By By: Alphanso G. Kalama;
Monrovia — Liberia’s Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Hon. Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, will lead a high-level delegation to Washington, D.C. for the 2025 Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group, scheduled from April 21 to 26.
The delegation includes key officials such as Central Bank Governor Hon. Henry Saamoi, Minister of Public Works Hon. Roland L. Giddings, Minister of Education Dr. Jarso M. Jallah, and Deputy Minister for Economic Management Hon. Dephue Zuo. Together, they are expected to engage in strategic discussions focused on strengthening international support for Liberia’s development priorities, particularly the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID).
While in Washington, Minister Ngafuan is set to meet with senior officials including World Bank Vice President Ousman Diagana, IMF Executive Director Mr. Ouattara Wautabouna, and IMF Africa Department Director Abebe Selassie. High-level talks are also planned with representatives from the U.S. State Department, the International Finance Corporation, and finance ministers from Brazil and Kuwait.
In a notable engagement, Minister Ngafuan will chair the African Development Bank’s Standing Committee of the Board of Governors on Conditions of Service for Elected Officers, following an invitation from the AfDB.
The Liberian team will also pursue key infrastructure funding opportunities, holding follow-up meetings with the Kuwait Fund and other Arab lenders to secure financing for the Gbarnga-Mendikorma Road project—an initiative seen as pivotal to regional connectivity and economic development.
“Our overarching aim for the Spring Meetings is to engage our partners and consolidate support for the implementation of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development,” Minister Ngafuan stated, according to a release from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP).
The annual IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings bring together finance ministers, central bank governors, and development leaders from around the world to discuss global economic trends and forge solutions to pressing financial and developmental challenges.
