The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), with support from the Government of Liberia, UNDP, and UN Women, has launched a five-day training in Zwedru to establish County Development Planning Units in five southeastern counties: Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Maryland, Grand Kru, and Sinoe. This initiative is part of the Liberia Decentralization Support Programme and the UN Peacebuilding Fund project, aiming to promote social accountability and transparency in governance. Over 75 participants, including County Development Planning Officers, county officials, heads of Ministries, Agencies, and Commissions, as well as local technicians, attended the training to strengthen local governance under the Local Government Act of 2018.
Deputy Minister for Operations Selena Polson Mappy described the units as a “landmark step” to ensure citizens experience the benefits of decentralization, emphasizing that they will serve as the technical arm of county administrations, linking local priorities to national planning frameworks. Each unit will include five key technical roles: Development Planning Officer, Project Engineer, Data Analyst, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, and Gender and Social Inclusion Officer, supported by County Development Officers and local officials to facilitate planning, implementation, and reporting of county development programs.
The training highlighted the importance of participatory and accountable planning, with input from the Governance Commission and Ministry of Finance and Development Planning on transparency and coordination. County Development Agendas were described as practical roadmaps connecting national policies with community-level needs, and UN Women stressed the need for gender-responsive planning to reflect the voices of women, youth, and marginalized groups. UNDP emphasized that these units are vital for translating local priorities into implementable projects, promoting coordinated aid, and monitoring development activities to ensure transparency and effective service delivery.
During the week, participants engaged in modules on inclusive planning methods, Public Sector Investment Programme, concept note and proposal development, program budgeting, internal audit, monitoring and evaluation, and gender-responsive planning. Sessions combined presentations with group work, allowing county teams to leave with draft materials ready for refinement and adoption.
The Zwedru training completes the nationwide rollout of County Development Planning Units, following previous phases that established units in nine other counties. With core teams trained, roles defined, and tools in place, counties are now positioned to deliver services closer to communities, strengthen transparency and accountability, and align county priorities with national policy through County Development Agendas. Post-training assessments and next-step actions will ensure continuity and sustainability, marking a significant step toward making decentralization effective across Liberia.
