Keynote Speech at the Liberia Development Conference

On February 1, 2017, CGD Visiting Fellow Antoinette Sayeh returned home to serve as keynote speaker for the Liberian Development Conference, laying out four core priorities for Liberia's future.

From the speech:

So, how far has Liberia come? As you all know the economic picture just after the war was one of utter devastation, with GDP having contracted by 31% in 2003 before beginning its recovery in 2004 and 2005...After the devastating Ebola period and the quickly succeeding commodity price shock I know that it is most difficult to appreciate the progress achieved in the decade since Liberia’s first post-war democratically-elected government took seat. But out of the ashes of war there has indeed been progress. Not recognizing it—in its totality and in its limitations—does not help us build upon it wisely.