MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The Director-General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), Josiah F. Joekai Jr., in his capacity as Chairman of the Health and Public Service Network of Africa (HaPSNA), is set to convene the 3rd High-Level Continental Meeting on Strengthening Public Service and Health Workforce Development in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from June 1–2, 2026.
The upcoming summit marks the third major continental engagement under Dr. Joekai’s leadership following the inaugural meeting held in Monrovia in March 2025 and the second consultative session hosted in Kigali, Rwanda, in June 2025.
Those previous meetings brought together Ministers of Health, Heads of Civil Service, policymakers, and senior technical experts from across West and Central Africa to address critical issues affecting health workforce development and the integration of certified Community Health Workers (CHWs) into national civil service systems.
Strengthening Africa’s Public Service and Health Systems
The Health and Public Service Network of Africa (HaPSNA) serves as a continental collaborative platform focused on strengthening governance systems, improving public service performance, and advancing the development of a competent and motivated health workforce across Africa.
The network is supported by the Health Development Partnership for Africa and the Caribbean (HeDPAC), a regional health development organization working with governments across Africa and the Caribbean to promote universal health coverage through South-South cooperation, institutional strengthening, and workforce development initiatives.
At previous meetings, participating countries developed a comprehensive policy package and diagnostic instrument known as the Community Health Program Maturity Framework.
The framework is designed to help countries assess, prioritize, and sequence reforms in governance, financing, workforce management, service delivery, and health information systems.
The framework is expected to feature prominently during discussions in Abidjan, where more than 15 participating African countries are anticipated to present progress reports and country experiences related to integrating community health workers into national civil service structures.
Focus on Governance and Workforce Challenges
According to a dispatch, the Abidjan meeting will bring together policymakers and technical experts from Africa’s health and public service sectors to deliberate on major governance and workforce development challenges confronting the continent.
Key issues expected to dominate discussions include public sector inefficiencies, institutional fragmentation, financing constraints affecting workforce sustainability, and disparities in institutional capacity across countries and regions.
The gathering is also expected to explore strategies for building resilient public institutions capable of delivering efficient healthcare services and responding to evolving public health demands across Africa.
Joekai Calls for Renewed Continental Commitment
Ahead of the summit, Dr. Joekai called on participating countries to renew their collective commitment to strengthening governance systems, improving public service delivery, and building sustainable health workforce structures capable of meeting the growing needs of citizens across the continent.
“As Chairman of HaPSNA and Director-General of the Civil Service Agency of Liberia, I reaffirm our unwavering commitment to fostering strategic partnerships, professional excellence, and transformative reforms across Africa’s public service and health sectors,” Dr. Joekai stated.
The 2026 High-Level Meeting in Abidjan will be held under the theme:
“Advancing Country-Led Pathways for Strengthening Community Health Programs through Civil Service Systems.”
Liberia’s Growing Continental Leadership Role
Dr. Joekai is currently serving the second year of his two-year tenure as Chairman of HaPSNA, a role that has increasingly positioned Liberia within broader continental discussions surrounding governance reform, civil service modernization, and public health workforce development.
Observers say Liberia’s leadership within the network reflects the country’s growing engagement in regional institutional reform initiatives and efforts to strengthen public sector effectiveness following years of post-war reconstruction.
The upcoming Abidjan meeting is expected to produce additional policy recommendations and collaborative frameworks aimed at helping African governments improve public service performance and strengthen healthcare delivery systems across the continent.
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