UN Coordinator Urges Liberia to Shift From Aid to Investment

United Nations Resident Coordinator Christine N. Umutoni called on Liberia to transition from a dependence on traditional development aid toward sustainable investment and financing during the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) National Steering Committee Meeting on August 11 in Monrovia. Chaired by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr., the meeting focused on moving from the planning phase to achieving measurable results.

Umutoni warned that official development assistance is declining globally as traditional donors recalibrate their priorities, making the previous funding model unsustainable. She advocated for a transition from funding development to financing development, proposing that Liberia adopt an Integrated National Financing Framework and Development Cooperation Policy. This shift aims to attract private capital and climate finance for large-scale flagship investments in human capital, food systems, digital transformation, and climate resilience.

To attract this capital, Umutoni emphasized that the Government of Liberia must strengthen institutional accountability and transparency. She suggested the country leverage its young population and its current membership on the United Nations Security Council to improve its international investment profile. Framing the next national phase as a journey from peace to prosperity, she asserted that Liberia's future depends on building strong institutions rather than the volume of aid received.