BY: Nicholas Dweh Nimley
About the Author: Nicholas D. Nimley is a graduate of Renmin University of China with a master’s degree in communications. He is a public affairs diplomat, a Liberian journalist, a communication specialist, and a developmental journalist who has won two international awards.
Monrovia, Liberia – President Joseph N. Boakai’s goal of bringing Liberia together through his ARREST Agenda is an innovative step in the direction of inclusive national development. The expansion and strengthening of Liberia’s developmental collaboration with the People’s Republic of China, especially through increased participation in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is essential to achieving this ambitious objective.
Nation-states throughout Africa are abandoning antiquated ideas of neocolonial dependence in favor of practical, outcome-oriented collaboration with powers such as China. This change results from an increasingly apparent understanding that tangible actions, not just words, are what Africa’s future depends on.
In light of the rapidly growing young population and pressing infrastructure requirements, African governments are currently seeking workable alternatives to attain sustainable development, and the Belt and Road Initiative provides one such answer.
Indeed, in several African nations, traces of the neocolonial mindset still persist. The idea that former colonial powers will take the lead in modernizing the continent is still baseless in many circumstances. Real life, however, has demonstrated that progress comes from establishing new alliances that produce measurable results rather than from nostalgia.
Africa’s infrastructure has already seen noticeable, significant, and long-lasting changes thanks to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Africans may now touch, see, and experience the outcomes of Chinese-supported development projects, from the contemporary skyline of New Cairo in Egypt to Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway, from the Toll Bridge in Sierra Leone to the Kaduna-Abuja Railway in Nigeria, and from Zimbabwe’s upgraded airport.
A key turning point in Liberia’s quest for infrastructure-led prosperity was its 2018 decision to join the BRI. But it’s crucial to keep in mind that former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf set the groundwork for this road when her administration restored diplomatic relations between Liberia and the People’s Republic of China.
China has helped Liberia in a number of developmental sectors, demonstrating the potential of this strategic alliance. There is enough and unambiguous proof of China’s dedication to Liberia’s progress. Examples of infrastructure projects made feasible by Chinese support include the large Fendell Campus of the University of Liberia in Montserrado, the China-Liberia Agricultural Demonstration Center in Bong County, and the JFD Hospital in Nimba County.
Other significant developments that have enhanced public services and government operations include the Capitol Building addition and the modern Ministerial Complex in Congo Town. Additionally, Liberia’s air transport capability has been updated with the construction of the new terminal at Roberts International Airport (RIA), which has improved trade and tourism.
Furthermore, the National Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Laboratory is currently being built in Margibi County, which demonstrates China’s ongoing commitment to health infrastructure and is in line with President Boakai’s ARREST Agenda, which places a high priority on roads, technology, education, and health.
These initiatives are prime examples of the successful consequences of President Xi Jinping and President Boakai’s meeting at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). They also demonstrate China’s strategic interest in fostering Liberia’s growth in a way that respects one another, refrains from interfering, and promotes win-win collaboration.
The building of two overpass bridges in Monrovia is anticipated to be another BRI milestone in the upcoming months. Since it is expected to reduce traffic in the Congo Town corridor and represent a major advancement in contemporary urban design, its construction is eagerly awaited.
These would be Liberia’s first overpasses built in decades, demonstrating how timely and useful Chinese infrastructure assistance is. Beyond these urban upgrades, however, the Liberian government should now give priority to more extensive infrastructure development, particularly farm-to-market highways, which are essential for the economic empowerment of rural areas.
During the rainy season, roads in many rural communities remain inaccessible, making it difficult to reach hospitals, schools, and marketplaces. Targeting these rural transportation networks as part of the BRI would increase agricultural output, lower poverty, and foster national unity.
There are important lessons to be learned from China’s own growth history. China has demonstrated that steady investment in road and transportation networks can unlock inclusive and sustained development in a number of locations, including Beijing’s Central Business District, the mountainous city of Liupanshui in Guizhou Province, the contemporary economic center of Zhuhai in Guangdong Province, and Wanning City, which will soon house the FOCAC headquarters.
Similar changes are possible in Liberia. Monrovia needs additional overpass bridges, but communities like Ganta, Gbarnga, Buchanan, and Kakata are growing quickly and will soon need better infrastructure to accommodate their growing populations. China-Liberia collaboration should give priority to the government’s intention to construct 100 schools, hospitals, and important bridges, such as those that span the Du River that divides central Monrovia via Slipway, Battery Factory, 12th Street, and Kesselly Boulevard.
Already, there are signs that China is considering funding these initiatives. However, proactive and useful involvement will be needed to make these possibilities a reality. Liberia has to promote strategic alliances founded on win-win collaboration, in which both countries gain politically, socially, and economically.
China’s focus on infrastructure as a growth accelerator is one of the main advantages of its cooperation strategy under the BRI. The BRI is a strategic alliance founded on respect and necessity for one another, not a charity. It offers Liberia the chance to modernize its economy, empower its citizens, and draw in new investment in addition to constructing roads and bridges.
In conclusion, Liberia must develop and deepen its BRI collaboration with China as a means of achieving national change, not only as a strategic choice. Aligning with the BRI will provide President Joseph N. Boakai the resources, know-how, and impetus he needs to realize his ARREST Agenda, which aims to unite Liberia and promote inclusive growth. Liberia has already witnessed the benefits of this collaboration.
The moment has come to broaden and deepen it so that all Liberians, from Monrovia to Maryland, may take advantage of the nation’s progress toward prosperity.
