues to have a high risk and cost of doing business profile; the likelihood of attracting more capable and less speculative FDI partners is high.
- Compliance monitoring and evaluation of existing concession agreements is difficult due to limited capacity for analysis and monitoring in Concession Granting Entities and the National Bureau of Concessions (NBC); NBC needs capacity building and training to be effective.
- Development corridors will be the key domestic strategy for managing negative effects of ‘Dutch Disease’ or ‘economic enclaves’ and to exploit stranded potential along routes created by MDA’s and ACA’s.
- Special Economic Zones (SEZ), linked to resource enclaves created by the 36 existing and future concessions, will be used to exploit collateral opportunities through published plans and consultations with private investors across sectors on major new public investment projects.
- SEZs will initially boost competitiveness of agricultural and forestry sectors through value addition and mitigate impact of depletion of non-renewable natural resources.
- Road and other infrastructure development will be prioritized to form physical corridors for implementing integrated and multi-sectoral spatial development approaches; improving access to all regions of the country through all-weather roads will be the enabler in the context of the PAPD.

### Implementation and Coordination Framework — Structures and Roles
- The commitments of the PAPD will be delivered primarily using four interconnected complementary structures:
  - i) The National Steering Committee (NSC)
  - ii) an Implementation, Coordination and Delivery Unit (ICDU)
  - iii) Pillar Working Groups (PWG)
  - iv) Technical Working Groups (TWG)
- Efforts of these structures will be complemented by Development Partners, and by private and civil society actors.
- A Multi-sectoral Planning Working Group (MSPWG) will support the ICDU to coordinate selection and sequencing of interventions along priority corridors.
- Figure 6.1 illustrates the implementation framework.

Subsections and key responsibilities:
- PAPD National Steering Committee (NSC)
  - Will replace the Liberia Development Alliance (LDA).
  - Apex level coordination and decision-making body; smaller body chaired by the President of the Republic of Liberia.
  - Membership: the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Representatives of five key Development Partners, and Champions of the four pillars.
  - Able to hold meetings more frequently, respond more rapidly, and make substantive decisions more easily.
  - Responsible for overall management and coordination of the PAPD, promotion of the two overall national goals of the PAPD, review of financial and program reports, ensuring alignment of government interventions with the national agenda.
  - Tasked with ensuring MACs undertake their responsibilities to guarantee attainment of national targets within agreed timelines and ensuring timely and effective provisioning of needed resources within the MTEF.

- Cabinet
  - Provides guidance on policies and priorities affecting PAPD implementation.
  - With assistance from the ICDU, will monitor attainment of goals, national targets, and strategic objectives by periodically assessing PAPD progress and results in accordance with the Results Framework.
  - Facilitates effective inter-institutional coordination and collaboration to improve participation of public and private sector actors directly involved in implementation.

- Implementation, Coordination and Delivery Unit (ICDU)
  - Integral to administration and coordination of the PAPD; secretariat to the NSC and the PWG.
  - Responsible for general coordination and monitoring of the PAPD.
  - Provides support to and follows up with MACs and other key stakeholders to ensure timely implementation of agreed PAPD strategies and activities.
  - Works with the NSC, the Cabinet, and the MSPWG to monitor interventions and ensure compliance with strategic goals.
  - Works with Pillar Champions to plan for and manage PWG and TWG meetings.
  - Responsible for preparing periodic progress reports and other supporting documentation on PAPD implementation.

- Multi-Sectoral Planning Working Group (MSPWG)
  - Comprised of heads of Planning Departments of all MACs and representatives of County Development Committees.
  - Primary function: review sector plans, strategies, and interventions; identify linkages and synergies; improve coordination and prevent duplication of efforts.
  - Works closely with the ICDU to advise the Cabinet and ensure accountability amongst MACs for harmonization of PAPD components.

- Pillar Working Groups (PWG) and Technical Working Groups (TWG)
  - Each pillar led by a Champion who convenes quarterly meetings to deliberate on progress and agree on resource requirements from a multi-sectoral perspective.
  - PWG membership comprises cabinet ministers (or designates) and others by invitation.
  - Twelve TWG comprised of experts and specialists from Ministries, Agencies, and Commissions (MACs) will support the pillars.
  - TWGs ensure participation of multiple stakeholders to advise public planning, ensure wide-ranging buy-in, and disseminate information during implementation.
  - Civil Society Actors, Development Partners, County Development Committee Representatives, and Private Actors play advisory roles within TWGs.
  - In coordination with ICDU, TWG’s undertake strategic and operations planning activities including development of strategic plans and financial projections.

- Regional Coordination and County Development Committees (CDC)
  - CDCs ensure proposed interventions and plans incorporate regional needs and realities.
  - CDC members provide regional experience and technical know-how to plans developed by Pillar and Technical Working Groups.
  - Inclusion in advisory capacity aims to ensure implementation and monitoring of development outcomes and resource requirements are viewed from a regional perspective.
  - Participation helps CDCs improve selection, design, and implementation of local county projects.

- Development Partners (DP)
  - Continue to provide integral support to MACs in discharging responsibilities.
  - Represented at a higher level via a designated representative within the NSC and at working group levels.
  - Play an advisory role consistent with their own country assistance priorities.

- Private Sector
  - Coordination with private for-profit and non-profit actors is integral to realizing PAPD outcomes.
  - Private actors will have advisory roles in TWGs and will support direct implementation of interventions.
  - Inclusion encourages coordinated efforts and synergies in investments, particularly in priority regions and development corridors.

- Civil Society
  - Participates in PAPD implementation via invited attendance at TWG meetings.
  - Provides input at pillar level to coordinate efforts and mitigate duplication of interventions.

- Oversight and coordination summary
  - PWGs, TWGs and ICDU are responsible for coordination and implementation of the NDP.
  - Public-private partnerships will enable private sector contributions to Plan implementation.
  - DPs, private sector actors, civil society actors and CDCs provide technical and advisory support.
  - Oversight and decision making are responsibilities of the NSC and Cabinet.
- Government commits to continuing engagement with bilateral and multilateral development partners to produce PAPD outcomes and to transparency in accounting for all revenue and expenditure in keeping with the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act of 2009.
- The objective is to integrate ODA into the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework (MTFF) more meaningfully—on plan, budget, appropriation, treasury, procurement, accounting, reporting, and audits.

*Source: 1lbrea2021002 - 6.1   Introduction (https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/cr/2021/english/1lbrea2021002.pdf)*

### Section 8 (1)National Budget should be prepared in the context of a medium-term fiscal framework for purposes of achievi

### Section 8 (1)National Budget should be prepared in the context of a medium-term fiscal framework for purposes of achieving national objectives over a multi-year period

### Legal and institutional requirements for aid integration
- Section 8 (1): National Budget should be prepared in the context of a medium-term fiscal framework for purposes of achieving national objectives over a multi-year period.
- Section 9 (2): National Budget shall, to the extent of the availability of reliable data, include all donor financing provided directly to the Budget.
- Section 12 (1)(g): An Annex identifying, in summary form, all donor financing, distinguishing financing in support of central government from other external financing.
- Section 30 (1): All spending entities shall fully disclose all information related to donor funding not channeled through the national budget.
- Section 35 (3): The accounting regulations shall also include specific rules and standards for the accounting of all donor funded assistance provided to the government not channeled through the government's accounting system.
- Section 36: Quarterly reporting requirements.

### Rationale for integrating ODA into the MTFF
- Integrating ODA into the MTFF will ensure comprehensiveness of fiscal information to improve the link between policy, planning, and budgeting across the whole of government institutions and priority sectors.
- Integration aims to:
  - Ensure priorities identified in the PAPD drive choices made in country partnership strategies during planning and annual budget priorities.
  - Improve fiscal discipline, strategic prioritization, and efficiency in the use of all public resources.
  - Fully recognize and anticipate future funding obligations, especially counterpart or recurrent costs of ongoing projects shouldered by donors.
  - Increase the likelihood of achieving long-term targets.

### Aid modality trends (Fiscal Years 2012/2013 to 2015/2016)
- Table summary (Aid Modality — Percent):
  - Budget support: FY2012/2013 to FY2014/2015 = 14.4; FY2015/2016 = 12.2
  - Pool Fund: FY2012/2013 to FY2014/2015 = 1.4; FY2015/2016 = 1.0
  - Off Budget Aid (Implementation Units/DP executed): FY2012/2013 to FY2014/2015 = 77.0; FY2015/2016 = 77.1
  - Trust Fund: FY2012/2013 to FY2014/2015 = 7.2; FY2015/2016 = 9.8
  - TOTAL: FY2012/2013 to FY2014/2015 = 100.0; FY2015/2016 = 100.0
- Key observations:
  - Only 12.2 percent of aid flowed through budget support in FY2015/2016—a decline of 2.2 percent over the average of the preceding periods.
  - Approximately 55 percent of aid flowing through budget support was grant funding; the remainder (45%) took the form of loan financing or Fixed Amount Reimbursement Agreement (FARA).

### Partnership and aid management commitments (PAPD)
- Government intends to:
  - Put forward an updated aid management policy in line with the requirements of the 2009 PFM Act.
  - Revise the partnership policy for nonprofit organizations.
  - Reach agreement on a mutual accountability framework to maximize the impact of ODA on the national development agenda.
- Key features of the mutual accountability framework:
  1. Harmonized multi-year calendar of action with major bilateral and multilateral partners, including:
     - Bi-Annual Joint pillar reviews based on consensus on the review mechanism
     - Annual budget support/aid modality reviews
     - Common Assessment Frameworks
  2. Establishment of three dialogue platforms:
     - Membership of the PAPD National Steering Committee
     - Membership of the Pillar Working Groups
     - Participation in Technical Working Group Events
  3. Commitments against the guiding principles of the Paris Declaration

### PAPD financing overview (7.0 and 7.1)
- Financing sources: domestic resources mobilization (revenue and domestic debt), foreign support (loans and grants), domestic private sector investment and foreign direct and portfolio investments, and public/private partnerships.
- More than half (59%) will come from enhanced domestic resource mobilization efforts and new borrowing for infrastructure projects.
- Historical/contextual points:
  - Post-EVD period saw stagnating revenue growth and domestic debt which was around 14% and 10% of GDP respectively.
  - Donor transfers and grants declined from 60% to 20% and from 5% to 2% of GDP respectively.
  - Debt (external and domestic) rose significantly; net remittance flows registered net outflows in 2013.

