2008 Liberia Poverty Reduction Forum
Toward Rapid, Inclusive, and Sustainable Development


                                 PRESS RELEASE

President Johnson Sirleaf to lead delegation at the 2008 Liberia Poverty Reduction Forum in Berlin, Germany
Monday, 23rd June 2008

Monrovia, Liberia - President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will be representing the Government of Liberia along with members of her cabinet at the 2008 Liberia Poverty Reduction Forum in Berlin, Germany on 26th and 27th June.

Liberia’s key Partners will be attending the Forum including multilateral organizations, bilateral governments, NGOs, charitable foundations, private corporations and members of civil society. There will be high level representatives from the UN, World Bank, Germany and the United States.

The Government of Liberia will present Liberia’s first Poverty Reduction Strategy to its Partners. Discussion will center on the goals and anticipated challenges during the implementation phase, with a focus on infrastructure development.


Press Briefing
Ministry of Finance: Monday 23rd June 2008


The high-level Government of Liberia 2008 Poverty Reduction Forum (LPRF) will be held on 26th and 27th June in Berlin, Germany. The Forum will be hosted by the Government of Germany and has been organized together with the World Bank.

The LPRF provides the opportunity to present Liberia’s first Poverty Reduction Strategy to its Partners and will highlight the goals and anticipated challenges during the implementation phase.

The LPRF will focus on reconstruction and development of infrastructure which is a top priority for the people of Liberia. The sessions will include presentations and discussions on:
1-    PRS stocktaking and implementation
2-    Examination of the four pillars in the PRS
3-    Costs and financing
4-    Infrastructure strategies for specific sectors
5-    Infrastructure financing
6-    Liberia’s response to the rising costs of food

Who will be representing the Government of Liberia?
The Forum will be opened and attended by Her Excellency the President of Liberia, Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. She will be accompanied by members of her cabinet.

Which international Partners will be attending?
Liberia’s key Partners will be attending the Forum including multilateral organizations, bilateral governments partners, NGOs, charitable foundations, private corporations and members of civil society.

In particular there will be high level representatives from the UN, World Bank, IMF, US, Europe, Africa and Asia. Including:

-    The German Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul
-    Ms Ellen Margrethe Loj, Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the UN
-    Ms. Henrietta Fore, USAID Administrator & Director of US Foreign Assistance



What does the government hope to achieve?
The support of our international partners has played a significant role in the reconstruction and development efforts of the current government. For example, many countries continue to generously contribute to the UN peacekeeping force in Liberia and contributed to the clearance of Liberia’s sizable debt burden.

The Forum is an opportunity for the Government of Liberia to present the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) to Partners. The discussion will focus on:
-    the progress that has been made by the current administration in securing peace, revitalizing the economy, strengthening governance and the rule of law and rehabilitating infrastructure and basic services;
-    the significant challenges for implementation of the PRS that lie ahead to achieve rapid, inclusive and sustainable development;
-    the steps which will be taken to address these challenges as set out in the PRS; and,
-    the financing requirement to implement the priorities in the PRS and support that will be provided by Partners.

Why is there a focus on infrastructure?
Rebuilding infrastructure is at the heart of Liberia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS), and is central to achieving all of the Government’s major objectives: consolidating peace and security, facilitating inclusion and equity, revitalizing growth throughout the country, reducing poverty, increasing access to basic health and education, and building strong systems for local governance.

The priorities set out in the PRS are the result of an unprecedented series of county consultations. During the consultation process, Liberians throughout the country, especially rural Liberians, consistently named roads as their number one priority.

As a result, the infrastructure and basic services pillar represents over 60 per cent of the total cost of implementing the PRS. Government resources will not be sufficient to finance the significant cost of restoring the country’s infrastructure. Continued and securing additional donor support will be essential to fund the PRS priorities.

What will support successful implementation of the PRS?
The Government of Liberia is committed to achieving the objectives set out in the PRS over the next three years. There will be a focus on building capacity and dedicating government resources towards PRS priorities. Partners’ support in technical and financial assistance aligned with the PRS priorities will also be central to successful implementation.

Was there a Partners’ Forum in 2007?
The 2007 Liberia Partners’ Forum was held on 13th and 14th February in Washington, DC. It provided an opportunity for the Government of Liberia to gather feedback on strategic priorities outlined in the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy (iPRS), and to discuss with Partners the financing requirements and mechanisms needed to expand efforts to rebuild Liberia.  Although the 2007 Forum was, by design, not a “pledging conference”, it provided a setting for Partners to determine and announce their planned support for Liberia.  Some Partners took advantage of this opportunity.

Where can I find out about news during and after the Forum?
A round-up of news will be sent to Monrovia via Radio Veritas Zoegar Jaynes (zagus66@yahoo.com) and Baindu Ken (bken@ifc.org) at the end of the first day of the conference (26th June). A further correspondence will be sent at the end of the conference which will include the communiqué, press release and transcript of speeches.