History and Enabling Legislation

The Ministry of Planning & Economic Affairs (MPEA) is one of the newest cabinet-level departments in the Liberian government. Originally established by Legislative Act on February 14, 1976, as the Ministry of Planning & Economic Affairs (Chapter 32; Executive Law), the defined role of the new Ministry was “to undertake economic studies for planning and economic policy to foster, promote, and develop the Liberian economy.”  The legislative mandates, couple with some of the works performed by the MPEA, suggest that the Ministry's operational/functional mandate can be characterized as listed below:

• Initiating and coordinating the development of policies, plan and programs for the economic, financial, social, cultural and physical development of Liberia.
• Undertaking research on national development issues.
• Providing technical and research support to the Cabinet.
• Undertaking consultant activities for local and foreign government entities.
• Managing external cooperation agreements and programs.
• Collaborating with external funding agencies in the identification and implementation of development projects that support Liberia's Poverty Reduction Strategy.
• Maintaining a national socio-economic library.

The Ministry also:

• Advises the Government on major issues relating to economic and social policy.
• Interprets decisions on economic and social policy and integrate them into the national development program.
• Prepares economic models for the guidance of policymakers, investors and other planners.
• Assesses existing and projected social, economic and manpower resources and formulate plans for the most effective use of such resources.
• Coordinates national, regional and sectoral development planning of facilitate the consistent and efficient implementation of projects and programs.
• Determines the economic, financial and technical feasibility of new development projects, and coordinate the implementation of ongoing projects.
• Be instrumental in conceptualizing investment projects for national development.
• Collects, compiles, analyzes and monitors social status and economic performance data.
• Prepares population projections.