### Resource envelope (optimistic macro-fiscal outlook)
- Total anticipated revenue and grants: slightly more than US$5.2 billion (Table 7.1).
- Projected composition over FY2018/19–FY2022/23:
  - Approximately US$2.8 billion from revenue activities.
  - Approximately US$2.4 billion in funding through multiple aid modalities.
  - Composition: 53 percent from government sources and 47 percent through grants.
- Domestic revenue projection: rise from 13.2 to 15.2 percent of GDP.
- Borrowing: Up to an additional US$1 billion will be borrowed bringing the total anticipated resource envelope to US$6.2 billion.
- Table 7.1 (Estimates of the Resource Envelope (US$ millions)):
  - Current / Projected columns provided for FY2018/19 to FY2022/23 and FY2018/19-2022/23 totals:
    - Domestic revenue: 430, 446, 479, 511, 560, 2,426
    - Other revenue: 626, 374, 809, 237, 1
    - Grants: 503, 513, 494, 469, 462, 2,441
    - Total revenue: 994, 1,022, 1,047, 1,060, 1,115, 5,238

### Domestic Resource Mobilization (DRM)
- Objective: raise domestic revenue from slightly more than 12 percent to between 15.2 percent and possibly 18 percent of GDP.
- DRM priorities:
  1. Revenue Mobilization:
     - Greater effectiveness and efficiency in tax system through expanded access to tax administration services and increased use of revenue raising technology
     - Strengthened Legal Infrastructure for taxation
     - Macroeconomic stability including more accountable and transparent public expenditure management
     - Strengthened public confidence in tax system to enhance voluntary tax compliance
     - Establishment of an automated and taxpayer-centered Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management Framework for revenue administration
  2. Turning tax discount into tax premium sectors
  3. Mobilization of private resources:
     - Financial deepening through introduction of new money and capital markets, institutions and instruments
  4. Donor engagement in DRM through technical assistance and funding of infrastructure in the initial years of DRM implementation
- Headline risks inhibiting revenue growth:
  - Low human and institutional capacity including weak enforcement of tax laws and low technological use
  - A large informal sector
  - Prevalent corruption
  - Capital flight through illicit resource outflows

### Revenue collection scenarios
- Optimistic scenario:
  - Paradigm shift in tax expenditures and MSM taxpayer base expansion would yield up to an estimated additional revenue of 82% of annual average revenue of the past six years and 18% of 2017 GDP.
- Conservative scenario:
  - Estimated additional revenue of 57% of the yield of the past six years and 12.5% of 2017 GDP.
- Compromise (used for estimations):
  - Annual DRM targets fixed to follow the IMF and World Bank short to medium term forecasts.
  - Total revenue rises incrementally by slightly more than one percent of GDP per year.

### DRM flagship projects and costs
- Flagship projects include:
  - An e & m-Tax project
  - Digitalization and Physical Infrastructure Development
  - Single Window for Customs
  - Change from Pre-Shipment Inspection to Destination Inspection of imports
  - Capacity Building and Technical Assistance
  - Turning Tax Discount into Tax Premium Sectors
  - Value Addition by Private Enterprise Initiatives along the Value Chains in the Natural Resources Sectors
  - Sector Institutional Development
  - Organization and Registration of Informal Sector Operators
  - Expanding Markets, Institutions and Instruments in the Money and Capital Markets
  - Exploiting the Nexus between DRM and ODA
- Cost estimates:
  - Total cost of DRM strategy implementation: US$ 79.8 million over the five years of the PAPD--FY 2018 – FY 2022.
  - Average annual outlay: US$ 15.8 million.
  - Expected revenue raised: over One Billion dollars over the same period.
  - Component cost breakdown:
    - Component 1 (digitalization, infrastructure, policy and process changes and turning tax discount sectors into premium sectors): US$ 70.68 million.
    - Component 2 (mobilization of private resources): US$ 4.16 million.
    - Component 3 (cost of the DRM Secretariat): US$ 3.99 million.

### Pilot municipal DRM program
- Context: Approximately 54 percent of the population lives in cities; only 15,000 taxpayers in the real estate tax digest.
- Five pilot municipalities: City of Monrovia; City of Buchanan; City of Gbarnga; City of Ganta; City of Paynesville.
- Objectives:
  - Improve service delivery and domestic resource mobilization in five municipalities.
  - Prioritize community water, sanitation, and hygiene projects; strengthen community governance, policing, zoning, and code enforcement.
  - Use the Annual Budget Law to pilot a revenue sharing scheme on certain locally-generated fees and real estate taxes.
  - Increase taxpayers in the digest from 15,000 to 150,000; share additional revenue from 135,000 new enrollees to finance municipal public service delivery.

### External resources, borrowing, and private partnerships
- ODA funding modalities: direct budget support, pool fund, off-budget aid project/program aid, and trust fund modalities.
- Grants as percent of GDP are expected to fall from 15 to 8 percent of GDP over the PAPD period; domestic revenue will rise to 14 percent with potential for an additional 4 percent rise to 18 percent with robust DRM efforts.
- Government intends to prioritize borrowing to fill the financing gap for infrastructure investment projects.
- Emphasis on harnessing private sector potential to finance priority infrastructure investment projects, including fully private sector financing, equity participation, and management arrangements for SOE’s.

### Expenditure framework and forecasts
- Costing principles:
  1. Reflect all government costs, current and capital, in the expenditure framework.
  2. Reflect continuity of government through capture of costs and funding commitments to ongoing activities while forecasting incremental cost of PAPD priority programs and investments.
- Current expenditure forecast (Table 7.2) — FY2018/19 to FY2022/23 and 2018/19-2022/23 totals (US$ millions):
  - Compensation of employees: 303, 303, 303, 303, 303, 1,516 — 55.8%
  - Use of goods and services: 79, 51, 60, 65, 73, 332 — 12.1%
  - Consumption of fixed capital: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0.0%
  - Subsidy: 1, 1, 1, 1, 6, 0.2%
  - Grants: 64, 41, 49, 53, 59, 269 — 9.8%
  - Social benefits: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0.0%
  - Non-financial assets: 84, 84, 84, 93, 102, 491 — 16.5%
  - Domestic liabilities: 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 37 — 1.4%
  - Foreign liabilities: 23, 23, 23, 23, 23, 115 — 4.2%
  - Total: 562, 511, 528, 544, 571, 2,717 — 100%
- Notes for Table 7.2:
  1. Based on G2B estimates and program continuity of sector plan
  2. Health sector provisional estimates
  3. Estimated at 1 percent starting FY2019/20 to 4 percent of GDP

### Program and capital expenditure (PAPD priority programs)
- Incremental expenditure for priority programs and capital investments (Table 7.3) — annual sectoral allocations (US$ millions) and totals:
  - Total incremental cost for priority programs and capital investments: US$3.5 billion.
  - Distribution by Pillar:
    - Pillar One: 20%
    - Pillar Two: 62%
    - Pillar Three: 10%
    - Pillar Four: 6.1%
  - Total program and investment spending will average 25 percent of GDP over the PAPD period.
- Table 7.3 highlights (selected sector totals, US$ millions):
  - Education (Pillar 1): 51.8, 57.3, 59.6, 61.4, 58.0 — 288
  - Health (Pillar 1): 24.7, 46.2, 68.8, 83.4, 22 — 236
  - Infrastructure & Basic Services (Pillar 2): 281.0, 281.0, 281.0, 281.0, 281.0 — 1,405
  - Energy & Environment (Pillar 2): 72.3, 72.3, 85.8, 85.8, 58.4 — 211
  - Total (all sectors): 548, 646, 716, 732, 808 — 3,546
- Forecast of resource mobilization targets and financing gap (Table 7.4) — (in US$ millions):
  - PAPD Incremental costs: 548, 646, 716, 732, 808 — 3,546.00
  - Current Expenditure: 562, 511, 528, 544, 571 — 2,717.00
  - Total expenses: 1,110, 1,157, 1,244, 1,277, 1,378 — 6,263.00
  - Domestic revenue: 430, 446, 479, 511, 560 — 2,426.00
  - Other revenue: 626, 374, 809, 237, 1
  - Grants: 503, 513, 494, 469, 462 — 2,441.00
  - Total revenue: 995, 1,022, 1,047, 1,060, 1,114 — 5,238.00
  - Balance (finance gap): -116, -136, -197, -217, -264 — -1,025

### Monitoring and evaluation
- A Monitoring and Evaluation Framework is indicated as section 8.0 (text concludes at Monitoring and Evaluation Framework heading).

*Source: Pro-Poor Agenda For Prosperity And Development (PAPD) — selected sections and tables as provided.*

### 8.1   Overview

### 8.1   Overview

### Government M&E system and PAPD monitoring
- The Government will establish and implement a government-wide Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system, including the setting up and strengthening of M&E and management information systems currently existing in MACs.
- The system will facilitate monitoring of activities and programs of the PAPD, including the intended and unintended impact on the economy and the conditions of the population.
- Implementation of the PAPD will be closely monitored through:
  - budget outturn reports,
  - periodic tracking of disaggregated indicators,
  - annual progress measurements against key national targets,
  - aggregate change in national statistics data gathered by the LISGIS.
- The M&E framework for the PAPD is premised on the principles of results-based management with focus on outcome indicators.
- A detailed M&E will be developed in consultations with partners and working groups.

