Pillar IV: Rehabilitating Infrastructure and Delivering Basic Services

A critical challenge facing Liberian society is rebuilding infrastructure: roads, telecommunications lines, water and sanitation, schools and health care facilities that were totally destroyed as a result to war and years of neglect. A major focus of the government since assuming power has been on rehabilitating infrastructure and delivering basic services to the public and private sectors in order to create the necessary conditions to achieve broad—based growth and poverty reduction.

The government has launched various programs to facilitate infrastructure rehabilitation and the delivery of basic services. These include the rehabilitation of several hundred kilometers of roads and a few bridges, rehabilitating schools, clinics and community health facilities, financing community projects, rebuilding the electricity grid, revitalizing the national strategy to fight HIV/AIDS and the fight against malaria and tuberculosis, rehabilitating water pipelines in most parts of Monrovia, initiating the process of school curriculum review, drafting a new national youth policy, launching a new girl’s education policy and increasing budgetary allocation for health and education. Over the short to medium term, the government will continue to focus strongly on electricity, water and sanitation, education, health and nutrition for all.

Thus far, visible progress has been made, but given the nature of the numerous challenges there is still much to do. Without adequate infrastructure, the ability of Liberia to reduce poverty in any significant way will be severely hindered, and this might increase the likelihood of a return to conflict. Additionally, the reconstruction of infrastructure has the potential to provide thousands of jobs for the youth and the unemployed. The substantial multiplier effects of a massive infrastructure reconstruction program o the economy and poverty reduction will facilitate the delivery of basic services, including health and education.

The government is committed to rebuilding infrastructure in collaboration with county governments and communities. The plan involves working closely with the international community, while also securing private sector participation in the rebuilding efforts. Engagement of the youth and the community in the revitalization of the infrastructure and basic services is a key element of the agenda of the government.