Onboarding Training Launched to Establish County Development Planning Units in South-eastern Counties (Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Sinoe, Maryland, and Grand Kru Counties)

 The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), with support from the Government of Liberia through counterpart funding to the Liberia Decentralization Support Programme (LDSP) managed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and from the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) through UN Women under the project “Empowering Citizens and Communities to Foster Social Accountability and Transparency in Governance and Public Service Delivery,” launched a five-day onboarding training to establish County Development Planning Units in five south-eastern counties - Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Maryland, Grand Kru and Sinoe. 

Held in Zwedru from 20–24 October 2025, the exercise convened 70 County Development Planning Officers, along with County Officials, Heads of MACs, and facilitators from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Governance Commission, Internal Audit Agency, and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP). Several local technicians also participated. The event aimed to advance the implementation of the Local Government Act of 2018 under the theme “Building a New Liberia through Decentralization.”

Opening the workshop, Hon. Selena Polson Mappy, Deputy Minister for Operations, MIA, called the establishment of County Development Planning Units “a landmark step toward strengthening local governance and ensuring citizens experience the real benefits of decentralization,” noting that the units will serve as the technical arm of county administrations, linking local priorities to national planning and monitoring frameworks.

Hon. D. Emmanuel Wheinyue, Assistant Minister for Research and Development Planning, MIA, explained that each County Development Planning Unit will consist of five key technical roles: Development Planning Officer, Project Engineer, Data Analyst, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, and Gender and Social Inclusion Officer. He emphasized that “these units will bridge the gap between local development aspirations and the Government’s national agenda by promoting participatory and accountable planning.”

The event also featured statements from the Governance Commission and the MFDP, underscoring coordination, transparency and accountability in county development planning. Mr.  D. Emmanuel Williams II, Director of Public Service Investment Programs at the MFDP described County Development Agendas as “practical roadmaps that connect national policy with community-level needs,” emphasizing that the success of decentralization depends on the functionality and effectiveness of the new units.

Mrs. Oretha T. Lah-Bangurah, Programme Support Officer, UN Women, expressed appreciation for the strong partnership with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and commended the Government of Liberia for its leadership in rolling out the LGA. “Decentralization is not only about structures or systems; it is about people,” she said. “It ensures that every voice, particularly those of women, youth and marginalized groups, is heard and reflected in development decisions that shape their lives.” She added that UN Women’s support through the PBF project aligns with its commitment to inclusive and gender-responsive governance.

Delivering remarks on behalf of UNDP, Mr. Eric Boykai, Interim National Program Coordinator of the Liberia Decentralization Support Programme emphasized that County Development Planning Units are the link between national vision and county-level action and encouraged participants to use the week’s tools and templates to translate local priorities into implementable projects with clear responsibilities and timelines. He further concluded that the County Development Planning Units play a critical role in advancing local governance by formulating inclusive, evidence-based development plans aligned with national priorities. They also serve as a vital link between local and central government to ensure coordinated aid and resource alignment, while monitoring development activities to promote transparency, accountability, and effective service delivery.

Across the week, facilitators from the MIA, the MFDP, the Governance Commission, the Internal Audit Agency Unit at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection are guiding modules on inclusive planning methods, Public Sector Investment Programme, developing concept notes and proposal templates, programme budgeting, internal audit and compliance, monitoring and evaluation, and gender-responsive planning and budgeting, among others. Sessions combine presentations with group work and practical use of standard templates so county teams leave with draft materials they can refine and adopt through their administrations.

The onboarding in Zwedru is the final step in achieving the legal requirement for all 15 counties to establish County Development Planning Units in Liberia.