### National Statistical and Spatial Data System (NSS): status and capacity constraints
- NSS in Liberia has improved since its startup in 2008 but is constrained by a range of socio-economic statistics and spatial data issues.
- Significant data gaps exist despite:
  - the 2008 Population and Housing Census,
  - a wide range of statistical surveys,
  - significant administrative reports and records,
  - a substantial number of statistical outputs produced.
- The integrated National Statistical and Spatial Database has not been fully utilized despite the call for full use under the Statistics Act of 2004.
- The formal National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) to support compatible spatial data across agencies is yet to be fully developed.
- Liberia received a score of 60 out of a possible 100 on the World Bank Statistical Capacity in 2017; this rating is nearly equivalent to the average of 60.5 for Sub-Saharan African countries and improved from 46.7 out of 100 in 2014.
- Despite WBSCI improvements, the NSS lacks human and physical capacity including information and communication technology (ICT) needed for regular data collection, compilation, standardization, analysis, storage and dissemination.
- Limited dissemination of available statistics is particularly observed at LISGIS and other NSS institutions.
- Under the PAPD the NSS will expand its output range and improve standards to better meet user needs related to monitoring and evaluation, policy formulation, and evidence-based decision making.
- The objectives, strategies, and specific plans for statistical development are detailed in the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics II (NSDS).

### PAPD M&E conceptual framework and timeline
- The PAPD M&E conceptual framework (Figure 8.1) focuses on information flows, feedback, and decision-making processes; experiences from the AfT M&E informed the proposed PAPD design.
- The ICDU, in consultation with development partners and key NSS actors, will elaborate a comprehensive M&E system before the end of calendar year 2018.
- The new plan will update the final National M&E Plan for the AfT and include recommendations from the Final Report on the Establishment of Baseline Indicators for Key Sector Plans, AfT-II, SDGs G7+ and Agenda 2063 dated June 30, 2017.
- The plan shows strategies for cost-effective subnational decomposition and tracking of indicators.
- Surveys and censuses by LISGIS and sector assessments/project evaluations with development partners will generate evidence of outcomes and impact across regions.
- Information will be collated and presented to cabinet and the Steering Committee through the ICDU; feedback will be circulated to relevant actors.
- The PAPD will be evaluated at midterm and at end term:
  - Midterm: progress measurements, assessment of likelihood of attaining targets, identification of constraints for mitigation or acceleration to inform possible midcourse adjustments.
  - End term: will incorporate midterm findings and extract lessons learned to guide formulation of the successor national development plan.

### High-level national targets, indicators, and measurement design
- Embedded in each PAPD chapter is high-level M&E summarized in Tables 8.1 and 8.2; details are in Annex I to Annex IV comprising the Results Framework.
- The Results Framework lists 46 indicators, the planned frequency of measurements, and the technical working groups that will use the information for decision-making at Pillar level and to make recommendations up to cabinet and the PAPD Steering Committee.
- Indicator breakdown and measurement design:
  - "One composite indicator will be used to measure progress on Goal One and three will measure progress on Goal Two."
  - "Twelve indicators will measure progress on the objectives of Pillar Three (6 indicators) and Pillar Four (6 indicators)."
  - "Thirty of the indicators will measure progress on attainment the objectives of Pillar One (23 indicators) and Pillar Two (7 indicators)."
  - "About 90 percent of the indicators are already being captured and reported on by the NSS on a periodic basis."
- Major shift under PAPD: established targets, subnational disaggregation, and framework for using data for informed decision making on impact, results, and implementation reporting.

### Examples of national indicators and measurement frequencies (selected entries from tables)
- Goal One — Social Cohesion and Reconciliation Index: Biennially; Reconciliation and Social Cohesion working group.
- Pillar Three — Compliance with national human rights obligation: Biennially; Justice & Rule of Law.
- Pillar Four — Service delivery through service centers: Annually; Building Capable State.
- Goal Two — Human Development Index: Biennially; Economic Mngt.
- Pillar One — Student to Classroom Ratio: Annually; Education.
- Selected health indicators: Maternal mortality (Biennially; Health), Under-five mortality (Biennially; Health), Under-five malnutrition (Annually; Health).
- Selected economic and infrastructure indicators: Annual GDP Growth Rate (Annually; MFDP/LISGIS), Energy cost per KWH (Annually; Infrastructure/Economic Mngt.), Miles of road (Annually; Infrastructure/Economic Mngt.), Population covered by fibre optic backbone (Biennially; Infrastructure/Economic Mngt.), Total domestic resources mobilized (Annually; Economic Management).

### Subnational and disaggregation strategy
- PAPD measurements and monitoring will be implemented at various geographic and population-group levels.
- NSS will develop a strategic approach to ensure data are appropriately disaggregated by:
  - gender,
  - disadvantaged population groups,
  - people living with disability,
  - geographic location.
- Key geographical levels include:
  1. National level: aggregating M&E results to the national level based on measurable outcome indicators and evaluations.
  2. Statistical regions/county level: disaggregating key variables and stakeholders to the local level.
- Data will also be disaggregated by key stakeholder groups, including:
  1. Beneficiary target groups (gender, youth, people with disabilities, other disadvantaged groups).
  2. Private sector, especially small and medium scale (agriculture, SMEs, others).

### Institutional arrangements, alignment with global/regional commitments, and capacity needs
- Institutional arrangements for M&E will mirror the Theory of Change and PAPD implementation and coordination arrangements, with emphasis on coordination and information sharing within a more robust NSS.
- Government intends to seek partner support for regular and inclusive national and sub-national reviews, integrating SDG, AU2063, and ECOWAS 2020 measurements, monitoring, tracking, and reporting into the national M&E plan and the NSS.
- Government intends to establish dedicated coordination units, strategies and action plans, and accountability systems; beginning with a gap analysis or baseline study to assess existing PAPD policies relative to global and regional commitments and identify areas needing additional progress.
- Monitoring change across 169 SDG targets will stretch even well-resourced NSS; a minimalist approach focused on a fewer set of global and regional development goals could be the best option for alignment going forward. Defining and reaching agreement on elements of this approach will be a key goal of the baseline study.

### National targets and selected numeric goals (Vision 2030 / PAPD)
- Vision 2030 GOAL: A united people and peaceful nation; enjoying prosperity and progress.
- PAPD GOALS include:
  - 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.
  - To provide greater income security to an additional one million Liberians, and reduce absolute poverty by 23 percent across 5 out of 6 statistical regions.
- NATIONAL INDICATORS and TARGETS:
  - By 2023, Liberia’s Human Development Index rises to the Sub-Saharan Africa average (from 0.427 to 0.523).
  - By 2023, Reduced disparity in access to health, education, and decent living standards (measured by improvement in the Multi-dimensional Poverty Index--MPI):
    - in Urban areas MPI will fall from 0.290 to 0.259.
    - in Rural areas MPI will fall from 0.481 to 0.290.
  - By 2023, Greater income security provided to an additional one million Liberians to reduce the proportion of people living in absolute poverty:
    - in Southeastern Region B from 81.3% to 58.3%.
    - in North Central Region from 68.5% to 45.5%.
    - in North Western Region from 58.6% to 35.6%.
    - in Southeastern Region A from 57.2% to 34.2%.
    - in South Central Region from 57.2% to 34.2%.
  - By 2023, Liberia’s Social Cohesion and Reconciliation Index improves 6.6 to 8.

*Source: 8.1 Overview — Pro-Poor Agenda For Prosperity And Development (PAPD) chapter content*

### ANNEX I:  HIGH LEVEL NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES

### ANNEX I:  HIGH LEVEL NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES

### Overarching Goal and Alignments
- GOAL: To empower Liberians with the tools to gain control of their lives; reaching the furthest first and leaving no one behind
- CORRESPONDING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDG) FOR 2030:
  - Goal 1: No poverty
  - Goal 2: Zero hunger
  - Goal 3: Good health and well-being
  - Goal 4: Quality education
  - Goal 5: Gender equality
  - Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth
  - Goal 10: Reduced inequalities
- CORRESPONDING AGENDA 2063 ASPIRATIONS:
  - Aspiration 1-A prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development
  - Aspiration 6-An Africa whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential offered by African People, especially its women and youth and caring for children

### Pillar One — Power to the People: Human Capacity and Knowledge Economy
- PILLAR GOAL: A stable macroeconomic environment enabling private sector-led economic growth, greater competitiveness, and diversification of the economy (contextual linkage across pillars)
- HUMAN CAPACITY FOR A KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY – Expanding equitable access to Education, Technical Vocational Training, and to Information and Communication Technology
  - DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: Achieving more inclusive and higher quality education with greater access to ICT through the life cycle of all Liberians
- ACCESS TO HEALTH FOR ALL
  - DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: Increased and inclusive access to quality essential health and reduced overall morbidity/mortality with special focus on HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria and major RMNCAH outcomes as well as for the survivors of SGBV
- GENDER EQUALITY
  - DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: Gender equality entrenched as a cross-cutting concern leading to more empowered women and girls
- YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
  - DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: Increased access to integrated services for At Risk Youth and Young Adults
- SOCIAL PROTECTION
  - DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: Expansion to the social safety net through social assistance, scaled-up cash transfer, and inclusion through work opportunities to reduce vulnerability and extreme poverty among disadvantaged groups and regions

### Pillar Two — The Economy and Jobs: Competitiveness, Infrastructure, and Growth
- PILLAR GOAL: A stable macroeconomic environment enabling private sector-led economic growth, greater competitiveness, and diversification of the economy
- CORRESPONDING SDGs listed (Goal 2, Goal 5, Goal 6, Goal 7, Goal 8, Goal 9, Goal 10, Goal 11, Goal 12, Goal 13, Goal 15, Goal 17)
- CORRESPONDING AGENDA 2063 ASPIRATIONS (Aspiration 1, 2, 6, 7)
- CORRESPONDING NEW DEAL PEACEBUILDING AND STATEBUILDING GOALS (PSG 4: Economic Foundation; PSG 5: Revenue and Services)
- Key thematic development outcomes and strategies:
  - CREATING THE RIGHT POLICY ENVIRONMENT
    - DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: An improved environment for private-sector led growth, balanced revenue and expenditure outturns, and enhanced domestic revenue
  - IMPROVING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF EXISTING INDUSTRIES
    - DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: Increased agricultural production and productivity and improved forest utilization through competitive value chains and market linkages for food and income security, economic growth, and job creation
  - TRANSFORMING THE INFRASTRUCTURE
    - DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: Increased and inclusive social and economic activity and connectivity through critical infrastructure improvements
  - SUSTAINED MEDIUM TO LONG TERM ECONOMIC GROWTH
    - DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: Improved fiscal and monetary policy management to sustain economic growth and job creation

