The 2020-2024 Country Programme Document (CPD) supports Liberia's Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD), in promoting mechanisms to improve the quality and effectiveness of core government functions; with the aim of advancing the recovery process to reduce the risk of relapse into societal disorder.

It targets interventions to promote inclusive growth through the private sector; peace and justice through formal and informal mechanisms; and governance through decentralization.

Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa, Assistant Administrator and Director of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Africa, says the approval of the Document was important to support the Government of Liberia in addressing existing challenges left by the years of civil war, the Ebola crisis and reliance on the extractive sector.

Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Liberia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Nations, received the document on behalf of the government.

He said Liberia was pleased with the primary objectives of CPD and acknowledged the pivotal role that UNDP intends to continue to assume in addressing the existing challenges in Liberia.

Ambassador Kemayah termed the priority areas outlined in the document, as well-structured and aligned with the PAPD.

“As a country, we also view the Country Program Document as an opportunity for a renewed comprehensive partnership between the United Nations and the Government of Liberia and, in particular, it aims to achieve a more sustainable pathway to renewed progress and prosperity; as well as consolidated peace, and security in Liberia; especially; with coherent and effective support from the United Nations.”Kemayah noted.

While appreciating the UNDP’s work on the content of the Country Program Document, Ambassador Kemayah highlighted the need to make adjustments to critical areas to better reflect the efforts being made by the Government to address existing challenges, especially in the area of women empowerment.

Ambassador Kemayah said, “Paragraph three of the CPD highlights critical issues faced by women in the country. However, it does not speak much to efforts the Government of Liberia is making to address these issues.

He outlined efforts being made to step up awareness campaigns against compromised settlements, resulting from sexual-based violence against women; signing into law the Domestic Violence Act and the launch the “Spotlight Initiative which focuses on reducing the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence, and harmful practices; and increasing women’s access to sexual and reproductive health services, as some steps being taken by this administration to tackle issues related to women.

On UNDP’s quest to enhance legal literacy, Ambassador Kemayah strongly recommended the provision of assistance to major legal such as the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law of the University of Liberia; the James A. A. Pierre Judicial Institute, the National Association of Trial Judges of Liberia, National Bar Association of Liberia and the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL.

Ambassador Kemayah then assured UNDP of the Government of Liberia’s fullest cooperation toward achieving the objectives of its 5-year Development Plan.

Meanwhile, UNDP Liberia’s Resident Representative Pa Lamin Beyai has expressed appreciation to the Executive Board for this move and congratulates his Staff for the hard work put into the development of the document.

Beyai describes the document as “holistic and the Strategic thinking for development in Liberia".

Prior to the approval of the CPD, UNDP Liberia conducted series of engagements with government partners, donors, and civil society organizations, on the draft document, aimed at articulating its contents.

Comments from donors and other partners are imperative to help guide the implementation stages of the development plan.

Donors and other partners described the document as "solid and robust" mentioning the need to solidify gains made in the areas of governance, peace and security, integrity, anti-corruption, private sector development among others.

The CPD rests on a sound analysis and theory of change, which involves collaborative and integrated multi-sectoral work around specific target groups and geographic areas.