Liberia's growing prominence in regional infrastructure development was on full display on Monday as the country hosted the official opening of the 22nd Assembly of the African Road Maintenance Funds Association (AMFA), drawing delegates from across the continent to Monrovia.
The high-level gathering, convened under the theme "Innovative Financing and Sustainability of Road Infrastructure in the Face of Climate and Mobility Challenges in Africa," highlighted Liberia's rising leadership and bold domestic commitments to fixing its road network.
Delivering the keynote address, Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, announced that Liberia has committed nearly 25 percent of its national public investment budget toward road infrastructure--an unprecedented move that has drawn wide praise from African partners and international institutions attending the assembly.
"During his campaign, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai made it clear: his top three priorities were roads, roads, and roads," Minister Ngafuan stated. "Under his guidance, the government has identified inadequate road infrastructure as one of the binding constraints to growth, and we are allocating resources accordingly."
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According to the Minister, the Liberia National Development Plan (2024-2029) dedicates a quarter of the country's development spending specifically to roads, signaling an aggressive push to improve mobility, boost trade, and stimulate economic transformation.
He emphasized that the government has already begun reconstructing more than 400 kilometers of major regional corridors, connecting Monrovia to Ganta, Harper, and the Côte d'Ivoire border--projects that he said will reshape national and regional commerce.
In an impassioned reflection on Liberia's rising regional visibility, Minister Ngafuan told delegates that Liberia's position as host of AMFA and other recent continental meetings reflects growing confidence in the country's leadership.
"There are many ways to measure national development--from GDP to the Human Development Index," he said. "But when nations across Africa choose Liberia as a convening point for high-level dialogue, that is proof that our country has transitioned from being the region's 'problem child' to a place attracting the confidence of the continent."
Monrovia is concurrently hosting several other engagements involving ECOWAS institutions, Ministers of Finance, Economy, Public Works, and Justice, as well as the Intergovernmental Action Group Against Money Laundering (GIABA). In the coming months, Liberia will also host the next West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) Assembly.
Minister Ngafuan underscored that Liberia's road policy is closely aligned with ECOWAS priorities, including harmonized legal frameworks, improved transit corridors, and strengthened regional infrastructure governance.
He highlighted Liberia's strategic partnerships with Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Côte d'Ivoire on key cross-border routes, particularly the Monrovia-Freetown-Conakry corridor and the Monrovia-Abidjan axis--two of the most critical arteries for West African trade.
"These connections are more than roads; they are economic lifelines linking our people, our markets, and our future," he said.
The Minister commended the Liberia National Road Fund (NRF) for improving transparency, accountability, and long-term financing stability in the road sector. He hailed AMFA's leadership in modernizing road maintenance financing across Africa and noted Liberia's active involvement in the EU-funded Continental Reference Study on African Road Maintenance Funds, conducted with SSATP.
"This study will provide solid decision-making tools and technical guidance for reforms across our continent," he said. "Liberia is proud to contribute to shaping the future of road financing in Africa."
He also extended special recognition to Mrs. Josita Neufville Wento, Liberia's Road Fund Manager, applauding her for the leadership and coordination that made the Monrovia conference possible. "It is through your work that Liberia continues to attract dignitaries and partners from across the region," he noted.
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Minister Ngafuan reaffirmed that Liberia remains fully committed to building a modern, integrated, and climate-resilient national road system that improves the lives of everyday citizens and enhances regional integration.
"The Chinese say that the road to development begins with the development of roads," he concluded. "Together, let us build Liberia's roads, Africa's roads, and pathways to prosperity for our people--putting smiles on the faces of ordinary citizens and driving our region toward a brighter future."
The AMFA Assembly continues this week in Monrovia with technical sessions, policy discussions, and high-level engagements aimed at shaping the future of road maintenance and financing across the African continent.