### Pillar Three — Sustaining the Peace: Social Cohesion, Justice, Security
- GOAL: A more peaceful and unified society that enables economic transformation and sustainable development
- CORRESPONDING SDGs: Goal 5; Goal 16
- CORRESPONDING AGENDA 2063 ASPIRATIONS: Aspiration 3, Aspiration 4, Aspiration 5, Aspiration 6
- Strategic focus areas and development outcomes:
  - ENDING FRAGILITY AND THE ROOT CAUSES OF CONFLICT
    - DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: A society that embraces its triple heritage and guarantees space for all positive cultures to thrive
  - ENSURING EQUAL JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
    - DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: A society where justice, rule of law and human rights prevail
  - STRENGTHENING NATIONAL SECURITY AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
    - DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: Improved security service delivery nationwide with adequate capacity to deter and/or respond to security threats

### Pillar Four — Governance and Transparency: Accountable Public Sector
- GOAL: An inclusive and accountable public sector for shared prosperity and sustainable development
- CORRESPONDING SDGs listed (Goal 1, Goal 5, Goal 9, Goal 11, Goal 15, Goal 16, Goal 17)
- CORRESPONDING AGENDA 2063 TARGETS: Aspiration 2, Aspiration 3, Aspiration 6, Aspiration 7
- Key development outcomes:
  - BUILDING A CAPABLE STATE
    - DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: A reformed public sector exhibiting improved fiscal discipline and service delivery, and a rebalance in the concentration of economic and political activities away from Monrovia
    - DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: Improved tenure in the governance of natural resources
  - REDUCING CORRUPTION
    - DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: More robust structures reducing waste and other systemic losses in the operations of Ministries, Agencies, and Commissions
  - E-GOVERNMENT
    - DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: Universal migration to ICT platforms and wider adoption of e-government to improve processes and productivity

### High-Level National Targets — Education (Selected targets and interventions)
- ECE (Ages 3-5)
  - Target: Reduce ECE student to classroom ratio below 50:1 in all counties; Rollout standardized curricula and specialized ECE training by 2020
  - Corresponding SDG targets: 4.2.1; 4.2.2; 1.2.1.1 Enrolment rate for early childhood education is at least 300% of the 2013 rate; 4.7.1
  - Strategies/Programs: Revise fees, engage parents, improve facilities, curricula reform, systematic and continuous training of teachers/care givers; School renovation and classroom construction in targeted counties; Inter-sectorial collaboration; Linked to health outcomes through school feeding and WASH
- PRIMARY (Ages 6-12)
  - Target: Raise Net Enrollment Rate (NER) to 65% by 2023; Ensure all students achieve basic literacy and numeracy by Grade 6
  - Corresponding SDG targets: 4.1.1
  - Strategies/Programs: Enforce free and compulsory education; establish age-appropriate enrollment benchmarks; provide additional classrooms and incentives for retention; increase proportion of qualified and trained teachers; develop and implement learning assessments at Grade 3 and Grade 6; Expand school feeding programs; Revise curriculum to be competency-based
  - Administrative linkages: Teacher housing programs under SP; Improve teacher payroll management with CSA and MFDP
- JUNIOR HIGH (Ages 13-15)
  - Target: Raise the Net Enrollment Ratio for JHS to 40% nationwide by 2023
  - Corresponding SDG targets: 4.1.1 (lower secondary)
  - Strategies/Programs: Community engagement, gender-responsive interventions, enforce free and compulsory education, provide classrooms and incentives, roll out gender-responsive training and curriculum, enforce Teacher Code of Conduct, school feeding, WASH; ensure access to JHS grade levels in communities; alternative teaching modules for teenage mothers
  - Interlinkages: Access to WASH in public schools increased to 98% in partnership with WASH working group; Ministry of Gender; Ministry of Justice
- SENIOR HIGH (Ages 16-18)
  - Target: 70% of WASSCE takers pass with a score of Division 1-6 by 2023; Establish 3-track SHS framework
  - Corresponding SDG targets: 4.1.1 (end of secondary proficiency)
  - Strategies/Programs: Increase proportion of qualified teachers; curriculum reform; introduce competency and demand driven skills curriculum; rollout 3-track multidisciplinary high school curriculum; upgrade learning resource centers and labs; recruit qualified STEM teachers; Establish 3 regional STEM institutions
  - Administrative linkages: Ministry of Youth and Sports for TVET; MFDP and CSA for teacher recruitment; Higher Education for teacher training
- ADULT LEARNERS (Ages 18-lifelong)
  - Target/Indicator: 4.3.1 Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training; 6.18.1.3 At least 50% of youth who cannot go on to have tertiary education are provided with TVET
  - Strategies/Programs: Establish/upgrade TVET institutes; ABE/ALP scale up; national service program; adult literacy targeting parents
  - Specifics: Upgrade 4 TVET institutes by 2023; Certify BWI to award degrees in TVET by 2023; Expand alternative learning programs in areas of low adult literacy especially women; Implement a national service program recruiting adults for on-the-job skills training
- Girls’ Education
  - Targets by 2023:
    - Out of school rate reduce to 10%
    - Retention rate increase to >80%
    - Completion rate rise by 20%
  - Corresponding SDG targets: 4.2.2; 6.18.1.1 Reduce 2013 rate of youth unemployment by at least 25%; in particular female youth
  - Strategies/Programs: Community engagement, enforce teacher code of conduct, PTA engagement, roll out gender-responsive training and curriculum, timely responses to reports of GBV or exploitation of students, improve WASH facilities, hire more female teachers, special teaching modules for teenage mothers
  - Interlinkages: Access to WASH in public schools increased to 98% in partnership with the WASH working group
- System-level targets and institutional reforms
  - National Education Development Fund established by 2019
    - Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
    - Strategies: Resource mobilization from tax, new concession agreements, levies, donations; Develop regulations and administrative guidelines for accountability and transparency; Adopt an independent pool fund management approach
    - Interlinkages: Diaspora engagement under Pillar Three for Adopt-A-School Partnerships; Pillar Two link-up with new FDI inflows
  - Partnerships with private sector and non-governmental schools
    - Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
    - Strategies: Redesign Partnership Schools for Liberia to improve transparency and accountability; engage private and faith-based school operators in policymaking; monitor non-government schools for compliance with the Education Reform Act of 2011
    - Interlinkages: Collaboration with local administration under Pillar Four Governance and Transparency
  - Teacher workforce and quality targets
    - Target: By 2023, increase the proportion of appropriately qualified and trained teachers in specific subject matter areas to 60%
    - Corresponding SDG target: 4.7.1
    - Strategies/Programs: Establish teacher licensing system; remove unqualified/delinquent teachers from payroll; invest in training B-Certificates and hiring more teachers (especially female teachers with Bachelor degrees); Roll out specialized training and certification for ECE teachers; construct housing for teachers in remote communities
    - Administrative linkages: MFDP and CSA, Higher Education; linked to Pillar Two social housing interventions
  - School quality and access targets
    - Target: Ensure 50% of public schools meet minimum quality standards for a conducive learning environment by 2023
    - Strategies/Programs: Establish School Quality Assessment Framework (grading A-F); invest in lowest-quality schools; procure desks, chairs and equipment; upgrade a model high school in each county capital
    - Interlinkages: Link to health interventions through placement of CHA’s; linked to Pillar Two WASH interventions
    - Target: Reduce proportion of out-of-school children to less than 10% nationwide
    - Strategies/Programs: Targeted public awareness campaigns; Alternative Basic Education programs; Expand access to quality public schools; Strengthen inclusive education policies for individuals with disabilities; Expand alternative learning programs in areas with high rates of out of school children
    - Interlinkages: Linked to school feeding program

*Source: 1lbrea2021002 - ANNEX I:  HIGH LEVEL NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES*

### ANNEX II

### ANNEX II: RESULTS FRAMEWORK FOR PILLAR ONE

### HUMAN CAPACITY AND THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY — Education and TVET
- DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: Achieve more inclusive and equitable high-quality education with greater access to technical, vocational and STEM training through the life cycle of all Liberians
- POLICIES: The 1986 Constitution Article 6; Education Reform Act of 2011; SDG 4: Education 2030, Education Sector Plan
- HIGH-LEVEL NATIONAL TARGETS / PROGRAMMES/ACTIVITIES/INPUTS:
  - Higher Education ( 3-5 years): Rollout a more structured strategy for improving the relevance of HIL in education around six core thrusts by 2020
  - Long-term strategic planning for specialization in public institutions; partnership development with private institutions
  - Identify inclusive programs offer in fields which align with professional manpower needs for economic development around science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
  - Harmonize and roll out curriculum with English West African Countries
  - Conduct comparative cost-effectiveness study in financing the offering of five disciplines in three HIL’s
  - Establish quality assurance mechanism
- INTERLINKAGES:
  - Linked to Pillar Two analysis for high level skills to meet market demand
  - Higher Institutions of Learning Results Framework 2018 to 2023

