Swedish Ambassador Lena Nordstrom (left) and Liberian Public Works Minister Gyude Moore

The Swedish Government has decided on a new development cooperation strategy with Liberia for the next five years from 2016 to 2020, amounting to about US$160 million.

Swedish Ambassador Lena Nordstrom disclosed that the development cooperation includes support to building feeder roads, the decentralization process and County Service Center as well as the fight against gender-based violence.

The Swedish envoy made the disclosure recently at a Policy Issues Forum and the official launch of Step-Down Training Toolkit on Legislative Engagement organized by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Monrovia, the Liberian capital.

She indicated that the Step-down Training Toolkit on Legislative Engagement is being supported by the Swedish Government through the NDI under the Project Building Citizen Centered Activism and Legislative Advocacy.

Ambassador Nordstrom said Sweden believes that democracy will be deepened and peace strengthened when citizens of different backgrounds and interests in the rural and urban areas have sufficient possibilities to relay their interests and concerns to those whom they entrust with decision-making powers.

She noted that Liberia has made impressive democratic progress since the end of the armed conflict in 2003, but noted that with greater involvement of the citizens in the policy-making process, Liberians can contribute to more responsive democratic institutions that address the population’s priorities.

Liberian News Agency