World Bank Country Manager: Credible Media Key to Liberia's Development

World Bank Country Manager for Liberia, Georgia Wallen, delivered the keynote address at the Press Union of Liberia's (PUL) 62nd anniversary celebration, telling the gathering that an independent, credible media is critical to the country's development. She said journalists' work carries real influence over how the public understands national issues, and that this influence comes with responsibility.

Wallen told journalists that their credibility depends on a consistent commitment to verifying facts, providing context, and presenting information fairly. She argued that the rise of social media and artificial intelligence makes this kind of disciplined, professional journalism more important than ever, since the volume of unverified information in public circulation has grown alongside those technologies.

She also encouraged Liberian journalists to engage more directly with national data, urging reporters to analyze statistics and development reports from the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) and explain what the numbers mean for ordinary citizens. She noted that media presence in Liberia's counties and communities carries both an opportunity and a responsibility to tell the country's development story from the ground up, rather than solely from the capital.

The anniversary event underscored the media's broader role in Liberia's governance, with Wallen framing an informed press as a channel for amplifying marginalized voices and strengthening accountability alongside economic development.

Liberia Today will continue to report on initiatives affecting press freedom and the media sector in Liberia.