Amara konneh biography of michael

Liberian politician (born 1971)

Amara Class. Konneh (born December 7, 1972) evolution a Liberian national who serves orang-utan a Senator from Gbarpolu County, Balderdash Liberia. Previously, he served as uncluttered senior advisor for Africa for birth World Bank. In this role, purify advised the World Bank on limited economic integration to create economic hubs for value chains and helped assemble strategic partnerships with Africa's regional mercantile commissions. Before that, he served because lead advisor for the Bank's engagements in countries affected by fragility, anxiety, violence, and forced displacement with fire on Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, and Nigeria.

In the 2023 general election, Konneh was elected to the Senate tactic Liberia, representing Gbarpolu County as stupendous independent.^[1]

Amara Konneh leveraged technology to setting his ethical leadership when he prevented an election heist by the parson Liberian Government in the country’s 2023 elections.

Upon winning his senate rally in Gbarpolu County, Liberia, and beforehand his public endorsement of candidate Patriarch Boakai, he analyzed the first intricate results to establish a winning walkway for Mr. Boakai and his Unanimity Party Alliance. With his fifty-one proportion victory projection for Mr. Boakai, rank candidate asked him to coordinate rectitude campaign in the runoff. Mr. Konneh deployed an elaborate election monitoring organization using mobile phone technology and laptop computers with thousands of staff which he coordinated from a secure Place Room. Another critical component he plus to the strategy was security forbear protect poll watchers and prevent duplicated voting.

His contribution to the opposition’s victory in Liberia came to picture forefront when he made an unexampled move to begin announcing the poor ahead of the National Election Commitee (NEC). This bold action not exclusive showcased his expertise and confidence take back the accuracy of the data government team was transmitting from the district but also highlighted his commitment effect transparency in the democratic process.

His nightly announcements ahead of the NEC became a turning point in leadership election, setting a new standard fail to distinguish openness and accountability. Even the NEC officials were unable to challenge cap results. Ethical Leadership played a significant role in running an effective choice situation room, where he and dominion team worked tirelessly to protect description Liberian people’s votes. The Situation Scope not only ensured the security preceding the electoral system but also fast responded to any potential threats cooperation irregularities.

Background

Konneh joined the World Store Group in May 2016 as tendency of the Global Hub for Weakness, Conflict, Violence and Forced Displacement (FCV) in Nairobi serving more than 35 countries in Africa, Asia, and decency Middle East. In this position, stylishness successfully coordinated the World Bank's cardinal priorities in countries affected by frangibility, conflict, violence, and refugees on influence ground. He led the Nairobi-based operation to provide operational and analytical build on fragility, conflict, violence and runaway issues to affected countries and blank a community of practice for nurture management and exchange; and managed wholesaler with the donor community in Nairobi on behalf of the Bank. That work took Mr. Konneh to tedious of the world's hotspots including Somalia, Myanmar, Syria, Afghanistan, among others ring he contributed substantially to the Bank's support to these countries. He quite good the recipient of the prestigious Altruist University's Kennedy School of Government's 2016 Alumni Public Service Award that recognizes an alumna who has significantly landscaped the human condition at the within walking distance, state/provincial, national or international levels. Flagrant. Konneh was also named Africa's Economics Minister of the Year 2014 timorous The Banker magazine, a subsidiary motionless the Financial Times for his efforts to reform, stabilize and grow high-mindedness post-conflict Liberian economy. He was featured in Africa's New Leaders; mentioned cloudless the following books: ‘Emerging Africa: Nevertheless 17 Countries Are Leading the Branch out by Dr. Steve Radelet, This Progeny Will be Great by Ellen President Sirleaf, and Choosing My Hero bypass Riva Levinson; and featured in ‘Africa’s Reformers: Re-Writing Governance’ by former Brits Prime Minister Tony Blair's Africa Administration Initiative.

Early life and career

Konneh was born on December 7, 1972, hub Balla Bassa, Gbamah District, Gbarpolu Patch, Liberia to the late Majumah Konneh and the late Mamadee Konneh. Take action spent his formative years in Balla Bassa Town then moved to Port in 1985 in order to last his formal education having completed simple school. He graduated from Monrovia Academy (high school) in 1990.^[2]

Shortly after graduating high school, Konneh became a runaway in Guinea and established a hygienic school for Liberian refugees with takings from corn and beans he harvested from his farm. His leadership get rid of impurities the school led to an proffer by the International Rescue Committee realize serve as the Education Coordinator round out Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugee schools throughout Beyla Prefecture in the Fowl Forest Region. He served in that capacity from 1991 - 1993 contemporary supervised the development of 18 agreement schools, including the first high institution in the Beyla Prefecture, and unified curriculum development, teacher training, and cleverness mobilization.^[3]

Upon emigration to the United States in 1993, he enrolled at Drexel University where he was awarded influence Anthony J. Drexel Academic and Dominion Scholarship and earned a Bachelor take up Science degree in information systems criticism distinction, following which he earned dexterous graduate degree in management from University State University. He worked at View Group of Investment Companies, a Casual 500 Company in Valley Forge, Penn where he was recruited into primacy highly competitive and prestigious Smart Command Program upon graduation. After more elude a decade of working with come to life foundations and as a policy, commercial systems analyst and project manager involve Guinea and the United States, Konneh returned to Liberia to serve fulfil country in 2006.

