United States Charge ‘d’Affaires to Liberia, Christine Rodriguez, has assured that the US Government will work closely with the Liberian government to improve fiscal transparency and other key areas in the country.
Madam Rodriguez also emphasized the importance of good governance and accountability in promoting economic growth and development, a sector which she said the US government is committed to improving in Liberia.
She highlighted the need for increased transparency in government spending and revenue collection, as well as the importance of combating corruption, pledging the US support for efforts to strengthen Liberia’s institutions and promote sustainable development.
The US envoy spoke yesterday at the USAID Local Empowerment for Accountability and Decentralization (LEAD) Activity one-day national dialogue in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP).
The event brought together stakeholders from across the government, including lawmakers from both houses and civil society, to address critical issues surrounding Liberia’s economic progress and governance.
Officially opening the dialogue, Madam Rodriguez thanked the government through Finance Minister, Boima Kamara for the partnership in hosting the event, and stated, “Throughout today’s workshop, in a series of dialogues, we will be going into more detail about this five-year USAID program.”
She said, “Our objective with this initiative is to partner with the Government of Liberia to generate increased resources, improve fiscal transparency, and support decentralization to ensure basic services reach Liberians in even the most remote corners of the country.”
The US diploma further emphasized the importance of supporting Liberia in generating internal revenue and ensuring its effective utilization for national development across the 15 counties of Liberia.
She then outlined the objectives of the USAID LEAD program, which seeks to empower Liberia to increase resources, enhance fiscal transparency, and promote decentralization for improved service delivery.
Highlighting the role of the Liberian government in driving these initiatives, Rodriguez emphasized the need for collaboration and commitment, thus commending Liberia’s progress in three key areas.
She further praised the government’s support for the Value Added Tax (VAT) bill, citing its potential to boost domestic revenue significantly and said the goal is that by 2027, with the value-added tax, the national budget will increase by over 40 percent to reach US$1 billion.
“We want the legislature to pass this bill and look forward to working with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the Liberia Revenue Authority to move forward its implementation,” she urges.
She said, “There must also be concrete action taken on audit findings and recommendations to address identified deficiencies and make corrections. Most importantly, when individuals are found to have committed fraud, waste, or abuse of public resources, they must be held accountable.”
“These are the ideas, objectives, and challenges we have all brought you here today to discuss. We have called this event a national dialogue because we do indeed want it to be an exchange of ideas and best practices.
“We want this to be a partnership to solve Liberia’s problems. We want to hear from all of you across government and civil society, as well as from our international partners who have gathered here today,” she added.
The Deputy Finance Minister for Budget, Tanneh Brunson, reiterated President Joseph Boakai’s sentiments, highlighting the importance of fiscal transparency and accountability in building public trust.
She added that the government of President Boakai is dedicated to improving governance and welcomed USAID’s initiatives to enhance revenue mobilization and local governance across the country.
According to her, the government’s commitment to decentralization is a catalyst for national development, and thereby thanked USAID’s support through the LEAD program and called for continued collaboration to achieve Liberia’s development goals.
Earlier, USAID LEAD Chief of Party, George Akl re-emphasize the importance of decentralization in promoting inclusive governance and efficient service delivery.
He added that the decentralization will also require that accountability and transparency are ensured at both the local government and central government levels, requiring efforts to promote good governance practices.
