Liberia and Sweden Reaffirm Commitment to Public Service Reform in High-Level Follow-Up Meeting

Monrovia, Liberia – The strategic partnership between Liberia and Sweden aimed at strengthening the nation’s public service received a significant boost during a high-level follow-up meeting on November 12, 2025. The session brought together the Swedish Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) and Liberia’s key governance institutions operating under a collaborative framework known as “The Tripod”, comprising the Civil Service Agency (CSA), the Governance Commission (GC), and the Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA). The meeting served to evaluate progress and strategize future efforts under this partnership.

Held at the Dr. C. William Allen Conference Hall, within the Civil Service Agency, the meeting reinforced both nations’ commitment to building a more efficient, merit-based public service grounded in the Rule of Law.

Presiding over the proceedings, the Acting Director-General of the CSA, Hon. Darlington A. P. Smith, set a collaborative tone for the dialogue. In his opening remarks, he underscored the critical importance of the Tripod initiative for national development, stating that such partnerships are foundational to modernizing Liberia’s public service. Concluding the meeting, he expressed profound gratitude to the Swedish delegation for their sustained engagement, formally thanking them for their openness to “a new phase of partnership” and charging all institutions to maintain the momentum for tangible outcomes.

A key presentation on the Tripod’s trajectory was delivered by the Director-General of LIPA, Hon. Nee-Alah Varpilah. He detailed the proposed implementation mechanism, which includes a comprehensive onboarding training program for incoming government officials. The new initiative is designed as a successor to a previous Rule of Law training held at the CSA in January 2024 and will involve a dedicated working group to validate the training modules, ensuring their relevance and effectiveness.

The Swedish delegation was led by Mr. Per Olsson Fridh, Director General of the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA), who represented both the FBA and the Swedish Embassy. The FBA is the Swedish government agency for peace, security and development. It conducts training, research and method development to strengthen peacebuilding and state building in conflict and post-conflict countries. Mr. Fridh expressed profound satisfaction with the collaborative efforts of the three Tripod institutions and strongly encouraged the continuation and expansion of this multifaceted partnership.

The longevity of this cooperation was a central theme. The partnership between the Civil Service Agency and the Swedish FBA has been active since 2019, with FBA providing consistent support and linkages for specialized law training programs. Echoing this sentiment, the Acting Chairman of the Governance Commission, Prof. Alaric Tokpa, emphasized the high value the GC places on this enduring and strategic relationship with Sweden.

The meeting concluded with a clear path forward, as the Swedish delegation committed to providing continued foundational support for the Tripod, particularly in refining its strategic documentation and input. Ensuring continuous commitment, this renewal provides a vital partnership dedicated to fostering transparency, accountability, and professional excellence within Liberia’s civil service.