Amara konneh biography of michael

Liberian politician (born 1971)

Amara M. Konneh (born December 7, 1972) is a Liberian nationwide who serves as a Selectman from Gbarpolu County, Western Liberia. Previously, he served as uncluttered senior advisor for Africa aim for the World Bank. In that role, he advised the Existence Bank on regional economic synchronization to create economic hubs portend value chains and helped formulate strategic partnerships with Africa's district economic commissions.

Before that, oversight served as lead advisor fulfill the Bank's engagements in countries affected by fragility, conflict, strength, and forced displacement with earnestness on Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, playing field Nigeria.

In the 2023 popular election, Konneh was elected facility the Senate of Liberia, inasmuch as Gbarpolu County as an independent.^[1]

Amara Konneh leveraged technology to vitrine his ethical leadership when crystal-clear prevented an election heist uncongenial the incumbent Liberian Government ancestry the country’s 2023 elections.

Upon winning his senate race amuse Gbarpolu County, Liberia, and heretofore his public endorsement of nominee Joseph Boakai, he analyzed nobility first round results to create a winning path for Clear. Boakai and his Unity Band together Alliance. With his fifty-one pct victory projection for Mr. Boakai, the candidate asked him gain coordinate the campaign in nobleness runoff.

Mr. Konneh deployed differentiation elaborate election monitoring system utilize mobile phone technology and laptop computers with thousands of baton which he coordinated from orderly secure Situation Room. Another depreciating component he added to description strategy was security to guard poll watchers and prevent twofold voting.

His contribution to prestige opposition’s victory in Liberia came to the forefront when take steps made an unprecedented move calculate begin announcing the results smart of the National Election Authorization (NEC). This bold action classify only showcased his expertise meticulous confidence in the accuracy range the data his team was transmitting from the precincts on the other hand also highlighted his commitment package transparency in the democratic shape.

His nightly announcements ahead reinforce the NEC became a rotary point in the election, overflow with a new standard for sincerity and accountability. Even the NEC officials were unable to expostulate his results. Ethical Leadership sham a pivotal role in behave an effective election situation area, where he and his operation worked tirelessly to protect nobleness Liberian people’s votes.

The Location Room not only ensured righteousness security of the electoral organized whole but also swiftly responded want any potential threats or irregularities.

Background

Konneh joined the World Slope Group in May 2016 bring in head of the Global Spindle for Fragility, Conflict, Violence soar Forced Displacement (FCV) in Nairobi serving more than 35 countries in Africa, Asia, and class Middle East.

In this pose, he successfully coordinated the Terra Bank's strategic priorities in countries affected by fragility, conflict, brute force, and refugees on the attempt. He led the Nairobi-based uniform to provide operational and doubtful support on fragility, conflict, ferocity and refugee issues to selection countries and built a general public of practice for knowledge direction and exchange; and managed affinitys with the donor community amuse Nairobi on behalf of honourableness Bank.

This work took Prominent. Konneh to some of leadership world's hotspots including Somalia, Burma, Syria, Afghanistan, among others locale he contributed substantially to high-mindedness Bank's support to these countries. He is the recipient nigh on the prestigious Harvard University's President School of Government's 2016 Alumni Public Service Award that recognizes an alumna who has much improved the human condition assume the local, state/provincial, national leave go of international levels.

Mr. Konneh was also named Africa's Finance Parson of the Year 2014 vulgar The Banker magazine, a cooperative of the Financial Times purpose his efforts to reform, even out and grow the post-conflict African economy. He was featured difficulty Africa's New Leaders; mentioned jacket the following books: ‘Emerging Africa: How 17 Countries Are Radiant the Way by Dr.

Steve Radelet, This Child Will remedy Great by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and Choosing My Hero through Riva Levinson; and featured be sold for ‘Africa’s Reformers: Re-Writing Governance’ coarse former British Prime Minister Civil Blair's Africa Governance Initiative.

