By James T. Brooks
MONROVIA — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has renewed his call for sweeping decentralization and rural transformation, insisting that national development must no longer remain concentrated in Monrovia but must extend to every county, district, and community across Liberia.
Speaking at the opening of the First International Policy Roundtable on Local Governance and Rural Development in Harbel, Margibi County, President Boakai stated that Liberia’s long-term stability and prosperity depend heavily on shifting power, resources, and opportunities closer to the citizenry. He stressed that sustainable development cannot be achieved through centralized decision-making alone, emphasizing that strong local institutions are essential for meaningful progress.
The President told policymakers, development partners, traditional leaders, and international experts gathered at the Farmington Hotel that lasting progress must be anchored in strong local institutions, empowered communities, and responsive governance systems that bring decision-making closer to the people.
The high-level forum, held under the theme “Advancing Local Governance and Rural Development for an Inclusive and Prosperous Rural Future,” brought together participants from Africa and Asia under the African-Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO) framework. Discussions during the event focused on strengthening local governance systems, improving rural livelihoods, and expanding development models that prioritize agriculture, infrastructure, and community participation.
President Boakai aligned the roundtable with his government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, describing it as the central policy framework driving decentralization, institutional reform, and rural empowerment. He noted that the agenda actively seeks to strengthen institutions, promote inclusive growth, improve service delivery, expand partnerships, and build more resilient and accountable communities across Liberia.
According to the Liberian leader, the true measure of national development is found in whether ordinary citizens see tangible improvements in their daily lives. He added that progress should be measured by whether farmers can access markets, whether young people can find opportunities close to home, whether women are empowered to participate fully in decision-making, and whether communities have reliable access to essential services and economic opportunities.
The President highlighted ongoing efforts to fully implement the Local Government Act of 2018, which he noted provides a critical legal foundation for transferring authority and service delivery functions to local governments. He explained that executing this Act remains key to closing the existing gap between national policy and community-level impact.
He further emphasized that decentralization is both an administrative reform and a democratic necessity. When communities are empowered to participate in planning, budgeting, implementation, and oversight, development naturally becomes more responsive, transparent, and sustainable. Effective local institutions help citizens gain confidence that the government is working directly in their best interests.
President Boakai also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting the establishment of a West Africa Training Center for Local Governance and Rural Development in Liberia, in collaboration with AARDO. He noted that the proposed center would greatly strengthen capacity-building for local officials and support long-term institutional development across the sub-region.
Declaring the roundtable officially open, Boakai called for stronger international cooperation to address shared development challenges, stressing that rural communities must no longer be treated as peripheral zones but rather as the very foundation of national progress. He concluded by stating that development must move beyond policy discussions and become completely visible in the lives of the people.
The conference is expected to produce a comprehensive set of policy recommendations and a structured implementation roadmap to guide Liberia’s decentralization and rural development agenda in the coming years.