Plead with US authorities to prevent Liberia from sliding back into crisis
Alternative National Congress (ANC) Political Leader, Mr. Alexander Cummings has indicted President George Weah before high-ranking U.S officials, just months ahead of the US-Africa conference.
President Weah has been invited by US President Joe Biden to attend the US-Africa Summit due later this year.
Mr. Cummings, an honored guest at a luncheon hosted by Mr. Michael Rubin, Senior Fellow, Foreign & Defense Policy, America Enterprise Institute (AEI) told luncheon guests that another six years of rule of President Weah is likely to become more susceptible to investors of unsavory character and unhealthy activities including human and drug trafficking and money laundering which will be difficult to resist.
The luncheon was held during the ANC leader's recent visit to Washington, D.C., USA. He also told guests that progress achieved in the immediate post-conflict period under the previous government has been reversed in the last five years of Weah's regime.
"Rule of law and integrity institutions have been undermined," he continued, adding, "The security situation in the country has become precarious while the economy teeters on the brink."
Cummings asserted that another six years under Weah would make it difficult if not impossible to attract serious investment needed to create jobs and grow the economy.
Therefore, he informed guests that he is contesting to become President to fix a broken country and put it on the trajectory for sustained growth and development because according to him Liberia is too rich to be among the poorest countries in the world.
The luncheon was attended by Mr. Greg Simpkins, Consultant (former Staff Director, Africa Subcommittee, US House of Representatives), Mr. Piero Tozzi, Minority Staff Director for Co-Chairman Congressman Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, House Subcommittee on Africa, US House of Representatives, Washington, DC, Ms. Tomekah L. Burl, Staff Director, Senior Foreign Policy Advisor, Africa Subcommittee.
Also in attendance were US House of Representatives, Ms. Donna Charles, Majority Senior Staff Member for Africa, Chairman Gregory Meeks (D-NY), House Foreign Affairs Committee, US House of Representatives, Washington, DC, Ms. Angele Griffin, Staff Member for Africa, Chairman Gregory Meeks (D-NY), House Foreign Affairs Committee, US House of Representatives, Washington, DC, Mr. Gregory Kearns, Africa Director, International Republican Institute, Washington, DC, Dr. Komi Koutche, President of Afrique Vision Multi-Action, Washington, DC (former Minister of Finance, Republic of Benin), Dr. Osman Ahmad, Special Advisor to the President of Somaliland, (former World Bank Economist), Derek Campbell. (Colonel US Marine Corps Reserve), Executive Chairman, African Metals Group, Ltd., London, UK, Dr. Ted Bromund, Senior Research Fellow, Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom.
Others were the Heritage Foundation Washington DC, Ms. Abbe Jolles, Principal, Abbe Jolles Global Legal, Washington DC (International Human Rights Litigator, Accredited Defense Counsel for the International Criminal Court), and other high-level policymakers and experts.
Cummings further argued that with the right leadership and commitment, Liberia can be turned around.
He noted that Congressional support can help prevent the country from sliding into crisis again while indicating that adequate funding for election integrity for 2023 elections is critical.
He reflected on the billions of dollars spent by the U.S Government to have maintained the largest peacekeeping mission, which ended the 14 years of bloody civil war that killed a quarter million of the population.
He called for increased funding by Congress to the Development Finance Corporation, Millennium Challenge Corporation and USAID which would provide needed sources of financing for Liberia's infrastructure, healthcare delivery, education, and agriculture, all of which are in serious state of neglect.
Mr. Cummings noted that the West African subregion is going through transition with Ghana, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone expected to have elections in the next two years.
Guinea is wrestling with its military/civilian transition. Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Mali have all experienced military takeovers recently which are setbacks to the sub-region's commitment to silence the guns.
The former Coca-Cola Executive said it is important to have Liberia restored to stability and growth under a committed and sober leadership to play its traditional role as peacemaker, promoter of regional stability and a reliable partner of the United States.
The ANC Leader also had the honor during his visit of meeting with Senior Fellows at the Brookings Institution, Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), which are among the most powerful policy think tanks helping to define U. S. perspectives, policy and focus on various countries around the world
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Mr. Cummings indicated that he remains grateful to the partners for always opening their doors to him to advocate for Liberia and presenting his vision for the Liberian people. He expressed profound thanks to the American Enterprise Institute for hosting the Luncheon and listening as always.
He reiterated his determination to chart a new course for Liberia, the only place all Liberians can truly call home, live well and make it beautiful. Liberia sweet land of Liberty!
Earlier, in welcome remarks, Mr. Rubin spoke of the global challenges and crisis confronting the United States and the world including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the COVID Pandemic, world hunger, human and drug trafficking, money laundering and terrorist financing, the China-Taiwan tension, and jihadist activities in West Africa.
Mr. Rubin said, however, that these global challenges, should not take U.S focus away from Liberia, struggling to consolidate its fragile democracy and sustain post-conflict reconstruction.
He said Liberia and the United States are inextricably linked by history and the United States has an obligation to ensure Liberia remains a bulwark of democracy and defender of American ideals of freedom and liberty in Africa, especially, at the time of rising competition between democracy and autocracy worldwide.
