Liberia has been commended for its commitment to good governance and institutional reform as the country embarks on the implementation of the African Union’s African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Revised Country Self-Assessment Questionnaire and Methodology. The recognition came from the World Bank during a launch workshop held on September 10, 2025. Speaking at the event, World Bank Liberia Country Manager, Georgia Wallen hailed Liberia’s strides in governance and accountability, noting that the adoption of the APRM process underscores the Boakai administration’s emphasis on transparency, integrity, and inclusive development.
She stressed that the initiative aligns with the government’s ARREST Agenda, which seeks to promote accountability and resilience across sectors. “This workshop is about more than tools and methodologies; it is about strengthening the practice of good governance in Liberia,” Wallen said. “By updating and popularizing the revised self-assessment questionnaire and by building national capacity to apply it Liberia is taking a concrete step toward that vision.” Wallen praised Liberia for its decision to undergo a second-generation peer review under the APRM, which she described as a unique platform for assessing governance performance and advancing reforms.
She highlighted three major contributions of the process: building national capacity, centering evidence and inclusion, and fostering peer learning across Africa. According to her, the training of government officials, research institutions, and civil society actors on the APRM methodology will deepen national expertise and ensure sustainability of reforms. She emphasized that a credible self-assessment must be inclusive, incorporating data, civil society voices, academia, youth, and the media, to create shared accountability.
“Liberia’s experience will benefit from lessons across the continent, and what the country’s tpioneers here on domestication, on data systems, on engaging communities will, in turn, inform others. That is the promise of the APRM: African solutions, shared and scaled,” she added. The World Bank Country Manager also outlined the synergies between the APRM and the Bank’s focus areas, including data-driven policymaking, public financial management, service delivery, and resilience to shocks.
She encouraged participants to be candid in their assessments, coherent in linking findings to national plans and budgets, and collaborative in sustaining partnerships with civil society and independent researchers. “The World Bank stands ready to accompany Liberia sharing global and regional experience, supporting data systems and capacity, and aligning our programs with the priorities that emerge from this process,” Wallen assured. The workshop brought together representatives of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, the African Union, the National Governance Council, Civil Society organizations, academia, and the media.
Author: Zac T. Sherman