### ACCESS TO HEALTH FOR ALL — Primary targets, strategies and inputs
- DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: Increased access to quality and inclusive essential health and reduced overall morbidity/mortality with special focus on HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria and major RMNCAH outcomes
- POLICIES: The National Health Policy and Plan adjusted to accelerate CHA program and increase engagement with private providers; Investment Case for Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child and Adolescent Health; National Policy and Strategic Plan on Health Promotion (2016-2020); Investment Plan for Building a Resilient Health System in Liberia 2015 to 2021
- Key high-level national targets and associated programmes/activities:
  - Maternal mortality ratio: 497 per 100,000 live births by 2023
    - Strengthen institutional-and human capacities; integrate adolescent and youth friendly services; train and deploy CEmONC and BEmONC providers
    - Enroll 90% of professional health workers on the GOL payroll that are contractors and provide motivational packages based on area of assignment
    - Scale up family planning Services & train providers to deliver adolescent friendly health services
    - Provide and maintain ambulances to strengthen referrals networks for SGBV cases; ensure essential lifesaving drugs and commodities; improve basic amenities in public health facilities with focus on IPC
    - Links: education (school-going adolescents), decentralization (community participation), roads and Telecommunication (access and referrals)
  - Under 5 Mortality ratio: 57 per 1,000 live births by 2023
    - Strengthen routine immunization, outreach and mass campaign for vaccine preventable diseases (Reach Every District-RED) and IMNCI
    - Train vaccinators; maintain cold-chain equipment; introduce new vaccines; heighten VPD and neonatal death surveillance; strive for measles elimination status and MNTE
    - Links: education (reduce absenteeism), roads, telecommunication
  - Under 5 Malnutrition: Reduce stunting to 22 % by 2023
    - Implement full set of direct nutrition interventions across the life cycle
    - Advocate exclusive breastfeeding for first six months; complete ENA training; bi-annual Vitamin A and deworming campaigns; train health workers and set up nutrition service in additional 100 health facilities
    - Expand supplementary feeding programs targeting ECE schools in 2 regions with highest food insecurity
    - Links: Agriculture (food security), Child development, Education
  - Malaria prevalence reduced to 20% by 2023
    - Carry out routine ANC-based ITNs and periodic mass ITNs distributions including in schools; scale up IPT uptake; train providers in malaria diagnosis and case management
    - Provide medicines and supplies for community case management; implement Indoor Residual spraying in selected areas; strengthen HIV & TB prevention and control including MDR TB
    - Links: Education & Youth and Sports (student and out-of-school youth outreach)
  - Rural population living beyond 5KM of health service delivery points with health services: 75%
    - Create linkages between community and nearby health facilities in hard-to-reach terrains; strengthen routine supervision of CHAs; train, deploy and motivate CHAs (especially female CHAs)
    - Scale up CHA program to reach all communities beyond 5km to nearest health facility
    - Links: decentralization, roads, telecommunication
  - 100% of outbreaks responded to within WHO recommended response time (24 to 48 hours) after notification
    - Strengthen gender-differentiated disease surveillance and response; train healthcare workers in field epidemiology; maintain lab capacity and improve turnaround time; work towards ISO accreditation
    - Set up dedicated Emergency Fund with clear disbursement SOPs; set up regional triage and isolation units with high adherence to IPC protocols
    - Links: road network and telecommunication for sample transport and referrals
  - 90 percent of public facilities reporting no stock out of essential medicines by 2023
    - Quantify, procure and conduct timely last mile distribution based on actual consumption data
    - Finalize and implement the Revolving Drug Fund (RDF); strengthen LMHRA by establishing QA lab for testing and removing expired/counterfeit products; improve storage facilities; automate commodity tracking
    - Links: roads
  - Out of pocket payment for health care: 35% by 2023
    - Institute sustainable health financing system (reforms) by 2023
    - Validate health financing reforms strategy and implement in phases; develop and enact Liberia Health Equity Fund (LHEF) legislation; implement the LHEF
    - Links: growth (reduction in catastrophic spending)

### GENDER EQUALITY — Targets, strategies and interlinkages
- DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME: Reduced gender inequality and empowered women and girls
- POLICIES: Revised National Gender Policy, Strategic Results Framework for the revised NGP
- Women’s economic and social empowerment
  - 375,000 women to be empowered across the 15 counties over the next 5 years
    - Strengthen implementation of the National Gender Policy; adopt tools for measuring targets (including gender-disaggregated data)
    - Assess status and needs of women and girls; adopt and strengthen enforceable legislation for gender equality; apply gender-responsive budgeting (GRB)
    - Enhance ICT use to promote empowerment; enroll girls for vocational training/alternative education; establish M&E mechanisms for gendered interventions
    - Links: Pillar 2 (economic development), Pillars 3 and 4 (integration of women’s concerns), education partnerships (Pillar 1)
- Girls’ education
  - 50,000 vulnerable girls enrolled, retained and completed primary and secondary school by 2023
    - Gather enrollment and retention information on girls; raise awareness on National Gender Policy in schools; develop policy for boys who impregnate girls
    - Advocate reintroduction of special accelerated schools for vulnerable and pregnant girls; increase scholarships and psychosocial support; enroll girls in vocational/alternative education
    - Links: Education (facilities, teachers), Health (services), Justice (support for street girls), Agriculture (support girls’ interest in agriculture)
- Women’s access to economic resources and land
  - Aim: phased increase in number of women in employment in urban areas and improved access to productive resources in agricultural and informal sectors
    - Use special measures to provide women improved access to economic resources; develop legal frameworks for increased women’s control/ownership of land; design sex-disaggregated land ownership systems and measurement methods
    - Links: Pillar 2 (economic activities), Pillar 4 (natural resource management, local governance), infrastructure (roads), agriculture, ICT
- Political participation
  - Increase political participation of women at national and local levels to raise levels by 30%
    - Collect data on proportion of women in leadership positions; build capacity and mentoring for women aspirants; address different needs of women participating in politics
    - Links: local governance (Pillar 4), peace-building initiatives (Pillar 3)
- Health and WASH for women and girls
  - Improve access to trained birth attendants by 2030; reduce adolescent births by 2030; by 2030 ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services
    - Tackle gender-specific health challenges; develop sex-disaggregated indicators; ensure equitable access to water and sanitation
    - Links: decentralization, WASH group activities
- Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV)
  - Incidence of SGBV reduced by 50% by 2030 through provision of support services & access to justice systems
    - Measure prevalence of SGBV, survey cases against minors, eliminate harmful practices (child/early/forced marriage, FGM), raise community awareness about referral systems, sensitize traditional/religious leaders, popularize SGBV concepts in academic institutions, organize regular training programs
    - Links: road infrastructure, education programs, Justice Ministry initiatives, Gender Ministry support to survivors
- Women in peace and security
  - Increased participation of women in peace and security
    - Map women’s presence in peace interventions and security sector; increase women’s involvement in National Peace-building and Healing and Reconciliation Plan; support women-led CSOs and community-based approaches
    - Links: Pillar 3 (community-based peace approaches)
- Gender and environment/infrastructure
  - Address infrastructure inequality and include women in infrastructure planning, implementation and environmental decision-making
    - Provide basic services and infrastructure support to women and girls; include gender variables in disaster management and resilience strategies; harness women’s local knowledge for environment protection
    - Links: climate resilient agriculture initiatives; infrastructure construction to mitigate disasters; programs to empower women farmers

### YOUTH EMPLOYMENT, LIVELIHOODS AND SPORTS
- Youth employment and livelihoods targets and activities:
  - 15,000 targeted youth aged 15-35 (half of which are women) to benefit from labor and income generating programs and opportunities by 2020
    - Focus: pre-employment training and skills, capacity building, household enterprises, establishment of rehabilitation services for vulnerable youths
    - Links: Pillar Two (Economy and Jobs), Education/TVET and life skills programs
  - 10,000 young people enrolled in productive public works and life skills training by 2023 (half of which are women)
    - Implement innovative packages of life skills training with productive public works to smooth consumption and reduce vulnerability
    - Program steps: Information, Education, and Communication Campaign; County Steering Committee formation; recruitment of Community Facilitator; performance contracts; beneficiary selection; subproject launch and implementation; grievance and redress
    - Links: Pillar Two (decent work in informal sector), interlinkages with Education and Health sectors to reduce malnutrition and keep girls in school
- Sports development
  - Six sports academies established throughout Liberia — at least 4 in poor regions of the country

*Source: ANNEX II — RESULTS FRAMEWORK FOR PILLAR ONE (excerpt).*

### 3.	Ensure	healthy	lives	and	promote	well-being	for	all	at	all	ages4.4	By	2030,	substantially	increase	the	number	of	yout

### 3.	Ensure	healthy	lives	and	promote	well-being	for	all	at	all	ages4.4	By	2030,	substantially	increase	the	number	of	youth	and	adults	who	have	relevant	skills

### Youth development, sports, and skills
- Development outcome: Increased access to integrated services for At Risk youth and young adults.
- Policies: Decent Work Act; Youth Development Results Framework 2018 to 2023.
- Sports and institutional development:
  - Restructure under 17, under 20, and senior national teams; link to athletic programs at Multilateral schools across the country for sports facilities upgrading and sharing.
  - Expose coaches and athletes to new learning opportunities; strengthen school and grassroots community sports development programs.
  - Engage for-profit and nonprofit private sector in investments and sponsorship opportunities.
  - Linked to Pillar Two student retention and performance improvements; and to school feeding programs.

### Social protection, safety nets, and inclusion
- Development outcome: Improved social protection system for effective and efficient service delivery.
- Policies: Revised NASSCORP ACT 2017; Decent Work Act; National Social Protection Strategy; Social Protection Results Framework 2018 to 2023.
- High-level targets and program inputs:
  - 200,000	workers enrolled in NASSCORP by 2023; 30% of whom are women.
  - Review of human/IT resources and procedures; Strategy to improve compliance of workers in the formal sector and enroll informal workers; strengthening governance structure of NASSCORP; Reviewing articulation with the Decent Work Act; Actuarial valuation of NASSCORP funds; Develop a strategy for enforcement of social security laws and regulations.
  - Modernize NASSCORP EI communication and claim processing: Review the EIS claim processing; map hazardous sectors; organize information activities with workers' and employers' organizations; publish annual data on Employment Injury claims.
  - Public investment in Social Protection increase 0 to 4% GDP by 2023.
  - Partnership formation with other “left behind” groups; Advocacy campaign for prioritization within the multi-year fiscal framework; Media messaging campaign.
  - 300,000 students receiving school meals by 2023 – half of whom are girl students. Program elements: provide meals for under-deserving school going children; community participation and awareness to improve enrollment rate; encourage establishment of school gardens programs especially by women farmers; support local farmers to produce more health related and consumable products. Interlinkages with Education and Health Sectors to reduce malnutrition among children and keep girls in school.
  - 10,000 Extremely Poor and Food Insecure Households of which 50% are female headed households and 13,000 individual beneficiaries of which 50% are women receive cash transfers by 2023.
  - 200,000 Households with complete data records registered in the Social Registry – 30% are female-headed households.
  - 12,000 pregnant women and children receive cash-nutritional benefits by 2023.
  - 10,000 disabled people receive disability allowance.
  - 70,000 people receive old-age non-contributory pensions by 2023 (full take-up).
  - 80,000 people for every social worker by 2023 (baseline:	94,300).
  - Commission responsible for PWD’s fully established; strategic plan completed in FY2018/2019.