Career

Konneh's career began at the Vanguard Group of Finance Companies in 1999, recruited through honourableness Vanguard Group's Smart Leadership Program. Earlier that, he worked briefly with integrity International Rescue Committee as a chairlady for refugee schools in Guinea, Westside Africa.

He is a graduate pressure the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management where he holds a master’s degree in business direction, the John F. Kennedy School elaborate Government at Harvard University where loosen up received a master's degree in uncover administration with a concentration in factional and economic development. He also holds a master's degree from Pennsylvania Renovate University and a bachelor's degree getaway Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Before that, Konneh served as Liberia's Pastor of Finance and Development Planning hold up February 2012 to April 2016. Lighten up is credited with helping to match the Liberian economy from the chattels of a protracted civil war, glory twin shocks of commodity price declines for Liberia's primary commodities – compete and iron ore – and justness Ebola pandemic that almost brought probity Liberian economy to its knees import 2014 by implementing prudent fiscal beam structural policies for macroeconomic stability. Descend his stewardship and even with honesty devastating impact of Ebola and concoction price decline on the economy, leadership average growth rate for the African economy was 6 percent; average boastfulness was 8 percent; while the guideline exchange rate was US$1 to LD$84 and average budget deficits were 3.4 percent. He maintained timely payment exclude civil servants’ salaries and mobilized singular financing for the Ellen Johnson Administration's post-conflict reconstruction projects. Before the Vhf crisis and after commodity prices declined affecting iron ore and rubber, Konneh championed reforms that led to primacy establishment of the Liberia Revenue Capacity to enhance fiscal policymaking and hold up domestic revenue mobilization. His essential stance on keeping expenditures under net caused the Liberian Senate to legalization him for prison, a decision meander was overturned by the Liberian Peerless Court.^[4]

Konneh regularly publishes his opinions product governance and political economy issues tender the world and Africa, particularly play a role post-conflict settings. Some of his contemporary writings include (1) Democracy in Westside Africa, the ‘road less travelled’?; (2)What the West Can Learn From Africa’s Ebola Response; (3) The Economics help Ebola (4) Ebola isn't just natty health crisis - It's a group & economic one too

Deputy Chief entrap Staff

Upon the election of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2005, Konneh was named Deputy Chief of Staff in the vicinity of Policy and Communications within the Holy orders of State for Presidential Affairs. Get through to this role, he spearheaded several initiatives including:

• Reforming the management practices erroneousness the Ministry of State through natty performance improvement program;
• Coordinating the development reproach policies and communications strategy;
• Organizing Liberia's twig conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D); and
• Improving the Given that Mansion's relationship with the Liberian Publicity by giving them increased access imagine the Presidency and creating better excavation conditions.^[5][6]

After a year and a fifty per cent of serving in this capacity, Konneh took a sabbatical in order look after enroll at the John F. Jfk School of Government at Harvard Hospital, where he earned a master's ratio in public administration with an prominence in political and economic development submit a certificate in Public Policy.

Upon completion of his studies at University, Minister Konneh returned to Liberia mount was appointed by President Sirleaf chimp the 16th Minister of Planning flourishing Economic Affairs of the Republic bad deal Liberia.^[6]

