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Liberia: Country is Still a Fragile State
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The NEWS (Monrovia)
18 April 2008
Posted to the web 18 April 2008
Monrovia
President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has told a gathering of political leaders in Copenhagen, Denmark, that Liberia is still a fragile state that is on the threshold of being a post-conflict success story.
She emphasized that unemployment among the youth and HIV/AIDS are some of the major challenges facing the country.
The Liberian leader spoke Wednesday when she addressed the Africa Commission Forum in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Africa Commission brings together political leaders with the aim of fighting poverty and bringing about positive change across the continent.
President Sirleaf called on the Commission to employ a sense of urgency when it deals with fragile states like Liberia, adding that the possibility of the country slipping back into conflict remains high.
The President said a wind of change had blown across Africa, emphasizing that the bad news of the continent had changed.
She observed that positive developments on the continent do not get the attention it deserves.
The President challenged the African Commission to go beyond the need to address youth and employment, a recognition of the fact that the current inequality between men and women in Africa and other parts of the world is a structural impediment to growth and development if the achievement of the Third Millennium Development Goal on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women is to be actualized by 2015.
She indicated that women, whether they are in Africa, Europe, North America, Asia, or elsewhere, who constitute the backbone of society are the custodians of its values must have equal rights and equal access to the factors of production.
"Women have historically demonstrated; they can be good, strong, and bold and innovative leaders. Their commitment to democracy and social justice are often unsurpassed. They are fair, they are inclusive - and above all, my experience shows that women bring to leadership special natural skills and sensitivities that many times are lacking in their male counterparts," President Sirleaf emphasized.
Meanwhile, President Johnson-Sirleaf has solicited the Government of Denmark's support for Liberia's reconstruction.
During bilateral talks with Danish Prime Minister Anders Rasmussen and Foreign Minister, Dr. Per Moller, the Liberian leader spoke of what she referred to as 'the modest progress' made by her government thus far, but added that more needed to be done.
She spoke of the need to do more for small scale Liberian farmers and solicited Danish support for a micro-credit scheme in this regard. She emphasized that the setting up of such a micro-credit scheme would be a major remedy to the growing problems stemming from rising prices.
President Johnson-Sirleaf further called for Danish support in revamping the Freeport of Monrovia as well as the need to build the capacity of Liberians.
The President also requested support for internally displaced persons in the wake of returning Liberian refugees from Ghana. She stressed that the expectations of Liberians for the government to succeed is high, but observed that the bureaucracy which governs the activities of some international organizations does not help the country's development agenda.
For his part, Danish Prime Minister Anders Rasmussen praised President Johnson-Sirleaf for the progress she has made during her two-year presidency. He said the President has succeeded in bringing hope and progress to Liberia.
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He added that the Liberian leader's efforts had led to a new focus on Liberia due to the remarkable turn around of the country. Prime Minister Rasmussen said he believes Liberia and Africa needed more of the likes of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, adding that his government will stand beside her in Liberia's march towards national recovery.
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