Washington – Former Liberian Finance Minister Amara Konneh has paid homage to the Kennedy School of Government for molding him as he embarks on his transition to his next assignment: Manager of the World Bank Global Center for Fragility, Conflict, Violence and Forced Displacement.
Speaking last Saturday evening when he was awarded the Harvard University’s prestigious 2016 Public Service Award – for outstanding contribution to Liberia’s reconstruction, the former Finance Minister said he is taking with him a wealth of experience. “
As I transition from being a Minister of Finance and Development Planning of a developing country to being the Manager of the World Bank Global Center for Fragility, Conflict, Violence and Forced Displacement (FCV) providing support to the Bank operations in 43 countries, I take with me the wealth of experience that have humbled me, deepened my faith in God, and strengthened my resolve to do my part to make the world a better place.”
The award, established in 1997 and formerly known as the Alumni Achievement Award, recognizes an alumnus/a who has significantly improved the human condition at the local, state/provincial, national, or international levels.
Recipients will have made a substantial difference for people, organizations, or governments through a single influential act or a series of steps that produced positive societal change. Nominations come from HKS alumni or HKS faculty. Self-nominations are discouraged.
At Saturday’s ceremony, Mr. Konneh said the recognition was a humbling experience. “This is a humbling experience for anyone. At least, it was for me.
But, then again, I was used to that, because when I arrived at the Kennedy School of Government, I thought I knew it all and full of confidence.
But the privilege of learning from world class professors and with students from all seven continents afforded me a much needed shift in perspective and equipped me with the tools I needed to serve my country and my continent effectively.
I can tell you that, although I took a lot of quantitative courses to deepen my understanding of economic and development policies, I still do not have all of the answers.
I just know which strategies worked for Liberia, which didn’t, and that my time at KSG prepared me to meet each challenge with the tools in hand to overcome it.”
Mr. Konneh said he was moved, not only by the consideration of his Harvard peers to recognize the work that he has done under the leadership of fellow alumnae, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; but by their close attention to their work over the last eight years.
But the former Minister said he did not do it alone. “The knowledge that you were watching and rooting for me has played no small role in my success. It has strengthened and challenged me to be and to do my very best; to keep asking what I can do; and to remember why I am here – which is to make a difference.”
While expressing his indebt to God for guiding him through many perils, the faith to face every challenge; and the wisdom to sail through turbulent waters successfully, Mr. Konneh acknowledged that in a highly- political environment, technical competency can quickly become irrelevant, if not paired with the acumen to build coalitions, manage egos, and provide the leadership to turn a vision into reality.
This is where, he said, the leadership courses of Professor Dean Williams and his service in the HKS student government came in.
“It put me through the powerful personal transformation I needed in order to be as effective a leader as I could.”
Describing his tenure in Liberia as Finance Minister as daunting, Mr. Konneh said in a chaotic development setting where crisis mode is a comfort zone for many, it took courage and tenacity to – and again, a great deal of humility – to turn noes into yeses; to shift perspectives away from obstacles, toward opportunities; and to usher in a culture of proactivity and accountability.
Nevertheless, he said the work is far from over. “All confidence that the team that I have been blessed to work with over the last ten years is well able to see it through.
To me, that is the most important part of leadership – the durability of the impact that we make, which is measured by the quality of the team we leave behind, and by what happens when we finally leave the stage and relinquish control.
And that is the power of the Kennedy School – its ability to impart to its students the spirit of John F. Kennedy so that, when we leave the splendid campus right up the Charles River on JFK Street, we walk out into the world asking what we can do and remembering why we are here.
And we move forward our respective journeys, procreating in others the same service-oriented spirit that will eventually gain critical mass and effect the change we want to see in the world.”
Mr. Konneh paid homage to President Sirleaf, who he describes as his mentor for believing in him when many others doubted.
“To my colleagues in the Cabinet whose dynamism and commitment to public service made my time in government productive; the staff at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. We made a good team, and I am honored to have been a part of their lives and their work.”
Mr. Konneh was appointed Minister of Finance in February 2012. During his tenure, Liberia’s post-war economic growth was sustained in 2012 and 2013, with estimated real GDP growth of 8.9% and 8.7, respectively, led by mining, buoyant construction, and strong performance in services.
Growth was projected to be impressive in 2014, due in no small measure to macroeconomic stability but was affected by a twin shock: global commodity price decline and health crisis – the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). Consumer price inflation moderated to 6.9% in 2012.
This strong performance also reflected higher-than-anticipated acceleration in non-mining activities boosted by private and public investments in line with the government’s five year development strategy, the Agenda for Transformation (AfT) for which he is credited formulating. As Finance Minister, he has advocated the following priorities for the government.
Amara M. Konneh is the Manager of the World Bank Group’s Global Fragility, Conflict and Violence (FCV) Hub in Nairobi, Kenya.
He joined the Bank after nearly a decade of service with the Government of Liberia, most recently as Minister of Finance and Development Planning and National Coordinator of the Liberia Development Alliance from February 2012 to April 2016.
Prior to this, he was Minister of Planning and Economic Affairs and Head of the Presidential Office of the Liberia Reconstruction and Development Committee.
Earlier in his career, he worked for the Vanguard Group of Investment Companies as well as the International Rescue Committee in Guinea as Education Coordinator.
In his new capacity as Manager of the Bank’s Global Fragility, Conflict and Violence Hub, Mr. Konneh’s top three priorities will be to: (I) implement the Bank’s Cross-cutting Solutions Area’s (CCSA) strategic priorities, as part of the GCFDR Management Team, and in close coordination with GPs, CMUS, IFC, MIGA and development partners on the ground; (ii) lead the Nairobi-based team of the CCSA to provide operational and analytical support on FCV issues and to disseminate best practices and lessons learned; and (iii) represent the Bank and manage relationships with the donor community in Nairobi.
He most recently served as Chairman of Africa Group I Constituency of the IMF. Previously, he served as Chairman of the Mano River Union (MRU) Ministerial Council and the African Peer Review Mechanism’s Ministerial Council.
He was the coordinator of all the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) activities in Liberia.