20 February 2008
Liberia is emerging as a growing democracy in West Africa. The Liberian government has taken significant steps to correct past human rights deficiencies - including working to reform the justice sector, combating corruption and promoting good governance, and establishing a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate and document human rights violations and war crimes committed during Liberia's civil war.
The U.S. is helping strengthen Liberia's democratic institutions following the country's historic 2005 elections. As a major contributor to Liberia's Governance and Economic Management Assistance Program (GEMAP), USAID is working in partnership with the administration of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to improve management of its public finances and combat corruption. In collaboration with GEMAP, the U.S. provided over $22.2 million in 2007 for programs to promote just and democratic governance in Liberia.
Liberia is a target country of the President's Expanded Education Initiative. Through the earlier Africa Education Initiative more than 800,000 textbooks have been provided to support learning for war-affected youth.The Ambassador's Girls' Scholarship program has supported 2,700 girls with scholarships in Liberia.
The U.S. is committed to helping Liberia rebuild its Security Sector, committing $156 million since 2003. These funds support the recruitment, training, and equipping of the Armed Forces of Liberia. The U.S. is also working to reform the national police, including the creation of a 500-person Emergency Response Unit.
Liberia is just beginning its first year as a PMI focus country with a goal of distributing approximately 630,000 insecticide treated bed nets in 2008.
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