By Bill W. Cooper
The Government of Liberia will lead a high-level delegation of national institutions, development partners, non-governmental organizations, county officials, CSOs and external support institutions today at the commencement of the 5th Joint Sector Review in Monrovia.
The government through the National Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Commission (WASH), announced that the Joint Sector Review (JSR) 2023 for water, sanitation and hygiene purposes across Liberia is to identify key areas for improvement and recommend actions for endorsement by the WASH Sector.
The landmark conference which is expected to run from April 25-27, 2023 at the Ellen Johnson Ministerial Complex in Congo Town is being held under the theme: “Enhancing uptake in sustainable access to WASH service across Liberia.”
The JSR 2023 which is the largest assembly of water, sanitation and hygiene actors in Liberia is also aimed at mapping progress from 2018 to 2022.
Speaking of the assembly, the chairperson and CEO of the WASH joint sector review 2023; Ambassador Bobby Whitfield explained that the JSR 2023 is a comprehensive process that involves a desk analysis of literature and available information, applicable policies and sector strategies.
Others are existing datasets, diagnostic tools, and regulations as well as a series of interviews with key information’s, government ministries, agencies, county administrators, legislative caucus, civil society organizations and development partners.
Ambassador Whitfield explained that, “This 2023 JSR will also consider WASH governance as the building blocks, several cross-cutting issues such as climate change, gender, health, and WASH beyond households.”
“And each section provides an update on achievements since the last JSR in 2018, which will also guide implementation towards the achievement of national targets outlined in the government’s Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD) and aligned with SDG targets for goal 6,” he noted.
He added, “We are excited to bring together stakeholders from across the WASH sector in Liberia to access progress, identify gaps, and chart a path forward towards achieving our national targets and SDG goals. So, we look forward to productive discussion and outcomes that will ultimately benefit the Liberian people.”
Meanwhile, the landmark 2023 JSR assembly is being organized and funded by the government-lead institutions on WASH in Liberia which include the WASH commission, Ministries of Public Works, Mines and Energy, Health, Internal Affairs, Finance and Development Planning, Education, and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL).
Other institutions are the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC), Monrovia and Paynesville Cities Corporation, UNICEF, USAID-Liberia, WaterAid-Liberia, Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), and Sanitation and Water for All (SWA), and will all also participate in the JSR 2023 to its full conclusion.
