DfID-Liberia Partnership

A decade since the end of its 14-year civil war, Liberia remains a fragile state. The U.N. Security Council continues to occupy the country with a large military presence of approximately 8,000 peacekeepers. The crippling effects of the civil war have led to a lack of institutional capacity in the delivery of health interventions and other basic services. Liberia has a high infant and maternal mortality rate, while clean water and adequate levels of sanitation remain unattainable in most parts of the country. The civil war also left Liberia with damaged infrastructure, further increasing the vulnerability of its population. The U.K. Department for International Development has committed continued support for the Liberian government, with particular focus on improving the delivery of health care, and increasing access to clean water and sanitation services throughout the country. DfID regards these priority sectors as essential pillars for Liberia to continue attracting international private sector investors into the country and further stimulate its economy. Funding levels For the period 2010–2014, DfID allocated a total of 34.04 million pounds ($51,557,766) in aid to Liberia. On average, the agency will spend 8.5 million pounds per fiscal year during this period. Click on image to view larger table DfID’s aid to Liberia will be delivered through the following channels: - Health Sector Pooled Fund — A multidonor fund involving the World Health Organization, World Bank, European Union, U.S. Agency for International Development, and DfID, intends to build the government’s capacity to deliver basic health services by increasing the capabilities of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in allocating resources in the health sector, and reducing transaction costs for the government. - Liberia Reconstruction Trust Fund — A donor trust fund managed by the World Bank that intends to finance the rehabilitation of infrastructure, particularly roads and waste management. Funding priorities (fiscal years 2010-11 to 2013-14) DfID’s goals for Liberia include the following: - Establishing Ministry of Health clinics that are fully staffed and equipped. - Training health workers. - Road construction. - Scaling up waste collection and safe disposal. - Increasing access to clean water. Click on image to view larger table DfID’s five focus areas in Liberia are (1) health, (2) emergency response, (3) water and sanitation, (4) governance and civil society, and (5) peace and security. Of these areas, the health sector received the most substantial funding by far — about a third of the total spending — since DfID began delivering aid to Liberia. An ongoing health project in Liberia is the Support to the Liberia Health Sector Strategy, which is expected to be carried out until 2014. Devex analysis Liberia is among DfID’s 27 focus countries, and it is expected to receive U.K. funding in the foreseeable future. In line with its value for money thrust, DfID’s Liberia program has been placed under the leadership of the DfID Sierra Leone team. Weak government institutions in Liberia remain a major challenge to aid delivery. The country ranks 75th in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, with 176 being the most corrupt. Liberia is also at the bottom 40 percent of the World Bank’s Control of Corruption Index. In order to ensure efficient aid delivery, DfID channels its funding through two multidonor funds to leverage the resources of other donors in monitoring and evaluating its programs. In light of its aggressive anticorruption campaign, DfID notes that improving transparency and bolstering contract enforcement and procurement remain crucial to successful aid delivery in Liberia. Contact: DfID Sierra Leone 5 Off Spur Road, Wilberforce, Freetown, Sierra Leone Tel.: (232-22) 233-620 Fax: (232-22) 235-769 Join the Devex community and access more in-depth analysis, breaking news and business advice — and a host of other services — on international development, humanitarian aid and global health.