Wednesday, 28th May 2008
Tokyo, Japan - Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, in a keynote address at the opening session Wednesday of the Tokyo International Conference for Africa Development (TICAD), said democracy cannot be promoted by simply recreating the economic and political structures of the past. Structures, the President says, must be put in place to ensure that greater economic and political opportunities are created for all Liberians and not simply for a small elite class, said the President.
Addressing delegates on Peace and Democratization, the Liberian leader noted that governments must ensure that benefits from growth and the provision of basic health and education services are spread more equitably throughout the population, including women, children and youth, as well as persons with disabilities and marginalized groups.
To implement the vision of sustained peace and democracy, the President outlined, among other measures, the training of professional security forces. The process, she explained, requires the dismantling of an old army, comprising loyalists and/or agents of previous heads of state, and the demobilization of thousands of young combatants of the various warring factions. The exercise, President Sirleaf maintained, requires the ongoing difficult process of vetting and training the police and other security units by setting performance criteria related to respecting human rights and creating partnerships with the population.
The President informed conference delegates that Liberia is preparing for the eventual departure of United Nations Peacekeepers, who will be replaced with a well trained Liberian army and well equipped security forces under civilian control.
Reflecting on the root causes of the country’s 14-year conflict, the President recalled that Liberia’s economic history before the conflict was a classic example of “growth without development.” In the decades leading to the conflict, she recalled, Liberia experienced relatively rapid growth, at times, second only to Japan. “But most of the income was channeled to a small elite and there was relatively little poverty reduction for the majority of Liberians,” the President observed, attributing the inequities in growth as a major source of the resentment that fueled the conflict.
The President spoke of the establishment of a strong private sector driven economy, based on robust growth as another element to consolidate peace and democracy in the country. The initiative, she pointed out, must be achieved through the reactivation of traditional engines of growth, including mining, forestry, rubber, and cash crops. The President cautioned, however, that economic growth alone does not guarantee poverty reduction and stability. “Worldwide experience shows that to sustain the peace, growth must be equitable and widely shared and create employment and economic opportunities for the poor.”
The President also spoke about employment opportunities for the youth, particularly thousands of ex-combatants and war affected youth who lack education and skills. This group, she said, represents the lost generation and the greatest threat to peace.
“Our response in the short term is to formulate emergency employment that focuses on labor intensive infrastructure projects, urban sanitation and food production to include skills training,” the President emphasized.
She attributed the series of crises in Liberia largely on poor governance, disrespect for the rule of law, and weak public institutions. Government, she said, is therefore working towards strengthening the new democratic environment for transforming the relationship between the state and its citizens, ensuring that laws, policies, institutions and processes afford citizens equal opportunity and representation, inclusiveness and participation.
A consolidation of democracy, the Liberian leader pointed out, requires enhanced citizen participation and ownership of Government policy formulation and implementation; a culture of participation that brings accountability to public institutions and leaders that increase transparency and reduce corruption.
Meanwhile, the government of Japan has promised to assist Liberia in tackling the sharp increase in food prices. Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda informed President Sirleaf that Japan was considering food aid as an option to help Liberia meet the needs of its people. Prime Minister Fukuda said his country is keen on strengthening bilateral ties with Liberia and assured the President that Japanese officials are exploring more areas of cooperation between the two countries. At the same time, Prime Minister Fukuda disclosed that a Japanese team is headed for Liberia next month to conduct preliminary work for a master plan study on urban facilities restoration and improvement. The study will consider Liberia’s mid and short term plan for water, sewer, drainage and road and transport systems. A fact-finding mission on the country’s power sector is also due in Monrovia by the end of June.
Japan has meanwhile urged Liberia to support its bid to host the 2015 World Championship Jamboree. President Sirleaf has promised to consider the Japanese request. The President has also assured Prime Minister Fukuda that Liberia is working towards putting in place an institutional framework to provide a favorable and conducive business climate to attract Japanese investors into the country. The President spoke of the long standing strong bilateral ties between the two countries and expressed the hope that Japan and Liberia will work towards rebuilding the ties, interrupted as a result of the civil conflict.
At a meeting Tuesday between President Sirleaf and the President of the Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA), Madam Ogata Sadako, the two countries agreed on the need to accelerate partnership. The President, who also met with Senegalese President Abdulaye Wade Tuesday, climaxed Wednesday’s session by attending a state banquet of Heads of State and Government for a TICAD IV Award Ceremony of the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize. The Prize is in recognition of outstanding achievement in the fields of medical research and medical services in Africa, in memory of Dr. Hideyo Noguchi. The inaugural prize was awarded to Brian Greenwood for his bold and innovative work in malaria and Miriam K. Were, whose efforts to bring basic medical services and health rights to women and children in villages in East Africa has been a beacon of hope for millions in Africa and the world.