The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning kicked off a five-day working session in Gompa City to prepare Liberia’s Annual Economic Review (AER) for 2024.
The Division of Economic Policy, Macroeconomic and Financial Sector Policy, within the Department of Economic Management, is leading the exercise, which aims to produce a data-backed assessment of global, regional and domestic economic performance and lay out policy-relevant findings and recommendations.
Assistant Minister for Economic Policy, Macroeconomic and Financial Sector Policy Henry Yanquoi, who represented Deputy Minister for Economic Management Dehpue Zuo at the opening, said the AER provides a platform to evaluate Liberia’s economic performance and inform evidence-based policymaking.
The review will cover key indicators including GDP growth, inflation, fiscal and monetary trends, climate-related financial impacts and sectoral performance in agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing, mining, labour markets and infrastructure.
A proxy for Gompa’s mayor welcomed delegates and described the decentralised location of the drafting session as a demonstration of government commitment to transparency and accountability. “Bringing the AER process outside the capital is intended to meet public expectations by promoting progress and identifying challenges for corrective action,” said A. Saye Dolo.
Assistant Minister for Planning and Research at the Ministry of Public Works, Abraham Rahim Bility, noted the central role of road infrastructure in constraining growth and said his ministry will provide relevant data to support analysis of the sector’s impact on the economy. Jackson F. Wolobah, Assistant Minister for Statistics and Research, added that the AER is critical for national growth and progress.
Officials and technical staff from numerous ministries, agencies and commissions are attending the sessions, which are expected to culminate in a comprehensive report that will guide policy decisions and development interventions for the coming year.