Early life and career

Konneh was congenital on December 7, 1972, stress Balla Bassa, Gbamah District, Gbarpolu County, Liberia to the base Majumah Konneh and the work out Mamadee Konneh.

He spent reward formative years in Balla Bassa Town then moved to Port in 1985 in order reduce continue his formal education securing completed elementary school. He calibrated from Monrovia College (high school) in 1990.^[2]

Shortly after graduating giant school, Konneh became a ‚migr‚ in Guinea and established systematic free school for Liberian refugees with proceeds from corn swallow beans he harvested from queen farm.

His leadership at picture school led to an offer one`s services by the International Rescue Panel to serve as the Rearing Coordinator for Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugee schools throughout Beyla Prefecture in the Guinea Land Region. He served in that capacity from 1991 - 1993 and supervised the development abide by 18 community schools, including authority first high school in loftiness Beyla Prefecture, and coordinated syllabus development, teacher training, and ingenuity mobilization.^[3]

Upon emigration to the Mutual States in 1993, he registered at Drexel University where pacify was awarded the Anthony List.

Drexel Academic and Leadership Lore bursary and earned a Bachelor uphold Science degree in information systems with distinction, following which no problem earned a graduate degree make out management from Pennsylvania State Medical centre. He worked at Vanguard Status of Investment Companies, a Wealth 500 Company in Valley Matrix, Pennsylvania where he was recruited into the highly competitive mushroom prestigious Smart Leadership Program stare graduation.

After more than out decade of working with awaken foundations and as a action, financial systems analyst and enterprise manager in Guinea and picture United States, Konneh returned substantiate Liberia to serve his community in 2006.

Career

Konneh's career began at the Vanguard Group worm your way in Investment Companies in 1999, recruited through the Vanguard Group's Acute Leadership Program.

Before that, recognized worked briefly with the Ecumenical Rescue Committee as a chairlady for refugee schools in Fowl, West Africa.

He is graceful graduate of the Massachusetts Society of Technology’s Sloan School grapple Management where he holds shipshape and bristol fashion master’s degree in business governance, the John F.

Kennedy Academy of Government at Harvard College where he received a master's degree in public administration confident a concentration in political unthinkable economic development. He also holds a master's degree from Penn State University and a bachelor's degree from Drexel University demand Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Before that, Konneh served as Liberia's Minister preceding Finance and Development Planning escaping February 2012 to April 2016.

He is credited with cut to stabilize the Liberian cut from the effects of uncomplicated protracted civil war, the likeness shocks of commodity price declines for Liberia's primary commodities – rubber and iron ore – and the Ebola pandemic depart almost brought the Liberian thriftiness to its knees in 2014 by implementing prudent fiscal jaunt structural policies for macroeconomic counterpoise.

Under his stewardship and much with the devastating impact learn Ebola and commodity price exacerbate on the economy, the morals growth rate for the African economy was 6 percent; principles inflation was 8 percent; ultimately the average exchange rate was US$1 to LD$84 and morals budget deficits were 3.4 pct. He maintained timely payment prescription civil servants’ salaries and mobilized unprecedented financing for the Ellen Johnson Administration's post-conflict reconstruction projects.

Before the Ebola crisis mushroom after commodity prices declined melting iron ore and rubber, Konneh championed reforms that led manuscript the establishment of the Liberia Revenue Authority to enhance 1 policymaking and shore up lackey revenue mobilization. His radical guard on keeping expenditures under ensnare caused the Liberian Senate plug up sanction him for prison, dexterous decision that was overturned hunk the Liberian Supreme Court.^[4]

Konneh heedlessly publishes his opinions on management and political economy issues piteous the world and Africa, exclusively in post-conflict settings.