### Poverty, nutrition, and vulnerability indicators referenced
- SDG and AU-related indicators cited in the framework (as listed in source):
  - 1.2.1 Proportion of population living below the national poverty line, by sex and age.
  - 1.2.2 Proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.
  - .3.1 Proportion of population covered by social protection floors/systems, by sex.
  - 2.1.1 Prevalence of undernourishment.
  - 2.1.2 Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population, based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES).
  - 1.1.2.1 Reduce 2013 levels of poverty by at least 30%.
  - 1.1.2.4 Reduce 2013 levels of proportion of the population who suffer from hunger by at least 80%.
  - 1.1.2.5 Reduce stunting in children to 10% and under-weight to 5%.
  - 1.1.3.1 At least 30% of vulnerable populations including persons with disabilities, older persons and children provided with social protection.
  - 1.3.1 Proportion of population covered by social protection floors/systems, by sex, distinguishing children, unemployed persons, older persons, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, newborns, work-injury victims and the poor and the vulnerable.
  - 1.5.1.3 Increase youth and women participation in integrated agricultural value chains by at least 30%.
  - 10.2.1 Proportion of people living below 50 per cent of median income, by sex, age and persons with disabilities.

### Macroeconomic and fiscal environment linked to social outcomes
- Creating the Right Policy Environment: effective fiscal governance and prudent monetary and financial sector management for macroeconomic stability and job creation.
- Development outcome: An improvement of fiscal and monetary policy management to promote economic growth and job creation.
- Plans/Policies: Public Financial Management Act of 2009; Financial Sector Development Implementation Plan; Central Bank Strategic Plan (2016-2018); Decent Work Act; Creating the Right Policy Environment Results Framework 2018 to 2023.
- High-level national macro targets and strategies:
  - Growth Rate targets by 2023:
    - Increase average annual real GDP growth rate from 3.2 to 5.8%.
    - Increase mining contribution from 10% to 15% of real GDP by 2023.
  - Specific fiscal and revenue targets:
    - Improve tax compliance and increase domestic revenue collection from 14% to 20% (Revenue/GDP Ratio).
    - Contain fiscal deficit at less than 5% GDP (Fiscal Deficit/GDP Ratio).
    - Contain debt sustainability to less than 60% of GDP (Debt).
  - Financial inclusion and services:
    - Ensure that 50% of the adult population have bank accounts and access to basic financial services.
    - Expand commercial banks and rural community finance institutions (RCFIs) in all counties; develop efficient payment platforms; enhance mobile money services.
    - Ensure credit reference system with biometric ID system; enhance use of Collateral Registry System to promote movable asset-based lending.
  - Inflation: Maintain and sustain single-digit inflation consistent with acceptable sub-regional standard (ECOWAS Convergence Criterion).
  - International reserve target: Increase and maintain international reserves for at least 3 months imports.
  - Job creation target under Pillar Two:
    - 325,625 jobs to be created.
  - Policy measures and reforms listed:
    - Strengthen domestic resource mobilization, tax compliance, modernization of tax administration.
    - Facilitate regulatory framework on Specialized Lending for economic diversification (SMEs, agriculture, ICT, tourism, mortgage lending).
    - Strengthen coordination between fiscal and monetary entities and public financial management.
    - Ensure compliance of minimum wage, Decent Work Act; establish labor market information; labor-intensive employment programs for vulnerable groups.
    - Strengthen regulatory mechanisms for mining sector governance; encourage Corporate Social Investment (CSI) with Local Content Development Framework and Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC); reform state-owned enterprises.
    - Enhance gender budgeting for sector and pillar; redirect spending on investment project priorities.
    - Re-activation of Agriculture and Cooperative Development Bank (ACDB); strengthen Rubber Development Authority and Cooperative Development Authority; operationalize Special Economic Zones.
    - Develop domestic resources mobilization strategy; review and revise Revenue Code of 2000; improve real property tax collection; revise tax holidays and exemptions.
    - Enhance MTEF to link expenditure to medium term priority plan; align sectoral donor projects with budget to avoid transfer of liability.
    - Promote movable asset-based lending and increase Central Bank Liberia’s independence.

*Source: Republic Of Liberia — Pro-Poor Agenda For Prosperity And Development | ANNEXES*

### 8.10	Strengthen	the	capacity	of	domestic	financial	institutions	to	encourage	and	expand

### 8.10	Strengthen	the	capacity	of	domestic	financial	institutions	to	encourage	and	expand

### Monetary policy and reserve management
- Adequately manage the Bank’s reserves by not falling below 3 months of imports.
- Improve reserve management to intervene in upward swing in exchange rate volatility and safeguard against external shocks.
- Facilitate international debt and import related payment; grant emergency foreign currency liquidity for banks.
- Safeguard gross international reserves and recapitalize the CBL.

### De-dollarization and currency policy
- Achieve a single Liberian dollar currency in line with ECOWAS objective.
- Institute policy measures for wider use of the Liberian dollar by developing the domestic financial and capital markets and creating investment opportunities for Liberian dollar assets.
  - Put in place the necessary institutional mechanism for the full adoption of a single Liberian dollar as the sole legal tender currency;
  - Encourage the wider use of Liberian dollar;
  - Develop the domestic financial and capital markets; and
  - Facilitate the de-dollarization process in the medium-term.
- National capital market finances at least 10% of development expenditure.

### Foreign exchange regime and interventions
- Main target: maintain foreign exchange depreciation (year-on-year) below 20% and de-dollarize by 2023.
- Maintain managed-float exchange regime.
- Conduct foreign exchange auction intervention in the market to smooth out volatility and prevent the rapid fall of the Liberian dollar.
- Review policy on remittance split to determine optimal percentage that will instill confidence for effective intervention in the foreign exchange market.
- Improve the external position by allowing for greater flexibility of the exchange rate through structural reforms and maintaining price stability.

### Business climate and regulatory reforms
- By 2023: business registration in 8 of 15 counties; Doing Business rank from 172 to 152/190; 10% and 50% reduction in transaction cost and time.
- Improve business-regulatory framework and investment climate:
  - Enhance Liberia Business Registry; open centers in five (5) counties; develop single window platform and improve infrastructure quality;
  - Improve National Standard Laboratory facilities and fully accredited and aligned with 15 requirements of International Organization of standardization (ISO);
  - Implement post-WTO accession programs;
  - Provide transparent and predictable trade environment;
  - Publication of international trade information, import and Export and establish trade facilitation committee;
  - Complete the ongoing Express of Interest process at the National Investment Commission on single window platform and verification of conformity (VOC) and upgrading of national standard lab.

### Regional trade and integration
- By 2023, increase regional trade from 10% to 20%.
- Fast track the Single Currency project in the region; engage with West African regional monetary institutions and broader monetary union.
- Encourage Liberian firms to subscribe to ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) certification—palm oil, rubber, cocoa, fish and cassava—and enforce ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET); Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA).
- Improve data capture on cross-border trade transactions.

*1lbrea2021002 - 8.10	Strengthen	the	capacity	of	domestic	financial	institutions	to	encourage	and	expand*

### 11.1	By	2030,	ensure	access	for	all	to	adequate,	safe	and	affordable	housing	and	basic	services	and	upgrade	slums

### 11.1	By	2030,	ensure	access	for	all	to	adequate,	safe	and	affordable	housing	and	basic	services	and	upgrade	slums

### Investment in housing to improve human settlement
- Revitalization and recapitalization of housing and saving bank.
- Partnership with SOEs to construct affordable housing for low income public servants and citizens.
- Reform National Housing Authority for regulatory services.
- Construction of affordable housing for low income citizens.
- Linked to Pillar One on TVET and human resources development.

### Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) targets and programs
- By 2023 targets:
  - 85% access to basic water services.
  - 65% access to safely managed water points.
  - 85% access to basic sanitation.
  - 60% access to safely managed sanitation.
  - 75% of community open defecation free.
  - 100% district WASH plan approved.
  - 100% human capacity in WASH sector.
- Program components:
  - Provision of Rural Water Supply Infrastructure.
  - Water Resources Assessment and Follow-up.
  - Support Rural Water Supply Service Management.
  - Sanitation Mapping Assessment; Creation of sanitation demand.
  - Facilitate Supply Aspects and Financing.
  - Institutional strengthening and capacity building.
  - Mobilize and support communities to participate fully in project planning and decision making, assuming responsibility for Operation & Maintenance (O&M) for WASH facilities.
  - Eliminate open defecation nationwide and provide a minimum standard WASH package.
- Linked to Pillar One on TVET and human resources development.

### Universal access to safe and affordable drinking water (SDG 6.1)
- Expansion of water infrastructure to increase access to equitable, safe, affordable and sustainable water supply.

### Infrastructure, electricity, internet, and ICT access (SDG 9.1)
- High-level targets and commitments:
  - 30% access to fiber optic backbone.
  - Double ICT access and coverage.
  - 6 ministries and agencies on e-government platform.
  - Access to electricity and internet is increased by at least 50% of 2013 levels.
  - Realize at least 70% increase in broadband accessibility by 2020.
- Program elements:
  - Expand universal access and services to marginalized populations including women, rural dwellers, physically challenged.
  - Expansion of fiber optic backbone infrastructure.
  - Increase access to e-government platform to incorporate ministries and agencies.
  - Rollout national postal address and mail delivery system in 15 counties.
  - Improve regulatory framework for operators in the sector.
- Linked to Pillar One on technology solution in education.

