PRESS CONFERENCE BY PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA

 

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, Africa’s first elected female Head of State, said this afternoon that her country had emerged from its difficult years of destruction, tragedy and suffering and since the conclusion of its November 2005 elections, was seizing the opportunity to set itself on the right track.

She said, at a Headquarters press conference that there were four pillars upon which Liberia would be carried forward, the first being peace and security.  “We cannot do anything else to pursue our development agenda, unless there is stability and peace in the nation,” she stressed.  That called for total disarmament of the army and the building of a new and professional army and police force.  Economic revitalization was also vital.  With strong support from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, Liberia would have to focus on building its creditworthiness abroad and be able to respond effectively to the needs of its people through its own means and resources.

Infrastructure was the third pillar upon which the country’s progress would stand, she said, adding that Liberia’s displaced persons and refugees must be brought back to resume such productive endeavours as farming.  The cultivation of mainstay export crops like rubber must be reactivated, and farming was also necessary for Liberia’s food security.  Education had become a top priority and emphasis had also been placed on improving the road, power, electricity and health systems.

Governance was the last pillar, she said, describing it as “a very tricky one”.  It was imperative that the executive, legislative and judiciary branches of Government remain independent, yet cooperate in responding to the needs of citizens.  Corruption had been very problematic and must be addressed as the integrity of the Government and the judicial system was paramount.  Legislative reform was also essential, and decentralization was important in helping to give more resources to Liberia’s counties.

“It’s a window of opportunity for us,” she said.  “The challenges are enormous.  We’re not going to tell anybody there’s going to be a quick fix.  We know that it will take many years of sacrifice, of reconciliation, of identifying and working together, making sure our priorities are right.”

Asked whether the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) could have offered more support, she praised its efforts and noted that, though she had asked the Mission to be more assertive, she also understood why the United Nations needed to be careful with the aggressiveness of its response to either real or perceived threats.

She said in response to a question about child soldiers that Liberia’s disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and resettlement programme was striving to mobilize resources in order to get youths trained and back in schools.

Responding to a question about United Nations Security Council reform, she said she would like to see that organ opened up to more countries, including least developed countries.

Asked how to persuade the Government of the Sudan to allow a United Nations force to deploy into Darfur, she said that really strong persuasion, rather than just a soft appeal, was the best route.

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For information media • not an official record