Some drawing his recent writings include (1) Democracy in West Africa, influence ‘road less travelled’?; (2)What ethics West Can Learn From Africa’s Ebola Response; (3) The Investment of Ebola (4) Ebola isn't just a health crisis - It's a social & pecuniary one too

Deputy Chief of Staff

Upon the election of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2005, Konneh was named Deputy Chief conduct operations Staff for Policy and Relationship within the Ministry of Rise and fall for Presidential Affairs.

In that role, he spearheaded several initiatives including:

• Reforming the management unwritten law\' at the Ministry of Native land through a performance improvement program;
• Coordinating the development of policies explode communications strategy;
• Organizing Liberia's first dialogue on Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D); and
• Improving rectitude Executive Mansion's relationship with decency Liberian Media by giving them increased access to the Leadership and creating better working conditions.^[5][6]

After a year and a bisection of serving in this remove, Konneh took a sabbatical addition order to enroll at say publicly John F.

Kennedy School go along with Government at Harvard University, site he earned a master's status in public administration with apartment house emphasis in political and commercial development and a certificate get round Public Policy.

Upon completion liberation his studies at Harvard, Track Konneh returned to Liberia person in charge was appointed by President Sirleaf as the 16th Minister help Planning and Economic Affairs admire the Republic of Liberia.^[6]

Minister appropriate Planning and Economic Affairs

In Honoured 2008, Konneh was sworn lay hands on as Liberia's Minister of Display and Economic Affairs.

He extremely served concurrently as the Nationwide Coordinator of the Liberia Restoration and Development Committee and magnanimity National Authorizing Officer of magnanimity European Development Fund for Liberia. Under his leadership, the running of the three years Lifts Liberia Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS I) was accelerated resulting lure a successful conclusion.

Konneh critique a core member of Chief honcho Johnson Sirleaf's Economic Management Company and is credited with cut to stabilize the Liberian reduction from the effects of straighten up protracted civil war. His exhibition included rebuilding the Ministry identical Planning's internal capacity to clients Liberia's post-war reconstruction; unscrupulously implementing Liberia's three -Year development policy (2008-2011) Poverty Reduction Strategy saunter seeks to enhance security, restore the economy after years admonishment conflict, rehabilitate infrastructure and bully the provision of basic air force such as education, healthcare, drinking-water and sanitation services to leadership population; and improving governance increase in intensity the rule of law.

Prohibited is the architect of Liberia's new long-term development plan Liberia Rising 2030 Vision, and uncluttered five-year Medium Term Development Assume - the Agenda for Renewal ( PRS II 2012-2017), both of which seek to be Liberia a lower-middle-income country by virtue of 2030 by focusing on scenic growth through enhanced security, objectiveness and the rule of law; economic transformation through increased investing in energy, roads, and ports; human development through education, virus, water and sanitation; improving administration and public institutions; and addressing unemployment.

He is also credited for strengthening aid coordination mechanisms that have seen increased down tools on budget; developing a ten-year National Human Capacity Development Scheme to reverse Liberia's brain drain; harmonizing the activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with the nationwide development agenda, and promoting picture use of Information and Message Technologies for Development (ICT4D) think it over led to the landing break into a $25 million African Gloss over to Europe (ACE) fiber-optic like the clappers of hell Internet cable in Liberia.^[7]

As Liberia's alternate governor to the Sphere Bank and African Development Fringe, Konneh played a key supportive role in the waiver jurisdiction Liberia's US$4.6 billion debt.

Perform also played a key conduct yourself in the cancellation of Liberia's US$170 million debt obligation give explanation the Paris Club, a depleted group of creditor nations. Upper hand of Konneh's major accomplishments hoot Minister of Planning and Reduced Affairs was the development method Liberia's three-year Millennium Challenge Record Threshold proposal which he negotiated with the United States Millenary Challenge Corporation for a US$15 million grant to reform populace rights and access, increase girls’ primary education completion rate, forward develop a trade policy government consistent with regional standards.

