Investment in Education Is Investment in the Future -WB Manager Says, as She Makes Speaking Rounds in Monrovia

MONROVIA – Monrovia, November 18, 2024, was quite a moment for the Country Manager of World Bank Liberia Office, Georgia Wallen, when she went on speaking expedition in the nation’s capital, drumming up support for Liberia’s transformative programs.

At the launch of the Procurement Internship Program of the University of Liberia and Opening of Training, Madam Wallen said building on World Bank-Liberia’s years of fruitful partnership, the internship program was a new platform to further build the capacity of procurement practitioners in Liberia.

Every investment in education, learning, and training is an investment in the future – both for individuals and for Liberia, she said, noting that the Procurement Internship program is about bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world, practical public procurement implementation – and “know how.”

“It will provide practical experience to Masters’ degree-level students studying procurement,” she said.

According the World Bank Country Director, during the internship, interns would be attached to a World Bank project for a period of 12 months, so as to allow them gain firsthand experience with the World Bank’s procurement policies and implementation procedures.

This “on-the-job training” will enhance practical knowledge and foster professional growth, allowing interns to gain experience in areas such as procurement planning, preparation of biding documents and Request for Proposals, evaluations of bids and proposals, and contract negotiations and contract drafting, etc.

“Interns will also be able to interact with other professionals, technicians, and civil servants thereby helping students build valuable networks to inspire and inform them as they pursue their career goals,” she continued, expressing confidence that the internship program would contribute to building capacity in Liberia by expanding the pool of skilled professionals ready to help tackle the nation’s development challenges.

She further noted that the ultimate goal is to equip students with the skills needed to contribute meaningfully to project implementation in Liberia and to pursue their career ambitions, including possibly serving in the public service.

“As requested, it is my pleasure to officially launch the UL Procurement Internship Program,” she declared. “I would like to thank colleagues in the University of Liberia and the World Bank team who worked hard to bring this Internship program from a dream to a reality. We wish much success to the inaugural cohort of interns – may you achieve great outcomes and resounding success!”

Gender-Informed Budgeting Ceremony

The World Bank Country Manager also made remarks at the formal opening of a training workshop on Gender-Informed and Participatory Budgeting held at the Lutheran Compound in Monrovia.

She said the “Gender-Informed and Participatory Budgeting for Gender & Social Inclusion Units at all Governments Ministries, Agencies and Commissions (MACs)” workshop was an important step in achieving governance that serves the needs and interests of the people of Liberia – particularly women and girls.

“Inclusion for all is at the heart of the WBG mission to end extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity on a livable planet – including through our special focus on women and youth,” she reminded the participants.”

He asserted further: “We recognize the central role of women’s empowerment is in the GoL’s new ARREST agenda. Tackling barriers to full inclusion — much as gender-based violence, limited access to health services, and restricted opportunities for education, economic participation — requires action across a range of fronts.”

Ms Wallen highlighted three key elements as background, particularly vision, collaboration, and learning as the main motivation of the training.

On the element of “vision”, she spoke of the necessity of strategic investment, stating that in the context of a tight fiscal environment, it is crucial for Liberia to prioritize strategic investments in its ambitious ARREST agenda designed to advance the empowerment of women and girls.

These investments, the World Bank officials said, are key to securing a better today and a more prosperous tomorrow for Liberia’s women and girls.

The success of women and girls is Liberia’s success, she said, indicating that the training on Gender Responsive and Participatory Budgeting is an important step in this direction, and a pivotal component of the WB financed project (LWEP).

On Second element, which is the importance of GOL Collaboration, Madam Wallen said Gender-Responsive Planning and Budgeting (GRPB) is vital for sustaining and expanding critical investments in the socioeconomic empowerment of women and girls, ensuring these efforts reach and benefit women and girls in need.

Effectiveness, she stressed, would depend on strong GOL leadership and coordination on the agenda, further indicating that the World Bank was delighted to see the collaboration between the Ministry of Gender and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning’s budget departmental.

On the last element, she emphasized the value of learning from Global Experience, such as evidence from South Africa, India, Uganda, and Zimbabwe that show that GRPB is a powerful tool for changing budgetary allocations and execution modalities in line with national and sub-national gender equality objectives.

In Zimbabwe, for example, GRPB has led to increased budgetary allocations for tackling child sexual abuse and domestic violence, as well as a lowering of VAT on sanitary pads.

According to her, in other countries, such as India, it has opened up participatory spaces for poor and vulnerable women in certain provinces to become directly involved in budget formulation.

“With your hard work, future trainings around the world will be able to cite Liberia’s experience and the impact on women and girls across the country,” Ms Wallen said.