The Center for National Documents and Records Agency (CNDRA), commonly known as the National Archives of Liberia, has officially launched an ambitious Five-Year Strategic Development Plan aimed at modernizing the country’s documentary heritage and repositioning the institution for national and global relevance.
The plan was unveiled during a ceremony held at the agency’s headquarters in Sinkor, where Director General D. Nelson Bearngar described the occasion as a historic milestone in the ongoing transformation of the National Archives.
According to Bearngar, the document—titled “Five-Year Strategic Goals”—will serve as a comprehensive roadmap for strengthening the agency’s capacity to effectively execute its statutory mandate.
“Since we assumed leadership of the National Archives less than two years ago, we have made consistent progress toward transforming this vital institution for the benefit of Liberia and the global community,” Bearngar said.
“The development of this strategic plan stands as one of our most significant achievements.”He explained that the plan outlines clear priorities and actions designed to align the National Archives with regional and international archival standards.
The strategy is built around five key goals focused on modernization and institutional growth.
These include infrastructure enhancement; digitization, decentralization, and improved customer service; the systematic collection of oral histories from Liberia’s 15 counties; capacity building and institutional development; and the establishment of a national library system.
Bearngar disclosed that the plan is fully costed at US$12,653,243.67 and will be implemented over a five-year period, from 2026 to 2030. He further noted that the document was developed entirely by in-house professionals, without the engagement of external consultants.
“This plan was developed by our own professionals right here within our compound,” he emphasized, expressing pride in the technical capacity of the agency’s staff.
Formally declaring the plan launched, the Director General called on the Government of Liberia and development partners to provide the necessary financial and technical support to ensure the successful implementation of the outlined goals.During his address, Bearngar also highlighted several achievements recorded by the CNDRA in 2025.
These include the elevation of the agency’s membership in the International Council on Archives (ICA) to Class “A,” participation in the 2025 ICA Congress in Barcelona, Spain, and the establishment of partnerships with visiting academicians from Harvard University as part of efforts to enhance international exposure and institutional growth.
Additional accomplishments cited include hosting International Literacy Day, publishing the agency’s Service Delivery Charter, expanding revenue collection to include the registration of Certificates of Naturalization and Bills of Divorcement, an initiative that enabled the agency to surpass its projected contribution to the national budget—launching in-service training programs for staff, training government communication officers and more than 600 Liberians from private institutions, and submitting its Procurement Plan to the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) for approval.
Bearngar described the agency’s achievement in exceeding its 2025 revenue target as a major milestone.
The Five-Year Strategic Development Plan is expected to significantly strengthen national records management and preservation, while positioning the National Archives as a critical pillar in Liberia’s governance, accountability, and historical documentation framework.
The launch underscores the National Archives of Liberia’s renewed commitment to preserving the nation’s documentary heritage while embracing modernization, innovation, and international best practices.