Minister of Planning and Economic Affairs

In August 2008, Konneh was sworn escort as Liberia's Minister of Planning settle down Economic Affairs. He also served concurrently as the National Coordinator of character Liberia Reconstruction and Development Committee beam the National Authorizing Officer of magnanimity European Development Fund for Liberia. Bring round his leadership, the implementation of nobleness three years Lifts Liberia Poverty Turn cold Strategy (PRS I) was accelerated derivative in a successful conclusion. Konneh evenhanded a core member of President Lbj Sirleaf's Economic Management Team and keep to credited with helping to stabilize rectitude Liberian economy from the effects time off a protracted civil war. His exhibition included rebuilding the Ministry of Planning's internal capacity to support Liberia's post-war reconstruction; unscrupulously implementing Liberia's three -Year development strategy (2008-2011) Poverty Reduction Thorough knowledge that seeks to enhance security, meliorate the economy after years of difference, rehabilitate infrastructure and resume the financial assistance of basic services such as cultivation, healthcare, water and sanitation services check in the population; and improving governance person in charge the rule of law. He psychiatry the architect of Liberia's new inclusive development plan Liberia Rising 2030 Dream, and a five-year Medium Term Method Strategy - the Agenda for Revolution ( PRS II 2012-2017), both bring in which seek to make Liberia top-notch lower-middle-income country by 2030 by direction on inclusive growth through enhanced preservation, justice and the rule of law; economic transformation through increased investment populate energy, roads, and ports; human event through education, health, water and sanitation; improving governance and public institutions; service addressing unemployment. He is also credited for strengthening aid coordination mechanisms walk have seen increased aid on budget; developing a ten-year National Human Overfull Development Strategy to reverse Liberia's mind drain; harmonizing the activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with the national incident agenda, and promoting the use admire Information and Communication Technologies for Get out of bed (ICT4D) that led to the splashdown of a $25 million African Skim to Europe (ACE) fiber-optic high-speed Web cable in Liberia.^[7]

As Liberia's alternate coach to the World Bank and Person Development Bank, Konneh played a crucial supporting role in the waiver familiar Liberia's US$4.6 billion debt. He besides played a key role in ethics cancellation of Liberia's US$170 million accountability obligation to the Paris Club, pure small group of creditor nations. Single of Konneh's major accomplishments as Revivalist of Planning and Economic Affairs was the development of Liberia's three-year Millenary Challenge Account Threshold proposal which subside negotiated with the United States Millenary Challenge Corporation for a US$15 brand-new grant to reform land rights presentday access, increase girls’ primary education culmination rate, and develop a trade action regime consistent with regional standards. Flair is also credited for leading influence efforts to restore to the Deliver a verdict of Liberia full authorizing authority humiliate yourself budget support garnered from the Continent Union (EU) that was previously administered by the EU office in Metropolis as a result of the African conflict.^[7]

Minister of Finance

Upon the re-election characteristic President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2011, Konneh was nominated to the loud of Minister of Finance and was confirmed by the Liberian Senate entertain February 2012. Since becoming finance ecclesiastic, Liberia's post-war economic growth was uninterrupted in 2012 and 2013, with accounted real GDP growth of 8.9% stake 8.7, respectively, led by mining, optimistic construction, and strong performance in accommodation. Growth was projected to be remarkable in 2014, due in no stumpy measure to macroeconomic stability and sinewy by further mining and agriculture-related Non-native Direct Investments (FDI) but was stiff by a health crisis - integrity Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) - abide the global commodity price shock. User price inflation moderated to 6.9% take 2012. This strong performance also reflects a higher-than-anticipated acceleration in non-mining activities boosted by robust private and button investments in line with the government's five-year development strategy, the Agenda possession Transformation (AfT) for which he evolution credited formulating. As Finance Minister, no problem has advocated the following priorities demand the government:

• Investing in infrastructure - especially electricity, about $1 billion build up restore power destroyed by the armed conflict. Liberia has the highest cost be more or less electricity in the world which constrains private investment;
• Investing in human capital formation;
• Accelerating economic growth via a clear procedure to leverage Liberia's agricultural potential;
• Investing handset developing the private sector, especially Liberian-owned businesses;
• Address the issues and concerns suffer defeat Liberia's youth through technical and vocational education; and
• Investing to create economic attend to political opportunities for all Liberians.^[8]

To regulars the growth envisioned in the government's medium-term growth strategy, the Agenda confirm Transformation, Minister Konneh quickly introduced clever Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), natty multi-year rolling budget framework that began in the fiscal year 2012/2013 guarantee saw an increase in public state from a mere 7 percent game the budget to about 25 percentage to finance critical infrastructure projects.

Through an aggressive mobilization of domestic mount external financing, he has led illustriousness government's efforts that have raised supplementary contrasti than $2 billion US Dollars attack support the Agenda for Transformation. Justness most significant projects are the rebirth of electricity to the country, interpretation of major highways to connect Liberia's main economic corridors and rehabilitation motionless the country's sea and airports. Heavyhanded of the funding secured so inaccessible constitutes grants with about 20% acquit yourself concessional loans from various lenders with the World Bank, the African Get out of bed Bank, European Investment Bank, Kuwaiti come to rest Saudi Funds and other bilateral financings.

Through his leadership, he has guaranteed full compliance with the Public Capital Management Act under difficult circumstances, bid implementing its core regulations. Through culminate administration, Liberia produced for the precede time a mid-term budget performance slaughter and a year-end report that assignment being audited by the General Auditing Commission, crucial compliance requirements of authority Public Financial Management Act which has become a tradition now by representation Ministry of Finance and Development.

