allAfrica.com: Liberia: Country's Recovery On Solid Footing (Page 1 of 2)

Many Liberians, taking cue from the role played by the United Kingdom in the Sierra Leonean crises in both security and economic terms, believe the U.S. has a moral obligation to underwrite Liberia's recovery from the scourge of 14 years of civil inferno.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Cabinet officials engage with counterparts from a U.S. Congressional delegation on Liberia's development priorities.

In their view historically, Sierra Leone is to the UK what Liberia is to the US. But the Bush Administration has different idea - it will not give Liberia fish. Rather, it will teach Liberia how and/or encourage Liberia to fish.

How much the administration's rule of engagement influences the U.S. Congress is not known to date, but a bipartisan Congressional delegation currently visiting Liberia believes the U.S. has a commitment to Liberia's recovery.

A 7-member select US Congressional Delegation from the Republican and Democratic parties currently visiting Liberia has reaffirmed the commitment of the U.S. government to the socio-economic recovery of Liberia.

A government release on the visit quoted the head of the delegation, California Congressman Howard Berman, as assuring President Sirleaf that the US lawmakers were keen on ensuring that the United States fulfills its commitments to Liberia's recovery programs.

The release, though, was not specific on what defines Congressman Berman's commitment, but many expect that it will include tangible fiscal support, technical assistance to government ministries and agencies, underwriting of some thematic areas in Liberia's poverty reduction program, and invigorated cooperation in Liberia's drive for debt forgiveness, IMF completion Point Goal, and more support in politico-detached grants.

They say it is only when the Sirleaf Administration is given the wherewithal to execute its development and recovery agendas, officially called the Poverty Reduction Strategy, that the Liberian people will be able to fairly judge it on its own merits in October 2011, the next presidential election year.

"But when you don't trust the government and passed support through USAID, UNDP, the UN system, and NGOs, what you are doing is you are cutting your noise in order to spite your face. In the end, as the past showed, the aid will leave no impact on the population even though billions of dollars in aid had been expended.

You may say you helped Liberia; but, who do you blame for the flop and the taxpayers' money that was dumped in the hands of foreigners for a sovereign country?" wondered one observer.

The definition and level of the commitment affirmed by Congressman Berman's congressional bipartisan delegation may remain a cause for more discussions in Washington and Monrovia, but the release said the delegation, which toured Nigeria, Zambia, South Africa, and Ghana prior to coming to Liberia, held what a Liberian government official called "fruitful dialogue" with President Sirleaf Monday this week.

It hinted further that Liberia was the delegation's last leg of a five-nation tour of Africa and that the delegation's talk with President Sirleaf centered on two core issues of Liberia's thematic recovery agenda - security and investment.

The release gave no details on the discussion but it indicated that the delegation and President talked lengthily about security and the need to strengthen Liberia's police force in order to help provide the secured environment that is crucial to investment.

Members of the delegation, in separate remarks, praised the President for what the government statement described as "the sound fiscal policies" instituted by Government to enhance national reconstruction and development.

The US Lawmakers also praised the President for the stance she and other African leaders have taken regarding the political situation in Zimbabwe.

They expressed the hope that African governments will bring more pressure to bear on the government of Zimbabwe to find a way out of the political crisis in that southern African country.

The visit of the bi-partisan delegation, said the head of the delegation, Rep. Howard Berman, is another testimony of the continued admiration US lawmakers have for the Liberian President.

In response, President Johnson Sirleaf thanked members of the congressional delegation for the support Liberia continues to receive from the administration and the American people as well as the U.S. Congress in supplementary budgetary allotments.

The support, the President said, has enabled her administration to carry out its development agenda. The President briefed the congressional delegation on ongoing efforts by Government towards national development, including the recent Liberia Poverty Reduction Forum (LPRF) in Berlin.

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