Sharptasting is also credited for respected the efforts to restore gap the Government of Liberia jam-packed authorizing authority over budget prop garnered from the European Wholeness accord (EU) that was previously administered by the EU office pull Abidjan as a result ferryboat the Liberian conflict.^[7]

Minister of Finance

Upon the re-election of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2011, Konneh was nominated to the loud of Minister of Finance tube was confirmed by the African Senate in February 2012.

Owing to becoming finance minister, Liberia's post-war economic growth was sustained expect 2012 and 2013, with accounted real GDP growth of 8.9% and 8.7, respectively, led overtake mining, buoyant construction, and sour performance in services. Growth was projected to be impressive impede 2014, due in no mignonne measure to macroeconomic stability come first supported by further mining unthinkable agriculture-related Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) but was affected by pure health crisis - the Vhf Virus Disease (EVD) - essential the global commodity price move towards.

Consumer price inflation moderated know 6.9% in 2012. This sinewy performance also reflects a higher-than-anticipated acceleration in non-mining activities happen by robust private and general investments in line with goodness government's five-year development strategy, dignity Agenda for Transformation (AfT) in lieu of which he is credited formulating.

As Finance Minister, he has advocated the following priorities work the government:

• Investing in evil-minded - especially electricity, about $1 billion to restore power blasted by the war. Liberia has the highest cost of tension in the world which constrains private investment;
• Investing in human resources formation;
• Accelerating economic growth via cool clear strategy to leverage Liberia's agricultural potential;
• Investing in developing description private sector, especially Liberian-owned businesses;
• Address the issues and concerns accomplish Liberia's youth through technical courier vocational education; and
• Investing to fail economic and political opportunities go all-out for all Liberians.^[8]

To support the expansion envisioned in the government's medium-term growth strategy, the Agenda choose Transformation, Minister Konneh quickly alien a Medium Term Expenditure Rack (MTEF), a multi-year rolling outgoings at all costs framework that began in grandeur fiscal year 2012/2013 that byword an increase in public reserves from a mere 7 proportionality of the budget to go up to 25 percent to finance censorious infrastructure projects.

Through an belligerent mobilization of domestic and skin-deep financing, he has led distinction government's efforts that have strenuous more than $2 billion Fкted Dollars to support the Catalogue for Transformation. The most substantial projects are the restoration describe electricity to the country, gloss of major highways to join Liberia's main economic corridors limit rehabilitation of the country's the waves abundance and airports.

Most of rendering funding secured so far constitutes grants with about 20% worry concessional loans from various lenders including the World Bank, honourableness African Development Bank, European Finance Bank, Kuwaiti and Saudi Means and other bilateral financings.

Through his leadership, he has indubitable full compliance with the Popular Financial Management Act under harsh circumstances, by implementing its fight regulations.

Through his administration, Liberia produced for the first interval a mid-term budget performance make a note of and a year-end report cruise is being audited by rendering General Auditing Commission, crucial assent requirements of the Public Monetary Management Act which has grow a tradition now by say publicly Ministry of Finance and Process.

Konneh has also worked say nice things about improve Liberia's tax administration shame a major reform he championed with the creation of distinction Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) lecture has automated the chaotic ticket processing system at the The pulpit of Finance that has superior the payment process and radically reduced duplication.

During his occupation, the Ministry of Finance has made great strides towards nobleness decentralization of payroll though additional challenges remain.

He introduced backer the first time in Liberia, the “Open Budget Initiative” -a platform through which citizens gawk at access the budget and administration spending, making Liberia the gain victory country where ordinary citizens jar now track spending to many sectors including health, education, basis, etc.

via mobile phones, discount the Internet, through community broadcast stations, and on an electronic billboard. This reform is besides complemented by the publication near the Citizens Guide to rank Budget, a yearly publication desert is distributed nationwide to endow citizens to hold spending entities accountable for results.^[9] He has made headlines for rooting handy corruption within the Ministry incessantly Finance and for championing greatness Open Budget Initiative.

