Health, Education, Security top UK partnerships with Liberia

The Government of the United Kingdom has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Liberia’s development and democratic governance.

According to the Ambassador of the United Kingdom accredited to Monrovia, Neil Bradley, his country will continue its involvement across different sectors.

Following a courtesy visit to the Liberia mission in London, where he held insightful discussions ‘about greater cooperation between Liberia and the UK’ with his Liberian counterpart, Ambassador Gurly T. Gibson Schwarz — he rolled out five key areas, under which he and his team remained engaged across Liberia — emphasizing health, education, climate change, biodiversity, and security.

Under Pillar 1, in healthcare and education, the United Kingdom is a leading member of the World Health Organization (WHO), COVAX Initiative that has delivered vaccines to other countries of the world in response to the Covid 19 Pandemic — with Liberia being a beneficiary.

The British government is providing US$2.6 million dollars to Mary’s Meals helping more than 157,000 children in Liberia reduce hunger for the period 2021-to 2024. Ambassador Bradley stresses the impact of this initiative based on visitation to the project site in Bomi County.

The United Kingdom is also providing US$5 million to power the nutrition and financing facility run by UNICEF, targeting 1.3 million women and children to reduce the prevalence of stunting in Liberia from 36% to 33% by 2024; as well as contributing US$80,000 to UNFPA in Liberia to reduce unintended pregnancies and maternal deaths. The project is seeking to improve maternal newborn and child health. Another US$1.5 million in items of Personal protective equipment has been donated towards combating the global pandemic.

The annual Chevening scholarship program provides master’s scholarships for Liberians to enroll at top UK Universities.  Beneficiaries of the programs moved on to play influential roles across different sectors. On social protection, the United Kingdom has also contributed US$4 million to the World Bank Liberia social safety net project — presided over by the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection — providing income support to poor households of over 12,000.

Under Pillar II, The Economy, the United Kingdom is a major contributor to the World Bank US$6.3 million to the World bank Liberia — to help fund the construction of the south-eastern corridor. 

On Pillar III, sustaining peace in terms of Security and National Defence — Under funding provided from the UK’s conflict, security, and stability fund, the UK Ministry of Defence provided UN MINUSMA (UN Mission to Mali) deployment training for 160 members of the Armed forces of Liberia in February with additional training due this year.

The United Kingdom peace support team police officers also visited Liberia in January 2022, providing training for the Liberia National Police. On Justice and Human Rights, the Human Rights Envoy, Ambassador Rita French, visited Liberia last month and her visit ‘will help strengthen cooperation in this area.’

Pillar IV: The UK’s Cop26 Presidency has seen the UK mission to Monrovia in coordinating with different sectors prior to the successful Glasgow world climate change conference. The UK has also contributed to the training of journalists around environmental issues raising awareness amongst women on how to adapt effectively to climate change to protect species and their habitats.

The United Kingdom has also placed a premium on forest governance and reforms and climate change around US$20 million. The UK-funded projects and grants are supporting the government of Liberia to develop the necessary tools and systems to strengthen forest governance, thus safeguarding Liberia’s precious natural resources. According to Ambassador Bradley. 

The UK Monrovia mission expresses delight that the UK illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund finances several key initiatives in Liberia, which in recent years, has helped develop a regulation for implementing the national wildlife law; set up transboundary committees, and monitoring arrangements between Liberia Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire to protect migrating forest elephants, delivered training to ranger teams while educating citizens about the negative effects trading of illegal wildlife.

The United Kingdom will continue to collaborate and strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two countries. According to Ambassador Gurly Gibson Schwarz, who held a similar encounter in Monrovia during her recent visit, increasing collaboration with the United Kingdom as a key donor to international development ‘is a key preoccupation of the Liberian diplomatic mission in London.’ She indicated that such increasing collaboration with the UK is reflective of progress in many sectors.

Such interaction at various levels of the UK and Liberia governments- and people-driven forums are crucial to both countries. As Liberia and the United Kingdom edge towards a trade deal, Ambassador Gurly Gibson Schwarz recalled the support of the UK during the UK Liberia business conference that focused on Liberia’s innovative approach to the extractive industries that highlight sustainable development and renewable energy.

She applauded Ambassador Bradley for continuing the partnership and breaking new ground in Liberia and the United Kingdom towards furthering cooperation between our governments and people.

In her recent meeting with members of the House of Lords at the British Parliament, Ambassador Gurly Gibson Schwarz asserted that advancing increasing trade between Liberia and the UK is crucial to creating jobs in Liberia and actualising the UK Global Britain mantra.

She recalled that Lord Sheikh was one of the key delegates at the UK-Liberia virtual conference held at the Liberia Mission in London and has since continued ties with Liberia.

‘Lord Sheikh expressed his intentions to form a trade alliance with Liberia, stating that there are enormous trade investment opportunities in the renewable energy, blue economy, and tourism sectors.

The meeting also included Lady Sheikh and Mr. Jonathan Turner, co-founder, and director of NLA International, Ltd who expressed particular interest in Liberia’s blue economy — fishing and maritime sectors.