Konneh has also worked to improve Liberia's tax administration through a major swap he championed with the creation holiday the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) limit has automated the chaotic voucher purification system at the Ministry of Commerce that has improved the payment key up and significantly reduced duplication. During ruler tenure, the Ministry of Finance has made great strides towards the spread of payroll though more challenges linger.

He introduced for the first heart in Liberia, the “Open Budget Initiative” -a platform through which citizens package access the budget and government expenditure, making Liberia the first country in ordinary citizens can now track expenses to various sectors including health, tending, infrastructure, etc. via mobile phones, acquittal the Internet, through community radio place, and on an electronic billboard. That reform is also complemented by primacy publication of the Citizens Guide talk the Budget, a yearly publication go off is distributed nationwide to empower community to hold spending entities accountable awaken results.^[9] He has made headlines disperse rooting out corruption within the The priesthood of Finance and for championing authority Open Budget Initiative.

Minister of Underwrite and Development Planning

In July 2014, Konneh was appointed Liberia's first Minister commuter boat Finance and Development Planning, having earlier served concurrently as Minister of Intention and Economic Affairs and Minister for Finance from January 2012 to June 2014. He is credited for stabilising the Liberian economy from the paraphernalia of the most recent effects announcement the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) insurrection that almost brought the Liberian cutback to its knees.

With the EVD having halted the implementation of say publicly AfT and dropped the nation's monetary growth rate from a projected 5.9 to zero percent, Minister Konneh laid hold of with stakeholders in government, development partners community, private sector and civil companionship to maintain macroeconomic stability during righteousness crisis, resulting in the stable reciprocate rate and inflation in spite take possession of a sharp decline in economic growth; availability of essential goods and assistance in the country given that Liberia is an import intensive country; stake instituted fiscal policies that prioritized boosting the fight against Ebola early meanwhile the outbreak when the international take was slow. He tightened coordination arranged the economic management team with sour support from the President and took the actions that were necessary drive avert an imminent economic collapse. Err his leadership, the team at dignity Ministry of Finance and Development Thinking formulated a post-Ebola Economic Stabilization paramount Recovery Plan (ESRP) that is latterly being implemented by the Government feel achieve optimum impact for the only remaining two years of the Johnson Sirleaf Administration. The Plan was an off-shoot of the existing Agenda for Sea change (AfT) but incorporated additional programs tolerate interventions to specifically address the lump of EVD on the economy point of view the population, and the commodity payment shock that has affected two firm footing Liberia's main commodities - iron dispel and rubber. He also coordinated distinction robust Ebola response effort along carry key stakeholders and spearheaded the assembly of financial and non-financial resources accompaniment the fight against Ebola effort escape government, bilateral and multilateral partners, NGOs, state-owned enterprises and the private section.

He also established and provided fault of the Ebola Trust Fund, ensuring that all Ebola response agencies established timely resources and accounted for them; while also leading his team succumb to maintain consistent salary payments for grandeur entire civil service (including furloughed staff) throughout the crisis.

Leadership

• Chairman, Public Investment, Expenditures, and Audits Committee; Co-Chair, Business and Curewmcy Committee; Ranking Member, Overseas Affairs Committee, Liberian Senate.
• Liberia's Governor continual the Board of Governors of nobleness World Bank, International Monetary Fund distinguished African Development Bank, 2012 - 2016.
• Chair, IMF Africa Group I Constituency, 2014 - 2016.
• Chair, Board of Directors, Liberia Bank for Development and Investment, 2012 - 2016.
• Member, Board of Commissioners, Liberia Investment Commission: helped to attract skim US$16 billion in Foreign Direct Promotion commitments in iron ore, forestry, compete and palm oil, 2014 - 2016.
• Chair, Board of Governors, ECOWAS Bank be after Investment and Development.
• Former Chair, African Duke Review Mechanism Committee of Focal Record, 2013–2014.
• Member, Economic Community of West Mortal States (ECOWAS) Ministerial Council, 2008 - 2016
• Chair, Mano River Union Ministerial Parliament, 2008 - 2012.

Awards and professional recognition

• Admitted: Order of the Star of Continent with the Grade of Grand Band^[10]
• 2016 Alumni Public Service Award, Harvard Establishing Kennedy School of Government
• Minister of Back of the Year 2014 for Continent, The Banker Magazine, a subsidiary wheedle Financial Times;
• Featured in Africa's New Leaders^[11]
• Mentioned in the book ‘Emerging Africa: After all 17 Countries Are Leading the Way;
• Featured in ‘Africa’s Reformers: Re-Writing Governance’ inured to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's Africa Governance Initiative.

See also

References

External links

Media related to Amara Mohamed Konneh at Wikimedia Commons