Gov’t Gains Int’l ‘Financing Support’

By Julius Konton

A high-level delegation from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) on Monday, December 8, 2025, held a “productive and forward-looking” meeting with the Minister of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan. The meeting signaled renewed momentum for the Gbarnga–Mendikorma Highway projects. The delegation, headed by the Senior Engineer Adviser at KFAED, Nawaf Fares Al-Dabbous, reiterated the Fund’s long-standing commitment to the multi-phase corridor, particularly the Salayea–Konia segment reconnecting isolated communities in Lofa County to national and regional markets.

“We are here to assure you, and to finalize this technical mission concerning the corridor from Salayea to Konia,” Al-Dabbous said.

He reaffirmed Kuwait’s continued role as a principal financier of the highway project.

The Kuwait Fund has been one of Liberia’s most reliable Arab development partners for more than 40 years, financing roads, energy initiatives, and social infrastructure.

Minister Ngafuan, who spoke on behalf of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, described the delegation’s visit as both “encouraging and reassuring,” especially at a time when the government is attempting to fast-track infrastructure delivery.

With more than 70 percent of Liberia’s roads classified as unpaved, the Gbarnga–Mendikorma corridor is seen as a flagship project that could transform regional mobility for nearly half a million people in Bong and Lofa counties.

KFAED’s renewed engagement comes as Liberia intensifies negotiations with other Arab and multilateral lenders to revive stalled infrastructure works nationwide.

The Gbarnga–Mendikorma corridor, spanning approximately 190 kilometers, is part of a broader national development vision. The vision aimed at reducing travel times, lowering transportation costs, and stimulating agricultural and cross-border trade. The Ministry of Public Works said, over 60 percent of agricultural produce from Lofa County fails to reach major markets due to poor road conditions. The transport sector contributes roughly 3.5 percent to GDP, but analysts estimate this could double with improved road infrastructure in the north.

The World Bank consistently ranks Liberia among the African countries with the highest logistics and transportation costs, making road development essential for competitiveness.