GANTA, Nimba County — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai on Monday, January 19, 2026, declared open Liberia’s first-ever post-war National Infrastructure Conference, describing the five-day gathering as a defining moment in the country’s effort to rebuild, rebrand, and reposition itself for inclusive economic growth after years of conflict and underinvestment.
Speaking at the opening session in Gompa City, Nimba County, President Boakai said Liberia’s infrastructure deficit remains one of the most critical obstacles to development, national unity, and economic opportunity, stressing that the conference marks a deliberate shift from fragmented projects to a coordinated, national rebuilding agenda.
“This conference is not just about roads, bridges, and buildings,” the President said. “It is about restoring dignity, connecting our people to opportunity, and laying a foundation that will support prosperity for generations to come.”
Infrastructure as a Pillar of National Renewal
President Boakai emphasized that infrastructure lies at the heart of his administration’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, particularly in agriculture, roads, energy, water, and digital connectivity. He noted that decades of war, disease outbreaks, and governance failures left Liberia with weak transport networks, unreliable power supply, and limited access to basic services, especially outside Monrovia.
“Our people cannot trade without roads, industries cannot grow without energy, and young people cannot compete without digital access,” Boakai said. “Rebuilding infrastructure is not optional; it is foundational.”
The President also underscored the importance of decentralizing development, praising the decision to host the conference in Nimba County as a signal that national growth must extend beyond the capital.
Whole-of-Government and Regional Collaboration
Serving as Conference Chair, Roland L. Giddings, Minister of Public Works, described the conference as a national commitment to transform infrastructure into the engine of economic growth. He outlined Liberia’s urgent needs across energy, transportation, water and sanitation, ICT, housing, seaports, airports, and spatial planning.
“Our objective is clear,” Giddings said. “We must align all infrastructure sectors into one coherent national strategy that supports economic growth, social inclusion, and climate resilience.”
Deputy Minister of Finance for Economic Management Dehpue Y. Zuo highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen public financial management, expand public-private partnerships, and mobilize private capital to close Liberia’s infrastructure financing gap, noting that government resources alone are insufficient to meet national demand.
Regional Lessons and Pan-African Solidarity
Delivering the keynote address, Ghana’s Minister of Works and Housing Kenneth Gabriel Adjei drew on Ghana’s infrastructure experience, urging Liberia to treat infrastructure as “the architecture of opportunity.”
“Infrastructure is not just concrete and steel,” Adjei said. “It is dignity, inclusion, and national cohesion.”
He emphasized the need for climate-resilient infrastructure, integrated urban planning, and regional connectivity, encouraging Liberia to plan infrastructure that aligns with ECOWAS and continental trade corridors.
International Partners Pledge Support
Representatives of major development partners reaffirmed their support for Liberia’s rebuilding agenda. The European Union highlighted decades of investments in roads, energy, and governance reforms, while reiterating readiness to support coastal highways, green energy, and cross-border infrastructure under its Global Gateway Strategy.
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) stressed that infrastructure must translate into visible improvements in people’s lives, announcing continued investments in health facilities, climate-resilient coastal protection, rural markets, and digital governance systems.
A Turning Point
As deliberations continue, President Boakai urged participants to move beyond talk and commit to execution, accountability, and results.
“Let this conference mark a turning point,” he said. “When we meet again, let us point not to promises, but to roads built, power delivered, jobs created, and lives changed.”
The National Infrastructure Conference runs through the week, bringing together government officials, engineers, financiers, private-sector leaders, civil society, and international partners to chart a unified path toward rebuilding Liberia’s physical and economic foundations.
