Monrovia — The head of Liberia’s Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), Bodger Scott Johnson, says the imposition of harsh conditions by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) when offering loans to developing countries is largely responsible for the worsening economic instability in Africa.
Mr. Johnson emphasized that these conditionalities are creating long-term dependency with potential consequences on sustainable development and increasing hardship for the poor in Africa and other developing countries. He cited the wage harmonization program in Liberia as a classic example of the negative effects associated with such conditions.
According to him, the IMF imposes different conditionalities for Asian and African countries. While Asian countries are typically asked to increase taxes and cut spending, African countries are required to harmonize wages — a policy he believes exacerbates economic hardship in the region.
Drawing from his experience with Liberia’s Public Procurement Reform Agenda, Mr. Johnson also highlighted ongoing efforts to modernize public procurement in the country as a way of addressing corruption and improving the delivery of basic services.
He explained that Liberia has configured, tested, and rolled out the Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) System to six public sector institutions and is in the process of deploying the system to an additional 50 institutions with support from the World Bank.
The e-GP System is an innovative public procurement platform designed to enhance transparency, increase efficiency and effectiveness, and restore public confidence in procurement processes — with the ultimate goal of ensuring value for public money.
Mr. Johnson made these assertions during a presentation at a high-level seminar organized by the IMF Legal Department and IMF AFRITAC 2 in Accra, Ghana, from April 8-10, 2025.
The seminar aimed to support continued progress in improving governance and the rule of law, promote constructive engagement, and foster the development of well-governed institutions capable of effectively addressing corruption vulnerabilities and rule of law deficiencies.
Delegates at this year’s IMF seminar — drawn from various countries and sectors — shared their experiences and success stories from the region while discussing practical approaches to deepening analytical skills and combating corruption.
Read the original article on Liberian Investigator.
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By Masauso Mkwayaya

The European Union -EU- has called for an enhanced framework to promote more collaboration between the European private sector and Zambia’s public and private sectors.

EU Commission Managing Director for Sub Saharan Africa, European External Action Service, RITA LARANJINHA, says the shift from traditional diplomacy to a strategic economic partnership calls for reviewing conditions for European private investors to increase their participation in the Zambian economy.

Speaking when she led a delegation of EU Ambassadors who paid a courtesy call on President HAKAINDE HICHILEMA at State House today, Ms. LARANJINHA said this will help boost value addition and participation of local communities.

And European Commission Directorate General for International Partnerships Adviser HENRIK HOLOLEI, HORS CLASSE said the bloc has reached a common understanding on the rehabilitation of the Zambia Railways infrastructure.

And President HICHILEMA said the changes in the global geopolitical environment provide an opportunity for Zambia and the European Union to deepen economic cooperation focused on trade and investment.

President HICHILEMA said this should be focused more on areas of critical minerals.

He also urged the bloc to prioritise investment in energy and infrastructure to support growth of other sectors.

The President also commended the EU for its interest in working with Zambia in rehabilitating the Zambia Railways.

The post EU Seeks Enhanced Zambia Business Ties appeared first on ZNBC-Just for you.

