The government will host the inaugural Development Partners Retreat (DPR) on Thursday, April 17, at the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (EJS) Ministerial Complex, under the theme: “Strengthening Partnerships for the Implementation of Liberia’s National Plan.”
This high-level forum, according to a release, comes at a defining moment in the country’s development journey.
After more than two decades of peace and democratic progress, the country is charting a bold course toward inclusive and transformative growth through its new National Development Plan (NDP) 2025–2029, known as the Arrest Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID).
The retreat serves as a strategic platform to strengthen partnerships, align priorities and explore innovative funding models that support AAID and Liberia’s broader Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The retreat will also highlight the Country Development Agendas (CDAs)—newly endorsed planning instruments guiding national and subnational development priorities.
According to a Ministry of Finance and Development Planning release, at the end of the retreat, the government and its partners expect stronger coordination and innovative financing solutions.
The DPR is expected to bring together a wide range of national and international stakeholders, including: senior representatives from the government, including ministers and heads of institutions, bilateral and multilateral development partners and ambassadors.
Others are heads of cooperation, representatives from the United Nations, international financial institutions, and the private sector, civil society organizations, youth groups, NGOs, academia and policy think tanks.
With an estimated financing requirement of US$8.3 billion, the AAID aims to transition the country from a low-income to a lower-middle-income country.
While 30 percent of this funding is expected to come from domestic resources, the remaining gap requires robust external support and innovative financing solutions.
This comes at a time when the development financing landscape is becoming increasingly uncertain, with reduced donor funding, changing global priorities and limited private sector engagement.
This retreat underscores government’s commitment to inclusive and collaborative governance, as well as its resolve to work hand-in-hand with partners to realize the country’s development aspirations.