NEW PROGRAMMING DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP FINANCIAL AGREEMENT
Monrovia, Liberia – The European Union and the Government of Liberia has signed an 80 million euros or 88 million USD New Programming Development Partnership Financial Agreement in Monrovia. Signing the document on Monday, June 5, 2023, in Monrovia, EU Ambassador to Liberia, Laurent Delahousse said the agreement looks at key sectors in Liberia.
He pointed out that the first four cooperation agreements focus on bolstering Liberia’s democratic and accountable democracy and providing support from the EU for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) for the country’s young people. For a program of sustainable economic development in Liberia, peer-to-peer (P2P) connections, forestry, and conservation.
According to Amb. Delahousse, thou the government of Liberia has provided the finances for the 2023 October elections, the EU will also provide support to the process, aim to promote a more inclusive and transparent democracy in Liberia. He noted that it will support the electoral cycle and sustain peace, enable the meaningful participation of women and inclusion of marginalised groups in political processes, increase the participation of citizens in the decision-making process and accountability. The EU Ambassador added that it will be implemented with the National Election Commission through the United Nations Development Program.
Amb. Delahousse also added that the support to TVET is to support government in the eight counties that are yet to benefit from the Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Liberia. It is intended to help train young Liberians an answer skills demand of the private sector. He said it will create jobs who will later contribute to the technical and financial systems in the country, especially job creation. The project will be implemented with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Education through the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.
From productivity to product, linking peers to peers, the diplomat said this section of the agreement is aimed to boost safe and sustainable food systems growth for enhanced food and nutrition security, including aquaculture. He said this will be implemented with the Ministry of Agriculture, National Fisheries and Aquaculture and other partners.
In the area of forestry and biodiversity and food production in Liberia, the EU Ambassador said the program is to contribute to the sectors for the future of Liberians. Amb. Delahousse said it will promote job creation and income generation through the sustainable use and conservation of natural resources such as agroforestry, fuelwood plantation, multipurpose tree nurseries, formalisation of chainsaw millers. It also aim at protecting the rich biodiversity of Liberia, and implemented with the Forestry Development Authority and Community Forest Organisations.
EU countries including France, Sweden, Germany and Ireland all pledged support to the development of Liberia of behalf of their countries and according to the financial agreement.
Representing the government of Liberia, Samuel Tweah, the finance minister of Liberia, praised the EU but said the signing ceremony should address the issue of whether there are any prospects in all of these sectors that can improve outcomes for the country’s citizens.
According to the finance minister, utilizing the forest’s carbon potential, as advised by the President, is the true strategy. Sustainable logging is not the way to go he noted. “That is our future, because it means we can use resources to solve the infrastructure problems facing the private sector; if we take the other way, which is to cut down trees to generate revenue, it will take us a hundred years to develop.”
Minister Tweah added that Liberia holds 40% of the upper Guinea forest, and the government is looking to the EU and other development partners for help in maximizing the potential resources for building roads and other infrastructures.
The signing ceremony brought together government agencies and institutions that are affected by the EU 80 million euros financial agreement.
