SECTION 1. PROJECT CONTEXT The effects of Liberia’s fourteen-year civil war cannot be understated. Over seventy-five percent of the population describe themselves as victims of the wars through displacement, destruction of property, direct violence, and/or abduction. An estimated 270,000 people were killed in a nation of only 3.5 million in pre-war population. Much progress has been made in addressing some of the causes and consequences of Liberia’s civil wars since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2003. There is, however, a pervasive sense that many of the foundational issues, which spurred the protracted civil war, have not been addressed. The recent Ebola Crisis, responsible for the death of nearly 5,000 Liberians, exposed a fundamental fragility in the social contract and the inability of the central government to provide essential services, including information to Liberian citizens. During the Ebola crisis, better information could have saved thousands of lives and stronger communications and digital integration within the Government of Liberia would have been invaluable in aiding the government in its response. Increased connectivity and digital programs have the potential to strengthen government efficacy to prevent and respond to future shocks, as well as support health, schools and other civil society facilities in accelerating recovery from the epidemic and strengthening their work over the long-term. USAID made a series of supply side connectivity investments in Monrovia to address infrastructure gaps that have resulted in high cost, poor quality internet. Digital Liberia contributed to USAID/Liberia’s overall governance programs to ensure public resources are managed more accountability and transparently and to Development Objective 1 in USAID/Liberia’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy: more effective, accountable, and inclusive governance. It also supported improved outcomes in health, education and economic growth. At the start of the activity, the need for Key Dalberg Baseline Findings improved ICT infrastructure, improved availability and • Access to internet is not primary effective usage of ICT services, and a national CIO (Chief connectivity barrier: 64% of individuals, Information Officer) regime had been highlighted in both the 70% of businesses and 38 of 39 MACs (ministries, agencies and commissions) National Telecommunications and ICT Policy (NTIP) and the assessed have access to the internet Government of Liberia draft e-Gov Strategy. The Head CIO • Businesses and MACs cannot typically for the Government had been appointed and the Program afford adequate fixed line internet Management Office (PMO) established; however, neither connections, and rely heavily on mobile had been provided with resources or staff sufficient to fully data for their business needs carry out the ICT policy development and ICT services • Households, businesses and envisioned for the CIO regime. The eGov Strategy MACs…appears to [have] latent document stated that the national CIO regime in its current demand for connectivity to allow use form is saddled with a number of challenges and requires beyond the “everyday” tasks immediate revamping to make the offices viable going • Affordability and quality of internet forward. A baseline evaluation conducted by Dalberg services in Monrovia hold back use highlighted several specific connectivity challenges (see box). SECTION 2. DIGITAL LIBERIA ACHIEVEMENTS JOINT ACHIEVEMENTS Project Advisory Council Digital Liberia supported the early formation of a Project Advisory Council (PAC) to create structures for increased ownership and sustainability of Digital Liberia activities. Comprised of key ICT stakeholders in the GOL, the PAC provides Digital Liberia with guidance on GOL priorities and authorizes areas for project support. Members included leaders from the MoPT (Ministry of Posts and DIGITAL LIBERIA FINAL REPORT | 3