MONROVIA, Liberia — Liberia’s long-standing development partnership with India entered a renewed and more ambitious phase as stakeholders gathered to commemorate ITEC Day 2026, celebrating decades of technical cooperation that have quietly but steadily shaped Liberia’s public and private sectors.
At the heart of the celebration was the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme, a flagship initiative of the Government of India that has trained hundreds of Liberian professionals across critical sectors including health, mining, law enforcement, immigration, public administration, and information technology.
Speaking at the event, Manoj Bihari Verma, India’s Ambassador to Liberia, described ITEC as more than a scholarship scheme, calling it “a philosophy of partnership rooted in shared growth and mutual respect.” He announced a significant expansion of Liberia’s annual ITEC training slots from 70 to 120, signaling India’s growing confidence in Liberia’s reform trajectory and human capital potential.
Globally, Ambassador Verma noted, ITEC has trained over 225,000 professionals from more than 160 countries, with Liberia emerging as one of the most consistent African beneficiaries. Since Liberia joined the programme, more than 500 Liberians have undergone specialized training in India, many of whom now occupy decision-making and technical roles in government institutions.
The celebration also highlighted ongoing training initiatives, including the current batch of 30 Liberian mining professionals receiving advanced instruction in India under the Ministry of Mines and Energy. These programs, officials say, are designed not only to improve individual skills but to strengthen institutional performance and governance systems.
Liberian officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Mines and Energy, Information, and Justice, as well as the Liberia National Police and Liberia Immigration Service, shared testimonies on how Indian-trained officers have improved service delivery, introduced new technologies, and raised professional standards.
Beyond ITEC, Ambassador Verma underscored India’s broader educational engagement with Liberia through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), which has enabled Liberian students to study at prestigious Indian universities, including top Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
As Liberia pushes forward with governance reform, digital transformation, and economic diversification, speakers agreed that India’s capacity-building model—focused on skills transfer rather than aid dependency—offers a blueprint for sustainable development cooperation.
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