### Transforming infrastructure — development outcomes and strategies
- Development outcomes:
  - Increased economic activity and connectivity through critical roads, energy, air and sea ports, water and sanitation infrastructure improvements.
  - Improved coverage and wider access to ICT, postal service, innovation, and financial inclusion.
- Relevant plans/policies cited: Road Fund Act; WASH Sector Strategy; Renewable Energy Strategy and Roadmap; ICT Policy; Liberia Telecommunication Act.
- Transforming the Infrastructure Results Framework 2018 to 2023 high-level targets:
  - Double number of users by 2023.
  - Reduce subsidies to SOE by 50% contribution to revenue.
  - 10% private equity investment.

### Capable institutions and SOE reform (Pillar Four link)
- Revision of corporate mandate to ensure quality, viability and sustainability for revenue generation, economic growth and job creation.
- Actions:
  - Enhance SOEs reform for effective governance, efficient management, financial stability and sustainability to reduce reliance on subsidies from Government and grant-aid from partners.
  - Formulate new SOE guidelines for effective governance and sustainability.
  - Introduce performance-based subsidies.
  - Pursue public-private-partnership for efficiency in service delivery.
- Interlinkage metric: Proportion of development expenditure contributed by private sector or national capital markets.

### Private sector, industrialization and manufacturing targets (SDG 9.2)
- Targets and indicators:
  - Increase contribution of manufacturing from 6.6% to 12% of real GDP.
  - Financial services and inclusion target: ensure that 50% of the adult population have bank accounts and access to basic financial services.
  - National capital market finances at least 10% of development expenditure.
- Strategies and programs:
  - Promote a vibrant private sector; public-private-partnership to reduce pressure on investment expenditures and create jobs.
  - Establish Private Sector Finance Fund (PSFF) for start-up financing and/or equity participation.
  - MSMEs Development Fund to lower poverty and integrate women, youth and marginalized groups.
  - Establish Special Economic Zones (SEZ).
  - Business Development Services (BDS) for Liberian-owned businesses.
  - Remove infrastructure constraints through affordable electricity, improved road access and transportation equipment.
  - Facilitate access to finance for MSMEs in manufacturing; provide processing, storage and preservation facilities.
  - Facilitation of SEZ to reduce cost of production and increase market access.
  - Promote gender-balanced manufacturing workforce and women manufacturing MSMEs.
  - Design program to link TVET and youth employment programs with manufacturing sector.
  - Promote market access and information about raw materials and finished products through ICT solutions.
- Link to Chapter One overall goal of economic and political inclusion and human capital development in Pillar One.

### Financial sector capacity and inclusion (SDG 8.10)
- Objectives and targets:
  - Strengthen capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for all.
  - Ensure financial institutions are established in all the fifteen (15) sub-political divisions.
  - Ensure credit reference system with biometric ID system.
  - Enhance use of the Collateral Registry System to promote movable asset-based lending.
- Actions:
  - Establish a Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).
  - Provide incentives for banks to diversify and support the pro-poor agenda of Government.
  - Increase presence of commercial banks and rural community finance institutions (RCFIs) in all counties.
  - Develop efficient payment platforms by enhancing mobile money services.
  - Ensure prudent governance of financial institutions; insurance sector; enhance mobile-money platform; Improve payment system.
  - Conduct economic and statistical research and analysis on monetary, financial and other macroeconomic issues.

### Diplomacy, trade and regional integration (SDG 17.15, Aid for Trade)
- By 2023 diplomatic and trade targets:
  - Increase Liberia’s diplomatic presence from 28 to 31 Missions.
  - Increase e-visa and passport issuance by 75%.
  - Increase Liberia’s presence in international organization by 40%.
  - Increase regional trade from 10% to 20%.
- Actions:
  - Expand Liberia’s diplomatic presence in 3 strategic regions.
  - Deploy passport application centers in regions with high concentration of Liberians.
  - Establish online application and automate e-visa issuance.
  - Strengthen resources mobilization through bilateral and multilateral cooperation and economic integration programs.
  - Fast track the Single Currency project in the region; engage West African monetary institutions.
  - Encourage Liberian firms to subscribe to ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) certification and enforce ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET); engage with Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA).

### Social cohesion, justice, land and community programs (Pillars Three and other linkages)
- Ending fragility and social cohesion targets and actions:
  - Liberia’s Social Cohesion and Reconciliation Index (SCORE) rating improves from 66% to 80%.
  - SCORE Index rating for civic trust and coexistence improves from 52% to 70% (disaggregated by county, gender).
  - SCORE Index rating for violent tendencies decreases from 19% to 5% (disaggregated by county, gender).
- Programs and interventions:
  - Incorporate human rights, peace and civic education into national curricula.
  - Strengthen national pride and African identity; create civil war memorial.
  - Design and implement youth recovery and women’s empowerment programs focused on entrepreneurship and social, cultural and economic activities.
  - Youth leadership, conflict mitigations/mediation program.
  - Restructure Palava Hut/Peace Hut engagements.
  - Reparations Trust Fund community based reparation program.
  - Continuous diaspora engagement.
  - Develop, mainstream, and implement national emergency response and recovery strategy.
- Land administration and tenure actions:
  - Strengthening land administration process through technical and human capacity building at the Liberia Land Authority.
  - Develop regulatory framework for actualization of Liberia Land Authority Act; Passing the Land Rights Bill.
  - Harmonize customary and statutory land tenure systems through passage and implementation of the Land Rights Act.
  - Community-level inclusive access to technical and financial assistance programs; community-based insurance schemes.

### Justice and human rights results and targets
- Targets:
  - Share of people satisfied with the quality of judicial system or rule of law available to their household increases from 69.1% to 85%.
  - Increase adjudication of cases rate from 50% to 75% annually.
- Strategies and programs:
  - Increase numbers and capacity of clerical staff, public defenders, magisterial officers, prosecutors, judges and corrections officials, particularly in rural and vulnerable areas.
  - Implement transparency initiative aimed at clarifying court fees and costs.
  - Improve physical infrastructure for jury management facilities.
  - Capacity building for prosecutors, judges, clerical staff, bailiffs, public defenders and prosecutors assigned to leeward regions.
  - Harmonize customary and statutory systems; build capacity among traditional justice systems to protect women’s legal rights.
  - Strengthen SGBV units coordination with Ministry of Gender; extend SGBV referral programme to all the 15 counties.
  - Eliminate GBV (passage of the Domestic Violence Bill with the inclusion of FGM); revise SGBV national Action plan.

*Source: 1lbrea2021002 - 11.1	By	2030,	ensure	access	for	all	to	adequate,	safe	and	affordable	housing	and	basic	services	and	upgrade	slums*

### 16.6	Develop	effective,	accountable and transparent institutions	at	all	levels	(16.6.2	Proportion	of	the	population	sati

### 16.6 Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels (16.6.2 Proportion of the population satisfied with their last experience of public services)

### Improving performance of the judiciary / judicial service delivery for the poor and vulnerable
- Developing case management policy and effective case management system
- Enhancing public outreach and information, including by increasing media coverage of justice sector issues
- Increasing numbers and building the capacity of prosecutors, judges, clerical staff, public defenders; and magisterial officers
- Increasing the number of court terms and/or extending their duration; Improving physical infrastructure for jury management facilities
- Implementing transparency initiative aimed at reducing court fees and costs
- Increasing term of court to allow for adequate timeframe towards the adjudication of cases
- Digitizing court systems beginning with the commercial courts
- Proportion of BCR detainees held without trial decreases from 65% to 20%

### Reducing pre-trial detention and case backlog
- Developing and implement an effective case management system to decrease inefficiencies and expense of the justice system
- Increasing adjudication rates and improve just service delivery; prioritise the provision of legal aid and assistance to pre-trial detainees
- Developing a plea-bargaining system that would allow the prosecutor and the defendant to reach an agreement to dispose of the case without going to trial
- Rehabilitating ADR processes; Policy, program, action plan, procedures for effective case management system; Probation and parole program
- Link with Pillar 1, Social Protection
- Juvenile Diversion Program available in 8 counties (baseline 5)10%	  reduction in crimes

### Child justice and child protection
- Child Justice and Child Protection Implementation Plan
- Strengthening Juvenile Diversion Program
- Identifying and filling critical gaps of human resource, infrastructure, quality service delivery, and logistical support financially for child justice initiatives to improve child justice and combat child trafficking

### High-level national targets and human-rights compliance
- By 2023, Liberia's compliance with International, Regional and National Human Rights Obligations and reporting on implementation is improved by 80%
- Strengthening national human rights protection mechanisms; Improving socio-economic human rights; Improving public awareness of human rights; Promoting human rights within the private sector
- Fully operational Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
- Drafting and implementing a new and costed Human Rights Action Plan (2019-2023)
- Monitoring the human rights situation and ensuring proper reporting to treaty bodies; protecting civic space and ensuring regular dialogue with civil society
- Strengthening the capacity of IHRC; Holding multi-sectoral Human Rights Coordination Consultations; Strengthening capacity of MACs responsible for meeting human rights obligations
- Implementing social protection initiatives on health, education, and cash transfer with focus on rights of women and other vulnerable groups
- Implementing the Land Rights Act and Local Governance Act
- Developing and implementing public awareness campaign on legal protections and human rights especially women’s rights and that of other vulnerable groups
- Developing and implementing a national action plan for implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and on Global Compact

### Security and national defense — improving security service delivery nationwide
- Increasing numbers and capacity of community police and maintaining a gender balance in the membership
- Deconcentrating training and recruitment and improve existing structures for training outside of Monrovia — targeting five areas most affected by conflict and crime
- Decentralizing communication systems
- Improving security data management through the development of a central database across all security apparatus to expedite service delivery and prevent security risks
- Fully funding information sharing via West Africa Police Information Service
- Enhancing international information sharing mechanisms including Interpol
- Using national database to share information on drug-related crime
- Training security sector personnel on interacting with drug-users/abusers; including addiction/recovery referrals within social protection framework
- Implementing national anti-drug awareness campaign
- Infrastructure expansion initiatives under Pillar II
- Security and National Defense target: 10% reduction in violent crimes
- Share of people that are satisfied with their protection against crime/their safety (% of people satisfied and very satisfied disaggregated by county, gender) from increases from 69.4% to 85%

