In a renewed drive to improve living conditions and provide affordable housing to Liberians, the National Housing Authority (NHA) has entered into a strategic partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to address the growing slum crisis in Monrovia and other parts of the country. The collaboration supports the Government of Liberia’s ARREST Agenda, with particular emphasis on the commitment to deliver 1,000 affordable housing units and allocate 500 acres of land for site and service development. A major focus of the agenda is the urbanization and transformation of slum communities across the nation. During a high-level engagement on April 16, 2025, the United Nations Resident Representative in Liberia, Mr. Aliou Dia, met with the leadership of the NHA, headed by Managing Director Madam Florence Kateka Geegbae, to discuss the framework for sustainable cooperation. Mr. Dia reaffirmed the UN’s unwavering commitment to helping Liberia tackle its housing and urban development challenges. “The UN stands ready to support Liberia’s national housing vision through policy guidance, technical expertise, and resource mobilization,” Mr. Dia said. “Slum transformation is not just about infrastructure—it is about dignity, resilience, and national progress.” Madam Geegbae expressed gratitude for the UN’s interest and emphasized the importance of such partnerships in delivering lasting solutions. “We welcome UNDP’s support and view this as a bold step forward in making decent housing accessible to all Liberians,” she noted. Mr. Dia outlined key areas of potential support, including: Re-engagement with UN-Habitat for technical cooperation; Community-based slum upgrading initiatives; Policy development and implementation support; Assignment of technical experts; and Mobilization of development resources. To advance the initiative, representatives from both NHA and UNDP conducted a joint field assessment on May 8, 2025, visiting four of Monrovia’s most vulnerable communities: Jallah Town, West Point, Slipway, and Sonniewhein. Following the visits, UNDP assigned a Site Engineer to work alongside NHA’s Technical and Slum Development Teams. The joint team has since completed technical evaluations and produced preliminary layout designs aimed at upgrading these settlements into safe, organized, and resilient communities. This partnership marks a major step toward fulfilling Liberia’s housing ambitions and reflects a shared commitment to improving the quality of life for all Liberians, especially those living in informal settlements.
