(September 26, 2025; Monrovia, Liberia): World Food Programme’s Regional Advisor for Social Protection for its West and Central Africa Regional Office Clemence Daudon, and the Programme Policy Officer for its Liberia Office Janet David, were guests of the NDMA ahead of a two-day working session of WFP’s Country Strategic Plan (2026-2030) Evaluation Validation and Formulation. The engagement meeting was intended to provide partners the opportunity to review the progress and challenges encountered, including lessons learned, during the Implementation of WFP’s current strategic plan and to get partners’ participation in the two-day working session so as to integrate some of their activities into the WFP’s new five years strategic plan.
The design and formulation of the new Country Strategic Plan (CSP) will ensure alignment to the Liberia National Development Plan and UN Co-Operation Framework. The formulation phase aims to co-develop a forward-looking strategic plan in close consultation with Government’s counterparts (eg. NDMA), UN Agencies, donors, NGO’s and other co-operating partners.
This engagement meeting, held at the offices of the NDMA, began with highlighting gender and social protection issues in Liberia’s Disaster Risk Management (DRM) – problems observed, why they matter, what’s already in place, and practical recommendations to use in policy or programming like: designing gender-sensitive beneficiary programs, strengthening GBV services in DRM,, improving data and targeting community engagement and women’s leadership.
The meeting also highlighted serious challenges often faced by the NDMA when responding to the needs of marginalized groups such as women, children, elderly persons, people with disabilities, minority groups, and those living in poverty or remote areas. Such challenges include limited data and visibility, communication barriers, social exclusion and discrimination, accessibility issues, resource constraints, security and protection concerns, coordination Gaps, and sustainability of response.
Additionally, Liberia has a legal and policy framework for disaster risk management, ncluding the NDMA’s Act of 2016, National Disaster Management Policy, Action Plan and several recent assessments note progress in planning and partnerships. However, persistent capacity and institutional gaps at national, county and community levels — in human resources, logistics, financing, data and early warning, coordination and enforcement, continue to undermine preparedness, response and resilience. Discussions held at this engagement meeting show that strengthening NDMA’s operational capacity, clarifying roles across ministries and counties, investing in subnational capacity, and sustainable financing are the highest-impact priorities.
As part of the WFP’s objectives to prioritize the NDMA by integrating key areas of support into their new Country Strategic Plan, Madam Clemence Daudon noted challenges faced by the NDMA for consideration into the new CSP. Some areas under consideration, but subject to further assessment are but not limited to: water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) for immediate survival, emergency communications & coordination, rapid needs and multi-sectoral assessmen, shelter and non-food items, cash and market support, food security and livelihood recovery, housing repair and hazard-resilience, education continuity, social protection and policy, gender protection and inclusion, logistics and supply chain, data, mapping and early warning, etc.
During this engagement meeting, the NDMA was represented by Atty. Mrs. Ellen Ziah-Nimley, Head of the Legal Section of the National Disaster Management Agency.