USAID/OTI Liberia Fact Sheet
September 2006
In February 2004, USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) launched a series of political transition programs in Liberia aimed at good governance, human rights, transitional justice, and community reintegration in support of the 2003 Comprehensive Peace Agreement. These programs helped to contribute to the positive momentum that has ushered in a successful United Nations peacekeeping force, the massive return of refugees and internally displaced persons, the end of the National Transitional Government of Liberia, and the free and fair election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as the first female Head of State in Africa.
As OTI's initial programming is either ending or being integrated into USAID's longer term development activities, OTI has re-affirmed it's commitment to Liberia's transition with a new assistance package aimed in large part at the effectiveness of the new Government of Liberia. As the United Nations Development Program's National Human Development Report outlined in a press release on August 25, 2006, "fourteen years of violent conflict has decimated Liberia's capacity to run effective public institutions. That capacity must be rebuilt as a first step toward sustainable development…..as it stands [now] the public service is not only ill-equipped to deliver essential services to the people, but is also unable to steer much needed reforms."
The election of a new and legitimate government represents the next step in the transition of Liberia, and OTI refocused its programming strategy accordingly. The new approach will further three specific program objectives:
- Assist key Government of Liberia ministries and offices to improve capacity in such areas as effective planning, budgeting, communication and coordination with relevant counterparts;
- Assist the Government of Liberia and other key actors to mount effective political responses to high visibility issues; and,
- Support regional activities aimed at strengthening the Mano River Union.
Beginning in September 2006, this new focus will operate under OTI's in-country implementing partner Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI) using a USAID contract mechanism called "Building Recovery and Reform through Democratic Governance" or BRDG.
For further information, please contact:
In Washington: Donna Kerner, Sr. Program Manager, 202-712-0716, dkerner@usaid.gov
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