Liberia has taken a major step toward developing a climate-resilient water investment pipeline following the conclusion of a five-day technical workshop aimed at identifying projects capable of attracting financing for the country's water and sanitation sector.

The workshop, hosted by the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC), brought together government technicians, sector institutions and development partners to develop a roadmap for turning Liberia's water priorities into bankable investment projects.

The initiative forms part of a broader African Union effort to help member states respond to climate-related threats while addressing persistent gaps in access to water and sanitation.

Speaking on behalf of the AUC delegation, Mtitu Francis Meinrald, Technical Advisor for Transboundary Water Management and Investment, said the initiative followed a directive from African Union Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa requiring member states to develop climate-resilience investment plans.

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He said the AUC's technical support to Liberia would not end with the five-day workshop, emphasizing that the Commission views the initiative as an ongoing partnership.

"We are not here for a one-time training," Meinrald said, explaining that the AUC intends to support Liberia as it implements the milestones contained in the roadmap developed during the workshop.

He said continued assistance would include peer-to-peer learning, allowing Liberia to engage with other African countries that have progressed further in developing bankable water investment pipelines.

According to Meinrald, such exchanges would enable Liberian officials to learn from the challenges other countries encountered and the solutions they developed while building projects capable of attracting financing.

Meinrald placed Liberia's efforts within the wider continental water crisis, citing figures indicating that about 400 million people across Africa lack proper access to water supply, while approximately 700 million lack adequate sanitation.

He said closing the deficit is central to the African Union's Agenda 2063, the continent's long-term development framework known as "The Africa We Want."

Water and sanitation, he argued, should not be viewed as separate from broader development priorities because access to reliable services affects agriculture, education, public health and economic productivity.

He said the challenge therefore requires governments to develop clear investment plans and project pipelines that can attract the financing necessary to close infrastructure gaps.

For Liberia, the workshop provided an opportunity to begin structuring such a pipeline while considering the effects of climate change on the country's water infrastructure.

Meinrald, who was making his first visit to Liberia, commended participants for their active engagement, particularly the young professionals drawn from government institutions and development partners.

He said maintaining the involvement of the same technical personnel from planning through implementation and subsequent reviews could strengthen the sustainability of the investment plan.

Mohammed J. Massalay, Senior Program Manager for WaterAid Liberia and a workshop participant, linked the investment planning exercise to climate impacts already being experienced in Liberia.

He cited rising sea levels around West Point and recurrent flooding in Clara Town as examples of environmental pressures that must be considered when planning future water and sanitation infrastructure.

WaterAid, which works internationally on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), has supported climate-resilient approaches to WASH programming.

Massalay urged participants to maintain the coordination established during the workshop and ensure that the momentum generated does not disappear after the sessions end.

Representing LWSC management, Deputy Managing Director for Administration T. Wilson Gaye thanked the AUC delegation for its partnership and commended participants for their contributions throughout the five-day exercise.

The workshop began with the establishment of a multi-sectoral task team and an assessment of institutional, technical and financing gaps, as well as climate vulnerabilities associated with flooding and drought.

Subsequent sessions examined stakeholder engagement, investment priorities, financing strategies and nature-based solutions, including wetland and watershed restoration.

The exercise culminated in a roadmap outlining key milestones and next steps for advancing Liberia's climate-resilient water investment agenda.

Participants also examined the technical assistance Liberia will require from the AUC and other partners as the country moves from planning toward implementation.

Approximately 30 participants drawn from the Environmental Protection Agency, National WASH Commission and other sectoral institutions received Certificates of Participation at the close of the workshop.

The AUC delegation was led by Nyambe Harsen Nyambe, Director of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy, and included specialists in climate coordination, investment programming and technical advisory services.

Organizers said the broader objective is to help Liberia move beyond identifying water-sector challenges to developing concrete, financially viable and climate-resilient projects capable of attracting investment and being implemented over the long term.