UNDP, GoL Hold Annual Programme Review Meeting

December 24, 2018

The exercise targets programmes and projects being implemented under UNDP that form the core of the Governance and Public Institution (GPI) and Sustainable Economic Transformation (SET) Pillars.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Liberia (GoL) have concluded a two-day Annual Programme Review Meeting in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.

The review meeting is an annual event that brings together Implementing Partners (IPs) and Responsible Parties (RP), UNDP staff, Donors, and other actors to review targets, results, challenges and lessons learned that were set in the Annual Workplans (AWPs) as well as plans for succeeding year.

The exercise targets programmes and projects being implemented under UNDP that form the core of the Governance and Public Institution (GPI) and Sustainable Economic Transformation (SET) Pillars.

Speaking on behalf of Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel Tweah, Assistant Minister for Development Planning, Hon. Benedict Kolubah, expressed appreciation to the UNDP for the continued partnership and support to the government and people of Liberia.

Mr. Kolubah called on the Government’s representatives to fully participate in the exercise, stressing a sober reflection on progress, challenges and coordination.

Minister Kolubah described the Annual Review meeting as an opportunity to retrospect on implementation of projects aligned with the Agenda for Transformation (AFT) but with a lens on the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD).

He expressed the hope that as the new Country Programme Document for the UNDP is being developed, the GoL and UNDP will work towards mitigating challenges in the areas of procurement, programme implementation and coordination. The Assistant Finance Minister also assured that all Annual Work Plans (AWPs), Procurement and Monitoring & Evaluation Plans will be signed before the end of January 2019.

UNDP Resident Representative a.i.  Dr. Pa Lamin Beyai emphasized that the Annual Review event should be seen as a platform for self -retrospection of how well programmes and projects have positively impacted the lives of Liberians.

Dr. Beyai expressed the hope that national and development partners will use the 2-day meeting to sharpen their lenses on building synergies, avoiding silo interventions which don’t speak to each other and in moving forward, design appropriate programmes that can be effectively and efficiently delivered to directly impact vulnerable communities.

“Bureaucracies suck half of the resources through capacity building or trainings, fuel, scratch cards. We need to think collectively on how the programmes that are developed can meaningfully impact Liberians in Sinoe, Grand Gedeh, Maryland etc," Dr. Beyai stressed.

He said highlighting results from interventions of all programmes and projects speak volumes on how Liberians benefit from these interventions.

During this two-day Session, partners also engaged and discussed on low hanging fruits and other issues surrounding sustainability, integrity, institutionalizing training, effective use of national implementation guidelines and standardizing processes among others were highlighted.

Earlier, the Development Superintendent of Grad Bassa County welcomed the participants to the "County of Hospitality". Ferar expressed appreciation to UNDP for the continued support to the development of Liberia. He spoke highly of the gains being made by UNDP under the BOSS Project working with local entrepreneurs. He urged the government and development partners to  use the two day exercise as  a platform to identify  and support national programs that will benefit the people of Liberia across all sectors of the country.

The 2019 Annual Work Plans of projects and programmes under Governance and Public Institution and Sustainable Economic Transformation Pillars,  were consistent with the outputs of the 2018 Annual Review. This included  alignment of budgets and development plans; linkages and streamlining activities that also speak to SDGs and Agenda 2030 that were presented to the Board.  It was echoed during the presentation of the 2019 AWPs that a unified approach, creating synergies, coordinated plans to attract other donors and improve resource mobilization should be highlighted with the lens of the PAPD.  

All project Focal Persons, were reminded to ensure statistical data and thematic analysis where needed, consolidate and improving national M &E framework should be mainstreamed in implementation strategies. In order to ensure national ownership, empowerment of the people, as well as the issues of proper asset management and building human and resource capacities to promote sustainability among others were to be enshrined within implementation of the projects to ensure sustainability.