The World Bank has committed to financing the construction of Liberia's Legacy Economic Corridor (LECO), a major infrastructure and development initiative designed to link Grand Bassa, Bong, and Nimba counties and stimulate economic activity across central and north-central Liberia.
The commitment was announced on Sunday during a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Public Works in Monrovia, where World Bank officials and Liberian authorities discussed the scope, design, and expected economic impact of the project.
The Legacy Economic Corridor is a government-designed trunk road and development zone intended to unlock production, improve transportation networks, and strengthen trade connections between agricultural hubs, mining areas, and national logistics routes. The project is expected to enhance access to ports and regional markets, with significant implications for rice and cassava production, mining activities, and transportation services across the three counties.
World Bank delegation head Anne-Cecile Souhaid said the institution's support is closely aligned with Liberia's development priorities, particularly poverty reduction and inclusive growth.
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"The Bank's vision is strictly aligned with the project objectives, because it seeks to reduce poverty among vulnerable people, ensuring justice and equality," Souhaid said. She also conveyed the Bank's willingness to support the initiative, describing it as a strategic investment in Liberia's long-term economic transformation.
She noted that the corridor holds strong potential to boost key sectors of the economy, including agriculture, mining, and transport, which are central to livelihoods in the affected regions.
Ellin Ivarsson, also of the World Bank delegation, presented the proposed financing arrangement for the project, outlining a three-component framework that will guide funding and implementation. Officials described her presentation as a detailed explanation of how the Bank intends to structure support for the corridor's construction and sustainability.
While welcoming the World Bank's commitment, Minister of Public Works Roland Layfette Giddings urged a redesign of the project to ensure that towns along the corridor route are not excluded from development benefits. He specifically pointed to cities such as Saclepea and Tapita, arguing that leaving them unpaved would weaken the project's overall impact.
"It does not look good for such a modern road to pass through Saclepea and Tapita while those cities remain unpaved," Giddings said. "We think it is a mistake that must be corrected beginning with the Legacy Economic Corridor that impacts three populated counties with high economic viability."
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He referenced the Rural Economic Transformation Project as an example, saying similar oversight had limited its impact in urban centers. "The Rural Economic Transformation Project passed through major cities like Saclepea and Tapita without considering pavement within those areas to actualize the project objectives, which significantly misses out on many things," he added.
Giddings stressed that economic development depends on strong linkages between rural producers and urban markets. "For the project objectives to be achieved, the players of the local economy must be able to interact with the main corridor through these inner-city connectivities," he said.
He also raised concern about broader infrastructure funding challenges, warning that any reduction in support to related programs could slow development progress. He cited the possible drawdown of Swedish support to the Ministry of Public Works' Village Access Roads Project, which helps farmers move goods to market.
"Shutting down the project only retrogresses the gains the Ministry has made over the years," Giddings said, urging the World Bank to give "strong consideration" to continued investment in rural access infrastructure.
