President Sirleaf Officially Launches the National Urban Forum

Wednesday, 24th June 2015

 

On Liberia’s urban challenges, she named increasing demand for basic social services, including issues such as environmental, housing, governance, among others that are required to be functional and working for people in these areas to get the best service.

 

President Sirleaf said 2.1 of the country’s 4 million population reside in urban areas across the country; of which 1.3 million reside here in the capital, Monrovia; most times in unsatisfactory conditions because over the years of our difficulties governments have not been able to expand these basic social services of the quality that is required.

 

According to an Executive Mansion release, the Liberian President made the remarks at the official launch of the National Urban Forum at the Monrovia City Hall on Wednesday, June 24, 2015. The two-day Forum is being held under the theme: “Towards a National Urban Policy”.

 

“Monrovia is where most of us reside and is one of the rainiest cities in the world,” she said, noting that the reality is that the sea is rising due to climate change and the country continues to run the risk of more flooding not forgetting our old habits of building in alleys and putting refuge in channels which puts our health at risk.

 

The Liberian leader highlighted the problem to decongest Monrovia as another major challenge.  She indicated that for decades urban governance in Liberia has not been given much policy and legal priority; municipal authorities nationwide are still largely unable to respond to urbanization challenges effectively; or plan for future urban growth due to low capacity and poor resources.

 

She said government has now embarked on the implementation of a National Policy on Decentralization and Local Governance, but noted that it means more service to the people. The Liberian President named agriculture, health, education and basic social services to the people in those urban areas that needs to be taken from Monrovia to the periphery (rural areas) so that people do not necessarily have to remain in the Monrovia.

 

The Liberian leader made it clear that though there is freedom to live where ever one chooses, government will need to provide those services that people find attractive to their livelihood not in Monrovia to encourage them to return to other urban cities across the country.

           

She thanked the participants and partners, UN-Habitat and Cities Alliance, for their presence and their support to the Forum. She later declared Forum officially open.

 

Earlier, the Senior Policy Advisor of Cities Alliances, Mrs. Clare Short, said her organization was pleased to be a partner of the Forum to help it set progress so far, and how best they can meet needs of the urban population of Liberia and in particular how the life of the urban poor can be improved so that they can have better life opportunities and that they can be in a position to contribute to the development of Liberia.

For his part, Under Secretary General of the UN and Executive Director, UN-Habitat, Dr. Joan Clos, said he was pleased to be Liberia to provide services and emphasized the need to continue these kinds of forum to improve urbanization.The National Urban Forum, funded by Cities Alliance and UN-Habitat is being hosted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in collaboration with the Monrovia City Corporation and the Land Commission.

 

The multi-stakeholders’ conference is intended, among other things, to develop a road map for the formulation of a National Urban Policy, present the Monrovia City Program, build consensus on the city’s recovery and development strategy, endorse Liberia National Habitat Report, and showcase innovative tools in urban settlement profiling and slum upgrading from project experiences in Africa.

 

Over three hundred delegates from all fifteen counties including urban stakeholders, decision makers, technicians, urban managers and ordinary citizens, as well as international partners are attending the Forum funded by Cities Alliance and UN-Habitat and hosted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in collaboration with the Monrovia City Corporation and the Land Commission.

 

Urban governance in Liberia has not been given much policy and legal priority in the past. As a result, municipal authorities across the country are still largely unable to respond to urbanization challenges effectively or plan for future urban growth due to low capacity and poor resources.

 

The fragility of Liberia’s cities has recently been exposed by the Ebola outbreak that devastated urban populations, especially the vulnerable populations in Monrovia’s slum communities.

 

According to statistics, unplanned urbanization has resulted in the proliferation of slums, with an estimated 70 percent of Monrovia’s population currently living in slum conditions.nal partners are expected to be in attendance during the two-day period.

 

The National Urban Forum, funded by Cities Alliance and UN-Habitat is being hosted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in collaboration with the Monrovia City Corporation and the Land Commission.

 

The National Urban Forum will, among other things, develop a road map for the formulation of a National Urban Policy, present the Monrovia City Program, build consensus on the city’s recovery and development strategy, endorse Liberia National Habitat Report, and showcase innovative tools in urban settlement profiling and slum upgrading from project experiences in Africa.

 

Her Excellency, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is expected to speak at the first national forum to craft Liberia’s Urban Policy.

 

The Under- Secretary General of the United Nations & Executive Director of UN-Habitat, Dr. Joan Clos, and Madam Clare Short, Senior Policy Advisor of Cities Alliance are also expected to grace the forum.

 

Urban governance in Liberia has not been given much policy and legal priority in the past. As a result, municipal authorities across the country are still largely unable to respond to urbanization challenges effectively or plan for future urban growth due to low capacity and poor resources.

 

The fragility of Liberia’s cities has recently been exposed by the Ebola outbreak that devastated urban populations, especially the vulnerable populations in Monrovia’s slum communities.

 

According to statistics, unplanned urbanization has resulted in the proliferation of slums, with an estimated 70% of Monrovia’s population currently living in slum conditions.

 

The 2008 National Housing and Population Census also estimated that 47% of Liberia’s population of 3.5 million resides in urban areas.

 

 

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