The Government of Liberia, through its Ministry of Public Works (MPW) in collaboration with the World Bank, successfully concluded a day-long validation session on the newly drafted Zoning Act on October 21, 2024.
This legislation aims to modernize Liberia’s zoning framework, which has remained largely unchanged since its introduction in 1958.
Minister of Public Works, Roland Layfette Giddings, emphasized the necessity of this draft law during the session, stating that the current zoning law lacks the comprehensiveness needed to effectively tackle urban planning issues in the country. “The revision of the Zoning Law is among several urban policy reform initiatives and landmark infrastructure investments anticipated under the Liberia Urban Resilience Project (LURP),” he said.
Giddings highlighted the critical role urban planning plays in fostering economic and social development by ensuring efficient delivery of services, enhancing economic growth, strengthening security, and promoting environmental sustainability.
“We have to create the kind of coordination and collaboration to ensure that this is implemented to enhance urban planning we need for economic growth and development for our country,” he added.
The validation session brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from various municipalities, government ministries, and agencies involved in land development and urbanization.
This collaborative effort aims to address pressing challenges that Liberia faces, such as flooding, climate-related risks, and deficiencies in urban management.
The new zoning legislation is supported by a significant US$40 million investment from the World Bank, aimed at developing climate-resilient infrastructure to reduce flooding, improve access to basic services in Monrovia, and enhance urban management capacities.
The Ministry of Public Works is spearheading the implementation of this project, working closely with multiple partners, including the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Disaster Management Agency, among others.