Monrovia – President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Tuesday, July 5, 2016 received a High-level delegation from the World Bank at her Foreign Ministry Office in Monrovia. The delegation was headed by the World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Mr. Henry G.R. Kerali and included the out-going Country Manager, Ms. Inguna Dobraja and the in-coming Country Manager, Ms. Larisa Leshchenko.
According to an Executive Mansion release, the visit was aimed at introducing the new Country Manager of the World Bank to Liberia and to also share information on the current Country Program Portfolio as well as the program plan for the future.
Earlier, the World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Mr. Henry Kerali thanked President Sirleaf for the audience and pointed out that even though a Country Manager is assigned for a maximum of three years, the out-going Country Manager has been working in Liberia for over four and the half years. Mr. Kerali attributed it to her excellent performance in Liberia. He then presented the new Country Manager to Liberia, Ms. Larisa Leshchenko and expressed the hope that she will properly fit in the place of her out-going colleague. He renewed the World Bank’s commitment to Liberia, stressing that the country remains a priority to the Bank.
For her part, President Sirleaf described the World Bank as a true family partner to Liberia and lauded it for the many positive contributions to Liberia’s recovery process. She described the out-going Country Manager, Inguna Dobraja as a person more than just a representative of the World Bank in Liberia, but a family to the country.
She indicated that Madam Dobraja is valued by Liberians because she understood the country, its people their needs and expressed the hope that her successor will follow her steps. She stressed the need for direct budget support from the World Bank during the current budget year considering the many challenges faced by Liberia.
Ms. Inguna Dobraja takes a new assignment in Cambodia as the World Bank Country Manager while the in-coming Country Manager last served in Azerbaijan as the Bank’s Country Manager. She is expected to officially assume duty by August 1, 2016.