WASH Caucus and UNDP Meet to Strengthen Financing for ACDP Implementation

On October 13, 2025, the Secretariat of the WASH Legislative Caucus convened a one-day WASH financing meeting with the Chair of the WASH Caucus and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The meeting, held at the Capitol Building, brought together three members of the Accelerated Community Development Programme (ACDP) Team from UNDP, the Chair of the WASH Caucus, and members of the WASH Caucus Secretariat.

The session aimed to deepen collaboration between the Legislature and development partners to mobilize sustainable financing for the Accelerated Community Development Programme (ACDP), which targets Liberia’s most vulnerable communities with essential social and economic services.

Meeting Highlights

Opening: The program began with a prayer offered by Timothy Kpeh, Head of the WASH Caucus Secretariat, followed by self-introductions.

Welcome Remarks:Hon. Thomas A. Goshua, Chair of the WASH Caucus, welcomed the UNDP team and expressed his strong commitment to supporting ACDP. He emphasized that the program must serve poor and marginalized communities and not be politicized. Hon. Goshua pledged to engage his colleagues in the Legislature and the Executive to ensure the Government of Liberia fulfills its financial obligations to the program. He also encouraged UNDP to work closely with CSOs and the Caucus to mobilize political support.

Purpose of the Meeting

Mr. Timothy Kpeh outlined the objectives of the meeting, recounting his visit to Gbarpolu and Rivercess Counties for the turnover of WASH facilities. He expressed concern over the lack of national government funding support to ACDP, which threatens the program’s sustainability. Upon his return, he briefed the Chair of the Caucus, leading to this strategic engagement with UNDP.

UNDP Presentation: Accelerating Community-Level Development

Mr. Boye Johnson, UNDP/ACDP Project Manager, provided an overview of the program’s objectives and achievements. The ACDP, launched in 2022, aims to address territorial inequalities and improve living conditions in 35–40 of Liberia’s poorest communities through interventions in water and sanitation, feeder roads, agriculture, energy, health, and human capital development.

Mr. Stanley Kamara, Team Leader of ACDP, traced the program’s history from a 2018 study tour in Senegal, Togo, and The Gambia, which inspired Liberia’s model. After a series of consultations and feasibility studies, the program was launched as a flagship government initiative implemented by UNDP.

Mr. Kamara highlighted that ACDP is currently operational in 10 counties—Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount, Lofa, Nimba, Rivercess, Margibi, Maryland, and River Gee—and is yielding tangible results. He stressed the importance of national government financing and county-level partnerships to scale impact.

WASH Interventions in Focus

Mr. Yousouf Samoe, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, showcased ACDP’s WASH achievements, including the installation of solar-powered, climate-resilient boreholes with 4,000-gallon tanks and chlorination units in Gbarpolu and Rivercess Counties. These facilities have improved access to safe water for 18,982 people, reducing collection time to just 10 minutes round-trip through the construction of 21 water kiosks.

Key Action Points Agreed

1. Legislative Engagement: Hon. Goshua will reach out to the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of State, and Legislative leadership to ensure the USD 692,341 allocated to ACDP in the 2025 National Budget is disbursed.

2. Integration: The WASH Caucus Secretariat will include ACDP in the WASH Caucus Annual Plan.

3. Collaboration: UNDP will review the CSOs/WASH Caucus Secretariat Plan and provide feedback on areas of support.

Progress Since the Meeting

Following the meeting, Hon. Goshua has written to the Minister of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) to clarify the status of the ACDP allocation. He is also engaging the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs to ensure full disbursement of program funds.

Additionally, the WASH Caucus has invited all relevant WASH ministries and agencies to present their proposed FY2026 budget allocations. This proactive step aims to strengthen legislative advocacy for increased WASH sector financing in the upcoming budget cycle. The ACDP team has also been invited to present progress updates and outline challenges requiring legislative action.

Looking Ahead

The WASH Caucus remains committed to working with development partners and government institutions to mobilize sustainable financing, strengthen accountability, and ensure inclusive service delivery for Liberia’s most vulnerable communities.