The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Tuesday, November 10, in Kigali between Rwanda Cooperation Initiative (RCI) and Liberia's Ministry of Local Government. It establishes a framework for technical cooperation, institutional capacity development and the exchange of expertise between the two countries.
Rwanda's Minister of Local Government, Dominique Habimana, witnessed the signing ceremony, describing the agreement as an important step towards strengthening an existing relationship rather than establishing an entirely new partnership.
Habimana said the agreement would create opportunities for both countries to learn from each other's approaches to governance, public service delivery and local economic development.
'Through this partnership, Rwanda and Liberia will have an opportunity to deepen institutional exchanges, share experiences and learn from each other's approaches to local governance, public service delivery, local economic development and institutional capacity development,' he said.
He added that the shared ambition was to build local governments that are capable, responsive and effective, bringing public services closer to citizens while supporting development within their communities.
The agreement will focus on five areas, including digital transformation, fiscal decentralisation and domestic resource mobilisation, natural resource value addition, local economic development, and institutional partnerships and capacity building for local governments.
A key component will involve exploring how Rwanda's experience with Irembo, its digital public service platform, can inform the modernisation of Liberia's County Service Centres.
The initiative is expected to include institutional assessments and pilot projects in selected counties to identify practical ways of improving access to government services and making public administration more efficient.
The two countries will also work towards strengthening local revenue administration, tax registries and collection systems to enable county authorities to mobilise domestic resources and finance their development priorities.
Institutional cooperation will involve exchanges between Rwanda Management Institute and Liberia's Local Government Training Institute, with plans for training, technical assistance and knowledge sharing.
Liberia's Deputy Minister for Local Government and Decentralisation, Edward K. Mulbah, said the partnership would help his country move beyond policy commitments towards building the institutional systems required to deliver services at community level.
Referring to Liberia's Local Government Act of 2018, Mulbah emphasised that decentralisation involves more than transferring authority and resources to local administrations; it also requires the capacity and structures to make local governments effective.
He stressed that Liberia would draw lessons from Rwanda while ensuring that the approaches adopted reflect its own national circumstances.
'We will adapt, not photocopy, because Liberia is not Rwanda,' Mulbah said.
The agreement builds on years of cooperation between the two countries. Between November 2018 and June 2026, Rwanda Cooperation hosted 22 Liberian delegations, comprising 139 delegates, who visited Rwanda to learn about areas including land administration, taxation, public finance management, procurement, digital public services and institutional development.
The five-year agreement is expected to give these exchanges a more structured framework, with both countries required to appoint focal persons within 30 days of signing and develop a joint implementation plan within 90 days.
A Joint Coordination Committee will oversee the implementation process and meet at least twice a year to assess progress and guide cooperation.
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