Deja-vu

I was not looking forward to my first real day of work, in my first real job after I graduated from university. I turned up, drenched by the rain which was unrelentingly attempting to erode (my tan and) memory of my fabulouso holiday to Thailand just a week earlier. I still remember the awkwardness of my uncomfortable suit that is now buried at the bottom of my wardrobe.

My job- assistant economist in the fiscal policy unit at HM Treasury in the UK. To be honest I didn't really appreciate what that really meant or what I was supposed to do. I spent my first few weeks reading (and googling) and spent an unfathomable amount of time writing a speech on public finance.

Fast forward almost four years and the surroundings of my corner desk with a view of the courtyard, speedy internet connection and comfy chair have morphed into the reality that is the Ministry of Finance, Broad Street, Monrovia. (I've added couple of pictures of my walk into work in Westminster, London.)

This is my new view. To be fair, the Ministry of Finance sounds like a semi-paradise compared with the horror stories of ministries where my housemates are interning. In the Ministry of Education for example, the electricity is only switched on when the Minister is in office and the office is shared with a family of mice!

So on my (second) first day, I turn up, drenched by the rain (again) and tasked with writing a speech for the Finance Minister, on challenges for public financial management in Liberia. This time, the context is not about how to improve the current system but how to create an efficient, transparent means of managing and accounting for money in the government. As with many other areas in Liberia- the challenge is to establish, from a rudimentary base, a new way of working.

This is a daunting task since what we study and learn about is best practice and latest developments. I could provide an extensive analysis of fiscal policy and its optimal design. But given the limited development before the war, and the destruction which followed, focusing on the end goal of what is to be created provides little guidance as to what should be done now. What is required in Liberia, where there is so little, is a system which provides the sufficient level of functionality in the short term, while also forming a solid foundation from which progress can then be built upon. The challenge is to create find the optimal path and sequencing to make progress towards the end goal.

In the Ministry of Finance, Minister Sayeh has made an incredible amount of progress in this direction during her two and a half year tenure. A symbol of this success is the unprecedented speed with which the country is achieving debt relief. Under the debt relief process, the end goal is achieved by successfully implementing incremental reform to public financial management and therefore provides a useful roadmap to focus the efforts of the Ministry of Finance on a month to month basis. There is still much to be done, and while the end goal may seem in the distant future, it is a privilege to be part of the journey.

Madame President, Her Majesty the Queen and Me!

Last week was surreal to say the least. I was invited to the German Compound, in Monrovia, where President Sirleaf-Johnson raised a toast to 82nd birthday of Her Majesty the Queen.

Admist the cocktails and Liberian band playing the British national anthem there was much talk about the impressive leadership of President Sirleaf-Johnson. As the first female head of state of an African country she has attracted many strong supporters. She has inspired the country to look forward while maintaining the fragile peace which has been in place since 2003.

A fellow intern had the opportunity to see the President in action as she responded to a protest outside the Ministry of Justice. Tensions had been rising in one of the counties where a group of labourers were killed in a dispute over land. The protest in Monrovia was calling for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. As fears of mob violence began to take hold, the sound of the President's motorcade could be heard in the distance. As the President stepped out of car the crowd fell quiet and listened attentively to her call for patience and calm. The crowd took heed and dispersed. That was all it took!

The fact that the President had to respond at such a micro level is indicative of the fragile nature of peace in the country but also the lack of means of communication. It also demonstrated the impressive command she wields over the people of Liberia. The experience highlighted that there seems to be a lot resting in the hands of just one person - without her the stability of the country is in serious jeopardy.

"Meet me on the balcony of Mamba Point Hotel at 1pm"

"Meet me on the balcony of Mamba Point Hotel at 1pm." This was my instruction from a UK government official I was meeting for lunch last week. I must admit I felt slightly MI6 as I waited in the tropical heat trying to look inconspicuous.

While the meeting didn't involve talk of top secret business I did gain a noteworthy insight of developments in Liberia from the donor perspective. The reason which brought me to Liberia is also that which has been stimulating the significant inflow of aid into the country- the political leadership. In particular, the immense work undertaken by Finance Minister Sayeh. She has pushed forward the reform agenda across many fronts and provided a strong sense of the change which is possible.

Having spent a week working in her office her impact has been immediately apparent. In meetings with international donors or Liberian civil society she presented a compelling argument to direct the change which will revitalise the economy.

Admist this air of optimism, high level meetings and shiny strategy documents it is impossible to ignore the dearth of capacity. Beyond Ministerial level there appears to be a limited amount of skilled individuals available to take on the seemingly insurmountable challenge of achieving the well thought out high-level strategies.

With one week down and seven to go- my own initial sense of optimism is beginning to be tempered by the reality of the challenges which lie ahead.

What can you buy for $200?

What can you buy for $200, or dare I say £100 having spent a week in England before arriving in Liberia? 25 journeys on the tube, entry for 8 on the London Eye or two tickets to see Wicked in the West End.

In Liberia, $200 dollars is the average income per person in a year.

This places the country amongst the poorest in the world with more than 75% of the population living below $1 a day. The staggering 90% fall in GDP over the course of twenty years represents an incomprehensible fall living standards in a country of about three million people. The low level of income is accompanied by a lack of development in a more holistic sense. Fourteen years of brutal civil war killed an estimated 270,000 people, created hundreds of thousands of refugees, and destroyed the social fabric of the nation. The profligate rule of previous governments bred corruption and shattered any positive role to be played by state institutions. The country which emerged from the 2003 ceasefire consisted of a systematically excluded and marginalized population.

This is the country I have chosen to spend my summer internship. After explaining to friends and family where Liberia is, the inevitable next question was why. Was it not possible to choose a destination such as Mauritius or Cape Verde where, at the very least, my friends could visit me for a week? So I tell them about the election of President Sirleaf, the first female head of state of an African country, which has brought with it a marked shift in the prospects of the country. What better place to reinforce my education in international development than in a country where a strong leadership, with international support, is heavily engaged in sustaining peace and reconstruction.

I will be working in Ministry of Finance which has been charged with the task of revitalising economic activity. I hope that the two months I spend interning in Finance Minister Sayeh's office will provide an insight into the daily challenges faced in pursuit of what seems to be an insurmountable task. The two key events during my internship will be the passing of the annual budget and an international donor conference, each of which will present a unique set of experiences to learn from.

My position emerges from the success of last year's interns who have provided an invaluable source of guidance for my trip and the generous funding of the Nancy Germeshausen Klavans Fellowship. The fund was created to support the work of women peace builders of whom both President Sirleaf and Finance Minister Sayeh provide inspiring examples. I would like to thank the Fellowship for supporting my internship and the opportunity to share my experiences through this blog.