UNMIL Boss Wants Central Approach In Reconstruction, Development

UNMIL Public Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia – The Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Alan Doss, has stressed the importance of a people-centred development approach to move Liberia forward after years of conflict. Mr. Doss made this call in Monrovia, during a workshop for the County Support Teams (CSTs) intended to review and provide effective recommendations for Liberia’s local authority administrations. “Development must include people; it must be participatory and focus on equity,” the UN Envoy said. “In the past when Liberia registered one of the highest Gross National Product per capita in Africa, there were many parts of the country that were not participating in economic progress and development,” he observed. “It was lop-sided, uneven, and large numbers of the people did not really benefit. So, participation and equity is one way of ensuring that development is done differently.” Addressing county superintendents and other partners of the CSTs, Mr. Doss urged them to re-think the way development is done. “We have to challenge ourselves not to go down the traditional ways of trying to deliver development, which doesn’t really use the energy, drive and enthusiasm of people, particularly poor people,” he stressed. “It is a mistake to think that poor people are recipients; they are also actors. And I think we have to find ways to tap into their capacities.” The Special Representative of the Secretary-General further called the inclusion and involvement citizens at all levels. “That is where the county-level structures and the superintendents have a critical role to play, because if we wait for Monrovia to do everything, then I think you will wait quite a long time,” Mr. Doss warned. “It has to come from the other way as well. Helping the counties play a dynamic role in implementing the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy (IPRS) is absolutely critical, because the IPRS sets series of national targets. But all of that has to be translated, used and taken forward at the local level,” he pointed out. “It is very important to create a sense of local engagement.”With support from donors, the United Nations has provided vehicles and office equipment to the various CSTs in Liberia’s 15 county administrations. Mr. Doss promised the UN’s continued support for Liberia’s recovery and reconstruction, but said emphasis must be placed on management structures at the local level. The workshop brought together county superintendents and their assistants for development, UN agencies funds and programmes making up the UN Country Team, UNMIL, and the ministries of Internal Affairs and Planning and Economic Affairs.The Special Representative of the Secretary-General has led efforts to establish the County Support Teams (CSTs) to ensure a coherent and consolidated UN approach for dealing with the problems facing the government and people of Liberia. The CSTs have also been helping to build the capacity of local institutions. Support for the CST process has been provided by the Swedish and Irish Governments, the UNDP and UNMIL.