Liberia’s ambition to effectively implement the Poverty Reduction Strategy as a medium term strategy for advancing reconstruction and development is confronted by significant human and institutional capacity challenges.

Following a year of implementation of the PRS and with 18 percent of the more than 300 PRS “deliverables” realized, capacity has been identified as the “binding constraints” in achieving the set targets across ministries and agencies.

In the PRS document, the Government of Liberia concedes to a number of risks and constraints that could derail the implementation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy and frustrate the commitment to generating rapid, inclusive and sustainable growth in Liberia.

Among the factors identified include the shortfalls in external financing, limited leadership including administrative and technical capacity, and external and internal instability. Out of these factors, overcoming the limited leadership, technical and administrative capacities are the focus of the National Capacity Development Strategy for Liberia (NCDS).

Meanwhile in his opening remarks at the crucial NCDS meeting Tuesday (October 20, 2009) held at the Ministry of Planning, Minister Amara Konneh underscored the vital role of capacity building process to boost Liberia’s reconstruction and development.

He noted that capacity building to address the framework of the PRS is critical. He urged the meeting to pay more attention to capacity development if Liberia is to move forward towards a rapid, equitable and inclusive growth and development.

Liberia’s protracted civil war did not only destroy the pre-war institutional and human capacities, but also knocked the development of the new capacities required to kick-start and sustain the country’s development.

As a result of the war and its impact on human capital development, it is widely acknowledged that Liberia lacks the human competencies in the diversity and quantity required to accelerate post-war reconstruction and national development.

In a related development, the Ministry of Planning has launched a major drive to build momentum to address the constraints of human capacity development and boost up the reconstruction process of Liberia.

The vision for capacity development advances gains across all sectors in a manner that is sustainable and results-oriented and one that is aligned with the broader development agenda of the country.

The overarching goals of the drive as reflected in the vision are also to equip Liberians to drive and manage their own affairs by investing in the knowledge and skills and productivity of individuals, building strong institutions to drive and sustain reform, and promoting values and norms that foster social cohesion ad equity.

“Capacity development is part of the fabric of the national vision and overall development agenda of Liberia,” a detailed document by the NCDS says.

The Government of Liberia recognizes the urgency of the capacity challenges in the country and the fact that addressing the constraints heads-on is necessary for overcoming fundamental barriers in advancing the national development agenda.

In light of these challenges, several emergency capacity building initiatives have been launched to provide traction for the recovery of Liberia’s governance and the management of capabilities. Also, the GOL has committed itself to ensure that the existing capacity development initiatives are effectively coordinated within the framework of a long-term national capacity development strategy and action plan to ensure appropriate prioritization as well as gain synergy among the various programs.

“We need to produce a plan for this country that has no constraints. We need a Liberian plan that will include human capacity building,” Minister Konneh urged, adding that such plan should include a national vision and sector plans to support it.

The Minister strongly believes that from the planning prospective, there is a need for a plan that will support the framework. “If Liberia is to develop, that encompasses education, social services, etc, we must start today. We need a short term plan, a quick win that we can at least begin implementation in January (2010) to address building capacity for each sector.”

He encourages the participants at the NCDS meeting to work harder in designing a strategic plan that will begin to take form in a very short time.