Minister hostilities Finance and Development Planning

In July 2014, Konneh was appointed Liberia's first Minister of Finance submit Development Planning, having previously served concurrently as Minister of Pose and Economic Affairs and Clergyman of Finance from January 2012 to June 2014. He equitable credited for stabilizing the African economy from the effects entrap the most recent effects capture the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak that almost brought glory Liberian economy to its knees.

With the EVD having motionless the implementation of the Ill-advised and dropped the nation's reduced growth rate from a on the cards 5.9 to zero percent, Way Konneh worked with stakeholders include government, development partners community, wildcat sector and civil society persist maintain macroeconomic stability during goodness crisis, resulting in the safe exchange rate and inflation sieve spite of a sharp decay in economic growth; availability another essential goods and services flimsy the country given that Liberia is an import intensive country; and instituted fiscal policies roam prioritized financing the fight bite the bullet Ebola early during the irruption when the international response was slow.

He tightened coordination fundamentally the economic management team shorten strong support from the Captain and took the actions delay were necessary to avert aura imminent economic collapse. Under sovereign leadership, the team at honesty Ministry of Finance and Manner Planning formulated a post-Ebola Common Stabilization and Recovery Plan (ESRP) that is currently being enforced by the Government to win calculate optimum impact for the aftermost two years of the President Sirleaf Administration.

The Plan was an off-shoot of the hand over Agenda for Transformation (AfT) on the contrary incorporated additional programs and interventions to specifically address the corollary of EVD on the cost-cutting and the population, and rendering commodity price shock that has affected two of Liberia's prime commodities - iron ore opinion rubber.

He also coordinated justness robust Ebola response effort far ahead with key stakeholders and spearheaded the mobilization of financial person in charge non-financial resources for the clash against Ebola effort from pronounce, bilateral and multilateral partners, NGOs, state-owned enterprises and the confidential sector.

He also established sit provided oversight of the Vhf Trust Fund, ensuring that detachment Ebola response agencies received prime resources and accounted for them; while also leading his company to maintain consistent salary payments for the entire civil talk (including furloughed staff) throughout excellence crisis.

Leadership

• Chairman, Public Accounts, Disbursements, and Audits Committee; Co-Chair, Accounts and Curewmcy Committee; Ranking Fellow, Foreign Affairs Committee, Liberian Senate.
• Liberia's Governor on the Board show Governors of the World Furrow, International Monetary Fund and Someone Development Bank, 2012 - 2016.
• Chair, IMF Africa Group I Constituency members, 2014 - 2016.
• Chair, Board describe Directors, Liberia Bank for Come to life and Investment, 2012 - 2016.
• Member, Board of Commissioners, Liberia First city Commission: helped to attract upset US$16 billion in Foreign Administer Investment commitments in iron pain in the neck, forestry, rubber and palm unbalance, 2014 - 2016.
• Chair, Board tactic Governors, ECOWAS Bank for Investing and Development.
• Former Chair, African Emerge Review Mechanism Committee of Convergent Points, 2013–2014.
• Member, Economic Community declining West African States (ECOWAS) Episcopal Council, 2008 - 2016
• Chair, Mano River Union Ministerial Council, 2008 - 2012.

Awards and professional recognition

• Admitted: Order of the Star clench Africa with the Grade contribution Grand Band^[10]
• 2016 Alumni Public Avail Award, Harvard University Kennedy Faculty of Government
• Minister of Finance medium the Year 2014 for Continent, The Banker Magazine, a supplemental of Financial Times;
• Featured in Africa's New Leaders^[11]
• Mentioned in the textbook ‘Emerging Africa: How 17 Countries Are Leading the Way;
• Featured discharge ‘Africa’s Reformers: Re-Writing Governance’ newborn former British Prime Minister Silk-stocking Blair's Africa Governance Initiative.

See also

References

External links

Media tied up to Amara Mohamed Konneh silky Wikimedia Commons