80002 Republic of Liberia World Bank Group Country Partnership Strategy for FY13-FY17 Chair Summary ∗ Meeting of the Executive Directors of IDA July 30, 2013 Executive Directors discussed the joint IDA/IFC/MIGA Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for the Republic of Liberia for the period FY13-FY17 (IDA/R2013-0191[IFC/R2013-0268; MIGA2013-0063]). Directors acknowledged the progress made in Liberia since the end of conflict in 2003 in maintaining peace, rebuilding basic infrastructure and reducing poverty. Directors welcomed the alignment of the CPS to the country’s new National Vision, Liberia Rising 2030 and the five-year medium term strategy to implement this vision - the Agenda for Transformation. Directors supported the strategic pillars of the proposed CPS of (i) economic transformation to reduce constraints to rapid, broad-based and sustained economic growth to create employment; (ii) human development to increase access and quality of basic social services and reducing vulnerability; and (iii) governance and public sector institutions to improve public sector and natural resources governance. They noted that in the coming years Liberia will continue transitioning from fragility to stability while transforming the country’s economy and institutions. Directors emphasized the importance of strengthening governance and institutional capacity. In this regard, they urged the Bank to prioritize governance and institutional foundations specifically within the infrastructure sector to address substantial infrastructure deficit including in energy, transport and telecommunications. They highlighted the importance of diversifying the country’s economy and improving productivity, and encouraged using regional cooperation to widen the country’s market space. In addition, Directors underscored the need to tackle the “drivers of conflict� that underlie social fragility, and disputes over the ownership and use of land which have an impact on forestry and mining development. They supported the CPS emphasis on addressing private sector development and human development challenges, particularly in education given the skills gap in labor force, health and social protection as well as the gender focus in Bank’s interventions. Finally, Directors supported the World Bank Group’s commitment to exploit synergies internally to generate maximum development impact and welcomed the Joint Business Plan formulated by IDA and IFC and look forward to more involvement by MIGA. They also encouraged continued collaboration and coordination with other development partners to mobilize additional resources to support the Government’s ambitious development agenda. ∗ This summary is not an approved record.