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The young generation, in a given country, is a new impetus injected to the general population/society to bring about change via taking over the nation with its future. The youth in Ethiopia is not exceptional in this regard. The youth are definitely engines of change and active motors to fuel the society, economic and even political trajectory of the nation, Ethiopia–East African star in this context.
Unequivocally, the youth in Ethiopia in particular and across the continent and beyond, the planet in general this means, have been playing an invaluable role in fueling the social, economic and political dynamics and have caused a number of remarkable changes regarding various sectors.
True, the youth can play a critical role in building peaceful nations by actively engaging in peace building initiatives, fostering dialogue, and promoting civic participation. They can be powerful agents of change, influencing policies and advocating for a more peaceful future. Engaging youth in peace processes, providing them with opportunities, and addressing the barriers they face are crucial steps towards creating a more peaceful society. The generation desires to have a stable, prosperous and sovereign nation as everyone in the globe would like to be proud of their respective motherland or fatherland.
Undeniably, peaceful and democratic struggle of the youth is crucial to build national unity and realize development endeavors. Cognizant of the fact that the youth can play an irreplaceable role in building the nation in all circumstance, a day-long training on the role of youth to national unity was recently given to regional leaders drawn from all parts of the country.
The country has to create conducive atmosphere and apt playground for the youth and the latter need to know about all affairs revolving around the nation like the constitution, the federal system, the harmonious way of living, the true cultural and traditional traits of each and every nationalities so that they can contribute to the wellbeing of the country. It is natural to have a range of questions in the minds of the youth in relation to politics, economic, social, cultural developmental affairs, among others and they must present themselves and their cardinal questions solely in peaceful manner for it is only in this way a peaceful country can be built and made sustained.
It is well recognized and even history or anthropological dynamism would have it, pursuing peaceful struggle in order to get appropriate response from the relevant government institutions is crucial and would help reap outstanding fruits. In addition to promoting the cultures of individual nations, nationalities and peoples, focusing on the youth and providing them with the attention they deserve will be of significantly useful in strengthening unity, cementing ties, promoting national unity among the diverse nationalities across the nation. Yes, they youth are two-sided sharped swords as they can contribute a lot in building the nation and destructing it otherwise if not nurtured and well taken care of. That is why Ethiopia has been well embarking on the youth and facilitating conditions for them to be people of their dreams amid some hurdles compromising the smooth flow of activities towards promoting youth engagement in various areas or sectors. No doubt, the contribution of the youth is huge when guided in an appropriate way and led systematically.
As witnessed so far, the government of Ethiopia is ready to support the youth and prioritize the strengthening of the capacity of institutions that serve the youth. Following the suitable atmosphere created in the country, these days, the youth, are using their passion, creativity and digital savvy to advocate for a more peaceful and just nation, continent and even universe. The youth have also been mobilized through social media to help them genuinely raise awareness about injustices and protesting against wars. Some are using their artistic talents to spread messages of unity and understanding through music, film and various other forms of creative expression.
Such a promising move needs to be well duplicated and be able to reach out to the unreached to play their share in all aspects. Most definitely, many are actively involved in rebuilding communities devastated by violence and conflict. They serve as aid workers, peacekeepers and volunteers, working tirelessly to help to create more peaceful and resilient societies at home and abroad. Their dedication demonstrates that lasting peace requires all members of society to work together, regardless of, among others, age, sex, social status, political view.
As it is clearly stipulated in the UN Youth Forum, “Every generation serves as caretaker of this world. Let’s be honest: Mine has been careless with that responsibility. But yours gives me hope.”
It has also been well comprehended that the young people are contributing to peace in their respective countries and globally, leading the way to a more just and equitable world.
From this, it is quite indispensable that everyone has a role in building a more peaceful world. The digital age has empowered young people to reshape political activism. Social media and online platforms have become powerful tools for mobilizing collective action, transcending borders with unprecedented speed. Technology has made it easier and more affordable to organize events, share information and connect with like-minded individuals.
Young people are at the forefront of this digital revolution, transforming how social movements reach and engage audiences online. As the majority of global Internet users, they have diversified movement tactics, harnessing digital tools to reach and mobilize more like-minded people.
Yes, the youth inject energy and enthusiasm into their work. They innovate, help lift overall performance, and serve as role models to other young people.
True, the government of Ethiopia, not limited to it of course as the issue is globally the call of the day, must work with young people to successfully achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as empowered young men and women can play a critical role in preventing conflicts and ensuring sustainable peace.
Interestingly, more and societies around the world are recognizing the role of youth as agents of change and critical actors in preventing conflict and building peace, and so is Ethiopia.
Recently organized by the UN Division for Economic and Social Affairs in collaboration with the Inter-agency Network on Youth Development, an august event drew together experts from youth civil society, government and the United Nations to explore the various ways in which young people are contributing to building and sustaining peace, coming up with innovative and creative spheres as well as invaluable ideologies shaping the mindset of the youth.
The Africa Youth Charter (AYC), adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Governments in Banjul, Gambia, crystallized the recognition of young men and women in Africa’s development by providing a continental framework with provisions on youth: rights, duties and freedoms; active participation in the continent’s development at all levels; guidelines and responsibilities of Member States to promote empowerment; and, responsibilities to contribute to national, regional and continental development. Yes, this vision needs to be translated into practical actions to make Africa the continent of its dreams.
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Specifically, the role of youth in promoting peace and security in Africa is expressed via Article 17 of the AYC. Evidently, Africa’s youth are integral to and have taken on the responsibility to ‘Silence the Guns’ in Africa.
The unreserved effort of Africa’s Youth may be likened to how societies and governments across Africa to some extent view and treat its young population; often far from who or what they really are. A single story is not only imagined, nurtured and reproduced by layers of prejudices, misconceptions or outright falsehood but also circulated and reinforced in ways that make them assume ‘the truth’ or an element of truth with the passage of time. Hence, they have to be provided with a more nuanced and balanced story of African youth, one that began by listening attentively to and learning from them in their own spaces, away from the world of adults, on how much they are fulfilling or betraying the ideals of the present times.
In sum, Africa’s youth have to have a well-defined and comprehensive understanding of mother continent and have to move in unison to bring about all rounded change in all aspects via moving in unison. Unambiguously, the youth are fresh impetus for driving continental transformation and persistent change of Africa since no one can come and act accordingly to act so.
Read the original article on Ethiopian Herald.
AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.
AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa – aggregating, producing and distributing 500 news and information items daily from over 110 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC.
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