By Lewis S. Teh
KAKATA, Margibi County, October 22, 2026 – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Ambassador to Liberia, Mohamed Kenewi Konneh, has urged the Liberian government to prioritize investment in education, healthcare and workforce development, warning that sustainable economic growth will remain difficult without a skilled and productive population.
Ambassador Konneh said strengthening the knowledge, skills and capabilities of Liberians is essential to accelerating economic transformation, attracting foreign investment and improving the country’s competitiveness within the West African subregion.
He made the remarks during the closing ceremony of a validation exercise for Liberia’s National Human Capital Development Strategy in Kakata, Margibi County.
The exercise brought together government officials, students, youth representatives, women, community leaders and other stakeholders to review and contribute to the proposed national development framework.
Speaking at the ceremony, Konneh emphasized that human capital development must remain a central component of Liberia’s national development agenda, despite limited financial resources and competing government priorities.
He described the proposed strategy as an important framework for improving the country’s human development outcomes but cautioned that its success would depend on effective implementation, monitoring and accountability.
“Whatever we develop here today, it is for the benefit of all of us,” Konneh declared, urging stakeholders to support the implementation process and hold responsible institutions accountable for their commitments.
The ECOWAS envoy commended the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other institutions involved in coordinating the validation process.
He stressed that broad participation in developing the strategy was necessary to ensure that it reflected the needs and aspirations of Liberians across different sectors of society.
According to him, investing in human capital would strengthen Liberia’s ability to develop a skilled workforce, improve productivity and create opportunities for long-term economic growth.
While acknowledging the financial challenges associated with implementing the strategy, Konneh maintained that education, healthcare and skills development should remain priorities in government spending and development planning.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Liberia’s human capital development agenda through economic diplomacy and stronger international partnerships.
Representing Foreign Affairs Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti at the ceremony, the Ministry’s Comptroller, James S. Paye, said human capital development remains an important component of Liberia’s foreign policy priorities.
Paye conveyed greetings from Minister Nyanti, who he said was away on an emergency national assignment.
He explained that the Ministry’s economic diplomacy strategy seeks to mobilize international partnerships, technical assistance and development resources to address Liberia’s pressing needs.
“Our current foreign policy direction is economic diplomacy,” Paye said, emphasizing that the approach focuses on sectors that directly contribute to national development and improve citizens’ living conditions.
He identified healthcare, education and improved living standards as key areas of diplomatic engagement.
According to him, the Ministry works to connect relevant government institutions with foreign governments and international development partners capable of providing technical expertise, financial support and other resources.
Paye said improving Liberia’s healthcare system remains a major priority, with diplomatic engagements helping to facilitate partnerships aimed at strengthening health services.
He added that education is equally important, particularly efforts to improve learning environments and expand opportunities for children and young people.
The Foreign Affairs official maintained that these priorities are interconnected and must be addressed collectively to achieve meaningful improvements in Liberia’s human development indicators.
He said the proposed National Human Capital Development Strategy would provide a clearer framework for engaging international partners and negotiating development assistance aligned with the country’s priorities.
According to Paye, a nationally agreed strategy would help Liberian diplomats identify specific development needs and pursue partnerships capable of supporting their implementation.
He assured participants that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would continue supporting the initiative through its diplomatic engagements as the government seeks to translate development commitments into measurable results.
The validation exercise forms part of ongoing efforts to develop a national framework for strengthening Liberia’s human resources and improving public service delivery through coordinated investment in education, healthcare and other essential sectors.
The post Liberia Must Invest in Its People – ECOWAS appeared first on Liberia news The New Dawn Liberia, premier resource for latest news.