• Ministers,

• Government Officials,

• Your Excellencies, 

• The CPG,

• Development Partners,

• The UN Resident Coordinator and UN Colleagues

• Members of the Press,

• Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen

It is my pleasure and honor to welcome you all to this Validation Workshop and Development Pathways Dialogue for the Study on the Future Drivers of Sustainable and Inclusive Development (DoD Study), a co-created initiative began a year ago.  We are very proud that collectively we are achieving this feat, coming at the time the government is in the process of developing its National Development Plan (NDP) along with the 15 County Development Agendas and a Public Sector Investment Plan.

We thank all of you with whom our study team had consulted and those here today grace this final validation and development pathway dialogue event.  We wish to commend the firm- the Data Pop Alliance, our local team from the Government, UN and the CPG for all the valuable inputs provided during the course of the study.  As the final draft representing a cumulation of rigorous independent and objective analysis has been produced, we thought that it is best to reconvene and review what has been produced as DoD Study report aiming to provide ideas for game changing sustainable transformations in Liberia over the coming years.

I am delighted that UNDP had been charged with the responsibility to steer this effort on behalf of the rest of the partners- Government and DPs.  I therefore request you to review the reports, identify the gaps, provide new information, update what already exists and share your perspectives on the proposed pathways and recommendations from the findings.  This final input will allow the team to finalize the report before the end of September.

Your excellencies, colleagues, distinguished ladies and gentlemen.  The "Study on the future drivers of sustainable and inclusive development in Liberia" (DoD study) seeks to delineate the main factors that could shape Liberia's trajectory towards inclusive and sustainable development. The study reviews the major sectors of the economy and society, focusing on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) intervention areas. These areas include human development, economic and social well-being, political and economic integration, governance, and resilience to stressors, shocks, and crises. 

The overarching goal of the study is to identify current development constraints, opportunities, and entry points for tangible actions to foster transformative change. The focus lies on identifying catalytic drivers and pathways for socio-economic transformations capable of bringing about substantial shifts towards inclusive and sustainable development.   This study has become vital as the country plans for its demographic dynamics including a projected doubling of its population in roughly two decades from now and how to harness the demographic dividend.

The DoD study intends to present a comprehensive and practical document, informing possible policy actions in the main sectors of society and economy to advance inclusive and sustainable development. The specific study objectives include:

1. Identify the current and potential drivers that propel development in Liberia across the various thematic pillars.

2. Outline the significant challenges that are currently hindering progress within each thematic pillar.

3. Examine potential synergies, conflicts and trade-offs that may arise in harnessing the drivers of growth and development within each thematic pillar.

4. Explore critical "entry points" or transformative strategies that can be employed to promote inclusive and sustainable development in Liberia.  These are the Development Pathways that we will be presented shortly.

The DoD study serves to inform the current and future phase of development planning for national government and development partners. It aims to provide valuable insights to relevant stakeholders, aiding them in identifying strategic development priorities, potential conflicts and pathways aligned with the country’s needs, challenges, and opportunities over the next 5-8 years (2024-2030), and an inspiration source of information for pivoting the development aspirations over a longer term- the future beyond 2030.

The study was initiated at the request of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) of Liberia alongside financial and development partners. The philosophy and approach adopted by the DPA expert team composed of national and international experts is rooted in centering the local context, co-creating the study design and methodology and co-developing the policy recommendations with the stakeholders, thus ensuring the reliability and credibility of the study findings and pathways forward. 

This initiative is a response to the collective commitment of the Government and partners to leverage and build upon the relevant lessons learnt from the development and implementation of previous development plans, and to lay the foundation and provide relevant inputs to the new development plan the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) and its successor.  The study will also aid prioritization efforts during the NDP process and help shape development interventions with a lens of leaving no one, promoting gender, climate change, youths’ empowerment, disability inclusion, and human rights. Its three pronged embody research, consultations and commitment to action and co-created pathways to transformation. 

The study’s diagnostics analysis reflects a deeper understanding of the national context, and, an inclusion and diversity lens, and solution driven review for impactful actions. These covered a) Development Context b) human capital, social development and Gender, c) productive transformations, competitiveness and private sector development, d) peace building and social cohesion and capacity and institutional development.  To ensure success, the study has a governance framework comprised of a Technical Team, a Co-Team, and Steering Committee.

 I would like to commend the government under the lead role of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning for its strong support and leadership thus far. As you would recall, the first zero draft report was shared, followed by a revised draft, both of which received a wide range of constructive comments and inputs from key stakeholders, government entities, CSOs, NGOs, UN agencies, CPG as well as other development partners.

Therefore, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, in line with the roadmap for finalizing the study, we are pleased to convene this workshop and development dialogue today as the final step to draw the curtain on this important journey.

On behalf of UNDP, I would like to express appreciation to the UN Residence Coordinator, the Cooperating Partners Group (CPG), the United Nations Country Team, and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning for oversight and their active participation throughout the design and co-creation of this study. I will be remise if I failed to extend special thanks to the Embassy of Sweden- the outgoing Swedish Ambassador, and the Head of Development Cooperation for their incredible role in the championing the conduct of this study. 

Our past CPG co-chairs- Kate, Stephen, Comfort and now Emer and Bidisha have been immensely supportive.  And of course, this study would not been possible without drawing from very valuable sources and publications from the WB, the IMF, the AfDB, UNFPA, LISGIS, and other sources, both government and non-governmental.  We remain extremely grateful to joint technical team.   UNDP acknowledges the confidence that both the government and partners have reposed in us, as the technical lead for this study.  We are happy to note that the draft report is already serving as a key foundational document which together with the ARREST, the SDGs Transformation Roadmap for Liberia, the Six SDGs transitions, and others, will facilitate the seamless and timely drafting of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID). 

In closing, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to meet today.  We look forward to continued collaboration and leadership and to working with you, the MFDP, UNCT, and CPG and other stakeholders in completing this residual milestone related to this study to support the national medium-term planning process.    Above all, it is hope that this report will truly contribute to changing lives of all Liberians and making this place an attractive destination for investment. Thank you for your kind attention.