Author: Julius Konton

By: Julius Konton The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) has launched a high-level departmental retreat in Marshall, Margibi County, bringing together senior managers and technical experts of its Department of Fiscal Affairs in a renewed drive to strengthen Liberia’s fiscal systems and advance inclusive national development. The two-day retreat, which opened Friday, is being held under the theme “Strengthening Fiscal Systems to Support Inclusive Development.” It focuses on evaluating internal operational frameworks, addressing persistent institutional gaps, and aligning fiscal strategies with the Government of Liberia’s decentralization agenda and long-term development priorities. Liberia’s public finance system has undergone significant…

By : Julius Konton President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has taken another decisive step in reinforcing Liberia’s international engagement, formally receiving Letters of Credence from the Ambassadors-Designate of the Kingdom of Norway and the Republic of Algeria during separate ceremonies held Thursday at the Executive Mansion in Monrovia. The presentations, conducted in the historic Parlors of the Mansion, officially marked the beginning of the diplomatic missions of Mikal Kvistad, Ambassador-Designate of Norway, and Abdelatif Guia, Ambassador-Designate of Algeria, to the Republic of Liberia. A Signal of Renewed Diplomatic Momentum The credential ceremonies underscored Liberia’s renewed diplomatic momentum under President Boakai, whose…

By: Julius Konton The Government of Liberia has officially launched a nationwide public awareness campaign on the Value Added Tax (VAT), marking a major step toward fiscal modernization and deeper domestic resource mobilization as the country prepares for full implementation on January 1, 2027. The campaign was formally unveiled by Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, who described the initiative as a “historic turning point” in Liberia’s economic governance and development financing strategy. “This is a great day for Liberia,” Ngafuan said at the launch ceremony. “We want to close leakages, improve collection, and ensure we have the…

By: Julius Konton President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has conveyed Liberia’s profound condolences to the Government and people of the United States following the death of Jesse Louis Jackson, the legendary American civil rights leader, Baptist minister, and two-time U.S. presidential candidate. Reverend Jackson passed away on February 17, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois, at the age of 84, marking the end of a public life that spanned more than six decades of activism, political engagement, and global advocacy for racial justice, economic equity, and democratic inclusion. In an official message addressed to U.S. President Donald J. Trump, President Boakai expressed shock…

By : Julius Konton President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has formally commissioned the Quality Laboratory of the Liberia Standards Authority (LISA), marking a major milestone in Liberia’s effort to strengthen consumer protection, improve market fairness, and position local products for regional and international trade. The commissioning ceremony, held at the Ministry of Public Works compound in Monrovia, signals the operational takeoff of Liberia’s long-awaited national quality infrastructure an institutional gap that economists and development partners have long identified as a barrier to industrial growth and export competitiveness. A Long-Awaited Reform Liberia enacted the LISA Act in 2022, creating the Authority as…

By: Julius Konton Morocco has formally expressed its support for U.S.-led efforts to stabilize and reconstruct the Gaza Strip, positioning the initiative as a critical step toward reviving a comprehensive Middle East peace process based on the two-state solution. Speaking on Thursday in Washington, Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita said that Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, supports the actions of U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at ending hostilities in Gaza and laying the groundwork for long-term peace. Bourita made the remarks during the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace, a…

By: Julius Konton Liberia’s new Minister of Youth and Sports, Cornelia Kruah, has placed technical and vocational education at the center of her policy agenda, beginning with a high-level assessment visit to the Monrovia Vocational Training Center (MVTC), one of the country’s most prominent skills-development institutions. The visit signals a renewed government push to confront persistently high youth unemployment by strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), a sector widely regarded by economists as vital to Liberia’s post-conflict recovery and long-term economic growth. A Strategic Shift Toward Skills-Based Education Liberia faces a demographic challenge that is also an opportunity.…

By: Staff Writer In a formal diplomatic ceremony held on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, four newly accredited ambassadors presented their Letters of Credence to Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., President of Liberia, marking the official start of their respective missions in one of Africa’s historically significant republics. The event, conducted in the Parlors of the Executive Mansion in Monrovia, reaffirmed Liberia’s continued commitment to fostering robust international partnerships rooted in mutual respect, economic cooperation, peace and sustainable development. The new envoys and their countries of accreditation were: Gaston Gakosso, Ambassador of the Republic of Congo Alberto Efrain Castelar Padilla, Ambassador of…

By: Julius Konton In a decisive move to reinforce fiscal transparency and restore confidence in public financial management, the Government of Liberia has launched a week-long high-level workshop aimed at developing and validating a Public Debt Procedural Manual, a cornerstone reform designed to standardize and strengthen how the country contracts, manages, and services public debt. The initiative is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), through its Department of Economic Management and Debt Management Unit, and is taking place in the coastal city of Buchanan. It brings together senior technical officials from Liberia’s core economic and…

By: Julius Konton In a significant step toward advancing gender inclusion and professional leadership within public service, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning has officially launched the Professional Women Association Interactive Forum, under the theme “Women Unite, Inspire Change.” The initiative, unveiled in Monrovia, is designed to provide a permanent platform for mentorship, capacity building, peer learning, and psychosocial support for women professionals within one of Liberia’s most influential government institutions. Speaking at the launch, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, Minister of Finance and Development Planning, underscored the indispensable role women play in sustaining the daily operations, policy execution, and ethical…