Beijing, China – Liberia’s Agriculture Minister, Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah, has urged global leaders at the 2026 Global Poverty Reduction and Development Forum in Beijing, China, to move beyond traditional aid models and embrace investments that create lasting opportunities for people and communities.

Minister Nuetah wants world leaders to take a new global approach to poverty reduction, while at the same time emphasizing that more than 600 million people still live in abject poverty, with climate change, conflict, inequality, and rising debt burdens threatening development gains, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia.

“While progress has been made, the question before us is no longer whether we should act, but what we must do differently to lift our people out of poverty.” The Liberian Agriculture Minister added.

Dr. Nuetah outlined three critical shifts needed to accelerate global poverty reduction, including building resilient systems rather than isolated projects, shifting from aid dependence to productive investment, and ensuring that development efforts reach the most vulnerable communities.

The Minister also stressed the importance of investing in agriculture, infrastructure, market access, women-led enterprises, and youth employment as key drivers of sustainable development and economic transformation.

“The tools exist. The knowledge exists. What is needed now is coordination and courage. Let us make commitments that can be measured, funded, and delivered.” He maintained.

The Agriculture Minister spoke during the First Plenary Session of the Global Partnership for Poverty Alleviation and Development, a landmark initiative jointly launched by China, 53 countries, and nine international organizations.

At the same time, twenty-nine staff members of the Ministry of Agriculture are in China, undergoing a 21-day specialized training program in Beijing, focused on agricultural product processing, storage, and preservation.

The training is being organized in partnership with the China National Research Institute of Food and Fermentation Industries Corporation Limited as part of efforts to strengthen food systems, reduce post-harvest losses, and promote value addition in agriculture.

The head of the team, Jay Doe Welah Jr., has since thanked the Government of China, the China National Research Institute of Food and Fermentation Industries Corporation Limited, and the Ministry of Agriculture for the opportunity, describing the initiative as a major investment in the capacity development of Liberian agricultural professionals.

The Liberian delegation, which includes 14 females, forms part of a broader group of fifty-two participants from other countries attending the training. The program runs through mid-June 2026.