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Progress Made, But Long Road Ahead Says Liberian Executive at UN General Assembly

Executive Mansion Press Release - Wednesday, 24th September 2008


New York, USA - Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Tuesday addressed the 63rd Session of the United Nations with a renewed pledge that Liberia is ‘back’ and moving on an irreversible path of peace and development. In a speech outlining the progress Government has made since she assumed leadership of the country over two years ago, the President spoke of the policy direction crafted by Government to tackle the many challenges confronting the country, under the framework of the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS), “Lift Liberia,” centered around peace and security, revitalizing the economy, strengthening governance and the rule of law, infrastructure and delivering basic services.

An Executive Mansion dispatch from New York says President Johnson Sirleaf admitted that the three years earmarked for the implementation of the ‘Lift Liberia’ initiative are inadequate to address the daunting tasks laid out in the Strategy, but pointed out that the policy is part of a process towards long-term development that will continue far beyond 2011.

The President spoke of progress in security, education, economy, infrastructure, health, agriculture and the fight against corruption. “The people are seeing that the economy has started expanding rapidly, with growth accelerating to over nine percent in 2007, roads and buildings sprouting in many places, health clinics and schools reopening or being established where they did not exist before, agriculture production increasing, and a huge external debt well on the way to being cancelled,” the Liberian leader recounted.

She credited the progress in the country to the resolve of the Liberian people, supported by the international community led by the United Nations. The presence of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), the President said, has given hope to the people despite the large percentage of unemployed youth who cannot be absorbed by a growing economy still in its infancy. UNMIL’s presence, the Liberian leader noted, is contributing to Liberia’s economic growth because it signals the consolidation of peace in the country.

The President appealed to the UN world body to provide support to UNMIL at appropriate levels to continue its mandate in Liberia until peace is properly consolidated, thereby removing the threat of a re-emergence of conflict.

In a related development, the Liberian President has held talks with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. During the talks also attended by Liberia’s outgoing ambassador to the UN, Mr. Nathaniel Barnes, and his successor, Mr. Conmany Wesseh, as well as Foreign Minister, Olubanke King-Akerele, Mr. Ban assured the Liberian leader of the UN’s continued support in consolidating peace in Liberia. The international community, the world’s chief diplomat said, was impressed with the level of progress in Liberia and would continue to work to help enhance and sustain the process. President Johnson Sirleaf earlier briefed the Secretary-General on progress in training the country’s security forces in the wake of the scheduled draw-down of UNMIL. She again reinforced an earlier appeal for an orderly and gradual draw-down of the peace-keepers, in line with the training program of the country’s security forces.

Incoming Ambassador Wesseh, was later introduced to the UN Secretary-General as Liberia’s new representative to the UN, succeeding Ambassador Barnes, who now goes to Washington as Liberia’s ambassador the United States.

The President has, meanwhile, been holding high level meetings with a number of world leaders aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between Liberia and the respective countries.  Tuesday’s meetings included discussions with President Tarja Halonen of Finland; the Prime Minister of Australia; and the Prime Minister of Morocco.

The Liberian leader and other Heads of State and Government were Tuesday night guests of the UN Secretary-General and Mrs. Ban at a State Dinner in New York, attended by several world leaders, including President George Bush, who requested President Johnson Sirleaf to share a dinner table with him during the occasion.

The President is on Wednesday participating in the Opening Session of the Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative attended by the founder of the Clinton Foundation, former United States President Bill Clinton; Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of the Kingdom of Jordan; Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore; and Bono, lead singer of U2 and co-founder of the Anti-Poverty Campaign, among others.