The newly appointed Country Manager of the African Development Bank Group for Liberia, Rees Mwasambili, has presented his Letter of Credence to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, during an official ceremony held on 10 February in Monrovia.
The Minister welcomed the new Country Manager and underscored the strong and longstanding partnership between Liberia and the African Development Bank Group. She highlighted the Bank's vital contributions in infrastructure, agriculture, governance, and skills development, particularly for youth and women, as well as its support for value addition through the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones program.
She said, "Liberia urgently needs enhanced skills development to drive inclusive economic growth. We appreciate the Bank's continued support, especially in expanding value addition in the agriculture sector through the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones."
Minister Nyanti reaffirmed the commitment of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and his administration to deepening collaboration with the Bank Group, in alignment with the strategic direction of the its President, Sidi Ould Tah.
Responding, Mwasambili expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and pledged the Bank Group's commitment to supporting Liberia's development aspirations. He noted Liberia's role as a founding member of the African Development Bank in 1964 - a flourishing relationship that has now spanned over 60 years.
He stressed that the Bank Group's engagement with Liberia will be guided by the new Country Strategy Paper (CSP) 2026-2031, which focuses on infrastructure development, skills enhancement, and strengthening private sector competitiveness, and is fully aligned with the Government's ARREST (Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism) Agenda.
"Liberia presents strong and promising development prospects. The Bank is committed to deepening its support in infrastructure, expanding skills development, and strengthening the private sector," he added.
The African Development Bank remains a key development partner to Liberia, with more than $1 billion in cumulative commitments supporting 72 projects over the past six decades. As of December 2025, the active portfolio stood at $397 million across 15 national and regional operations, supporting progress in transport, energy, agriculture, and financial sector modernization.
Bank interventions have notably expanded electricity access, strengthened transmission networks, improved transport connectivity, and created new opportunities for youth, women, and farming households.
Under the new Country Strategy Paper, the Bank plans to mobilize UA82 million ($113million) in sovereign financing and UA74 million ($105 million) in cofinancing between 2026 and 2028, reflecting sustained commitment to Liberia's socioeconomic transformation.