### Improving security service delivery for women; professionalization and oversight of security sector
- Strengthening gender and SGBV units; Developing capacity and training for women security sector personnel
- Increasing percentage of women recruited into security sector
- Passing Public Safety Bill, Bureau of Correction Bill, Fire Service Bill; Drafting and enacting law for medical examiner office; Reviewing and domesticating Arms-Trade Treaty
- Developing fully funded maintenance initiatives for the upkeep of existing equipment, human capital, and physical infrastructure; Increase proportion of security sector budget dedicated to maintenance
- Operationalizing National Defense Act, Liberia National Police Act, Liberia Immigration Service Act; Operationalizing a civil oversight board for each security sector
- Drafting legislation to address criteria for appointment and removal of security sector; Harmonising pay across the security sector
- Operationalizing Citizens Review Board for security sector
- Developing merit-based standardization mechanism for salary, recruitment, promotions across security sector; Training program for pathologists
- Capacitating Armed Forces of Liberia Engineering Unit to build necessary physical infrastructure for security services
- Developing and implementing positive communications campaign, increasing the number of women recruited, and equipping security sector personnel with the skills to engage actively for protecting the rights of women and girls
- Targeted capacity development and training for security sector personnel; Targeted and specialized recruitment for security sector personnel
- Training areas listed: Terrorism for LNP and Army; Mental health for LNP; Financial training for LNP (both for financial management and to combat financial crimes), Army etc.
- Using Veteran Support Program to provide expertise to security service; NASCORP paramilitary and military pension scheme

### Building a capable state — public sector, PFM, ICT, identity and service delivery targets
- Improve tax administration for revenue-generation increases of at least 10% per annum
- Tax and non-tax revenue of all levels of government should cover at least 75% of current and development expenditure
- DRM strategy; migrate from GST to VAT; Continuous reform in tax administration for tax automation processes, online tax payment (I-TAS) and one-shop-stop in tax payment; improve ASYCUDA; Increase mobile tax services, e-services for tax collection, e-registration, e-filing, and e-payment
- A complete integration and interfacing of key PFM databases – PM modules, Budget management, CS-DRM, e-procurement system, CBL and TAS
- Mainstreaming ICT, innovation and e-government in government’s business processes
- At least 1% of GDP is allocated to science, technology and innovation research and STI driven entrepreneurship development
- Increase citizens and residents’ registration in the national biometric database from 0.5% (22,312) to 50%; Linked with 4 key MACs
- Increase financial transaction via IFMIS from 48% (50/104) to 65% (70/107) by FY2022/2023
- At least 70% of the public acknowledge the public service to be professional, efficient, responsive, accountable, impartial and corruption free
- IFMIS effectiveness for a tightened payroll controls, improved accounting procedures and reporting in the MFDP and MACs and a strengthened TSA; a comprehensive debt database fully integrated with IFMIS
- Spending priorities fully aligned with PAPD priorities by FY2019/2020
- Modified Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) re-launched as primary fiscal tool; multi-year fiscal framework for one identified priority sector under each pillar; all other sectors return to cash-based budgeting
- Improved overall service delivery and wage bill management in the Public Sector through an established Civil Service Commission (CSC)
- PFM Law and supporting HRM and fiscal management tools; revision of the CSC Legal Framework and rolling out individual and institutional performance management systems across the MACs; supporting e-government initiatives (payroll, record management, Personnel Action Notices (PAN) processing, Performance Appraisals, Regular Citizens Survey, Civil Service examination)
- Integrate gender-responsive planning & budgeting in mainstream PFM reforms
- A comprehensive 5-year Capacity Building Plan for nurturing responsible leadership developed and rolled out
- Increase in number of county treasuries from 4 to 15 counties; MACs from 3 to 8
- Increase by 10% current capacity of service delivery through County Service Centers (CSC)
- Devolution through placement of public services in proximity to citizens; strengthen existing centers and improve engendered service delivery; participatory and gender sensitive mechanisms for citizens’ participation and monitoring
- Strengthened financial and administrative autonomy of 5 pilot cities – Monrovia, Paynesville, Gbarnga, Buchanan, and Ganta

*Source: 1lbrea2021002 — Pro-Poor Agenda For Prosperity And Development (ANNEXES) excerpt.*

### 11.3	By	2030,	enhance	inclusive	and	sustainable	urbanization	and	capacity	for	participatory,	integrated	and	sustainable

### 11.3	By	2030,	enhance	inclusive	and	sustainable	urbanization	and	capacity	for	participatory,	integrated	and	sustainable

### High-level targets and indicators
- By 2030: enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable planning.
- By 2023: urban land use policy to address informal settlement and sustainable cities developed.
- By 2023: Strengthening land tenure security and improved land information management system.
- By 2023: full implementation of the national environmental policy.
- Automated Asset Registration and Management System deployed by FY2021/2022.
- By 2023: increase compliance relating to alignment of procurement plans with annual budgets from 76% to 96%.
- By 2023: reduction by 50% from its current position the number of land dispute cases.
- By 2023: the total number of cases persecuted by LACC, through MoJ increased from 6 to 30.
- By 2023: increase government agencies audited (external) from 75% to 95%.
- By 2023: increase internal audit presence in government from 85% to 99%.
- By FY2021/2022: an e-procurement system, linked to IFMIS, deployed to 50 MACs.
- By FY2022/2023: the number of MACs producing budget execution and financial reports in accordance with the PFM increased from 60 to 107.

### Targets with numeric performance measures (preserve source wording)
- 3.11.1.3: At least 70% of the public perceive elections are free, fair and transparent.
- 3.12.1.1: At least 70% of the public acknowledge the public service to be professional, efficient, responsive, accountable, impartial and corruption free.
- 6.17.1.2: At least 20 per cent of women in rural areas have access to and control productive assets, including land and grants, credit, inputs, financial services and information.
- 6.17.1.4: At least 25% of annual public procurement at national and sub-national levels are awarded to Women.
- 16.4 (By 2030): significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime.

### Strategies and policy actions
- Formulating and empowering Sustainable Cities along economic zones or growth drivers; Programs relating to sustainable cities along economic zones or growth drivers; organize local elections for select city mayors and city council members.
- Deployment of an integrated management system that will automate the voter registration and post-voting processes.
- Review and revision of current elections law to deal with anomalies affecting elections including gender disparities (women as voters and candidates) both in party structures and systems as well as in the national election commission.
- Improving the integrity of elections’ database and instruments including the collection of gender disaggregated data; Programs supporting the linkage of NEC database with the National Identification Registry (NIR) through an integrated electronic platform.
- Programs to strengthen gender perspective and equality in NEC HR processes and trainings. Program to youths, women, special needs and media in the election processes.
- PFM Law extension to SOE governance; Strategies to improve SOE governance.
- Programs relating to transitioning from manual reporting to an automated reporting standard; reviewing and revising guidelines and timetables associated with SOE budgets, performance monitoring, and reporting to ensure these are harmonized with the national planning and budgeting system.
- Amendments to the PFM Legislation and streamline the institutional arrangements for SOE oversight; Assessment and verification of all entities currently registered as SOEs based on the Governance Finance Statistics Manual 2014 criteria.
- Passage of an inclusive land rights bill; National registry of landowners and surveyors developed.
- Passage of an inclusive Land Rights Act; Ensuring adequate and effective land administration and management system; A comprehensive strategy for acquiring, surveying and mapping of concession lands developed and implemented.
- Programs relating to review and implementation of policies on land security and passage of the Land Rights Act; Programs develop and implemented to limit criminal conveyance of land; Conduct inventory on public and government lands; inclusive land administration and management of public and government lands; program for inclusive land rights bill and national database for landowners and surveyors.
- Strategies to strengthen ownership and capacity of all actors to monitor implementation of environmental policies and regulations; Awareness on the impact of climate change, environmental degradation, nature resource management and biodiversity; improved access to information on the environment; harmonization of appropriate legal instruments; monitoring and evaluating the impact of policy decision on environment and women’s access to land; assessment of public and private projects on environment; implement recommendation of the climate change gender action plan.
- Review administrative processes for registration and licensing, entry, and access to public procurement information and opportunities; provide space for women entrepreneurs to participate in government bidding; Increased publication of tender documents; strengthen e-procurement processes.
- Design, test, and rollout registration system by GSA to track asset online (linked to cross cutting issues in ICT).
- Strategies to implement the PFM Law; Programs around external audits of public institutions and preparation of external audit reports; Follow-ups on both external audit recommendations.
- Strengthening the IAA to expand internal audits in all 107 MACs; Programs around capacity support to the IAA for increased presence in MAC; capacity building of more internal audit staff for effective audits and reporting.
- Budget execution through an integrated e-procurement system linked to IFMIS; Procurement professionalization to build capacity through certification/licensing; Activities to enhance openness and adherence to the PPCC processes; make procurement more accessible to Liberian business and individuals providing goods, works and services; Simplification and streamlining of the procurement process; PPCC will liaise closely with the University of Liberia and other stakeholders to integrate the IPTP into mainstream University of Liberia program.

### Interlinkages with pillars and development outcomes
- Linked to Pillar Three: Sustaining the Peace — specific emphasis on improving participation in local governance.
- Linked to Pillar 1: Power to the People — with specific emphasis on improving participation in elections.
- Linked to Pillar 2: Economy and Jobs — with emphasis of Public Sector performance in growing the economy.
- Linked to Pillar Two: Economy and Jobs — regarding sustainable use of renewable natural resources and environmental protection.
- Linked to cross cutting issues in ICT.
- Development outcomes noted: Reducing Corruption: Greater transparency and accountability among government spending entities; More robust structures reducing waste and other systemic losses in the operations of Ministries, Agencies, and Commissions; Universal migration to ICT platforms and wider adoption of e-government to improve business processes and productivity.
- Plans/policies/laws referenced: PFM Law; Procurement Law; Enabling Legislations for Integrity Institutions; Reducing Corruption Results Framework 2018 to 2023.

*Source: 1lbrea2021002 - 11.3	By	2030,	enhance	inclusive	and	sustainable	urbanization	and	capacity	for	participatory,	integrated	and	sustainable (PDF chapter/section).*

---


_Source: https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/cr/2021/english/1lbrea2021002.pdf_