Liberia: Rwanda, Liberia Sign Cooperation Agreement On Local Governance, Decentralisation

What the report says

Rwanda and Liberia have signed a five-year cooperation agreement aimed at improving local governance, public service delivery and economic development at the community level, according to The New Times via AllAfrica. The deal was concluded in Kigali on Tuesday, November 10, between the Rwanda Cooperation Initiative and Liberia’s Ministry of Local Government.

The partnership is designed to support Liberia’s decentralisation effort across its 15 counties. Areas of cooperation include digitalising County Service Centres, strengthening local institutions, improving domestic revenue mobilisation and encouraging local economic activity. The article says the two countries will also look at ways Rwanda’s digital public service experience could help modernise service delivery in Liberia.

The agreement also covers fiscal decentralisation, natural resource value addition and training for local government staff. It is expected to include institutional assessments, pilot projects in selected counties and exchanges between Rwanda Management Institute and Liberia’s Local Government Training Institute. According to the report, these exchanges are meant to build capacity and make county-level services more responsive to citizens.

Officials from both sides said the deal builds on existing ties and reflects a broader effort to turn policy into practical improvements. The report notes that Rwanda Cooperation Initiative has hosted multiple Liberian delegations since 2018, with visits focused on land and tax administration, public finance management and digital public services.