Liberia
Aktuelle Einsätze
UNMIL
UN Mission in Liberia (UN-Geführt)
Beginn: 10/03
Link zum Einsatz
New president to inspect spending of transitional government (24.01.2006)
(Quelle: Reuters AlertNet) President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia has promised a financial audit of the outgoing transitional government, which was marred by repeated corruption charges during its two years in power. In her State of the Nation address on Monday, the newly sworn-in Sirleaf said fighting corruption would be the 'bedrock' of her economic policy for the country. … Concerns about corruption in government prompted Liberia's international partners and donors in September to draw up an anti-graft plan titled, Governance Economic Management Assistance Program (GEMAP).
Demobilized soldiers threaten recruitment, issue 72 hour ultimatum (24.01.2006)
(Quelle: AllAfrica) The 1990 recruits of the Armed Forces of Liberia, who were recently demobilized in keeping with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed by warring factions seemed unhappy with ongoing events and have threatened to disrupt the recruitment which is in full swing. As part of the agreement, each of the soldiers was given US$540 by the former transitional government under the leadership of Gyude Bryant. … The government at the time promised to pay them other retirement benefits in the tone of US$860, something the government failed to do up to the expiry of its tenure.
New Liberian president vows to end graft, violence (16.01.2006)
(Quelle: Reuters AlertNet) Liberia's Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf took office as Africa's first elected woman president on Monday, pledging to break with the country's history of corruption and violence that spread war to neighbouring states. … As part of her pledge to fight graft, she named the first members of her cabinet, including the ministers of finance and defence, both of whom have international experience and are likely to find favour with donors. Antoinette Sayeh, former head of the World Bank programme in Benin, was appointed Minister of Finance while Brownie Samukai, a former director of police who has received training in Israel and the United States, was named Defence Minister.
More resources for Liberia's development, UNMIL Deputy SRSG discloses (13.01.2006)
(Quelle: AllAfrica) The new Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General for Recovery and Governance in Liberia, Ambassador Jordan Ryan has disclosed that the international community will make available more resources to Liberia for the development of the country. He said the international community has every confidence in the leadership of Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to coordinate the development of the country and as such, it will provide the necessary resources needed for that purpose.
Ex-rebel official, Taylor’s former son-in-law to head new parliament (13.01.2006)
(Quelle: Irinnews) Liberia's new bi-cameral legislature on Friday elected key figures from the country's violent past to head the two chambers in the country's first post-war parliament. Representative Edwin Snowe, former son-in-law of notorious ex-president Charles Taylor was elected as Speaker of the 64-member House of Representatives. … Senator Isaac Nyanebo, a former advisor and Secretary General of the rebel group, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, which battled the government from 1999 to 2003, was elected Senate President.
Liberian analysts paint dim picture of war-torn country (06.01.2006)
(Quelle: Reliefweb) A team put together by Liberian president-elect Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to assess the effects of a 14-year civil war on the country has painted a gloomy picture of the nation's infrastructure, institutions and manpower. … 'The public sector is in shambles, structures have collapsed rendering insitutions non-functional, while corruption has taken root due to bad governance,' the committee on governance observed. … The litany of problems besieging the country's infrastructure since the war ended in 2003 show the new government faces a major task in attempting to rehabilitate basic services.
Soldiers refuse to quit camp needed for new army (04.01.2006)
(Quelle: Irinnews) More than 2,000 former Liberian soldiers are defying a government order to vacate a military camp outside the capital, Monrovia - a barracks authorities say is needed for training a new army after 14 years of war. … The International Contact Group on Liberia (ICGL) - comprising western and African governments and organisations that helped broker the county's 2003 peace deal - has rejected the soldiers' stand and set a new evacuation deadline of 7 January.
UN enforces travel ban on newly elected lawmakers (03.01.2006)
(Quelle: Irinnews) Four just-elected members of Liberia's parliament were barred from leaving the country for Ghana on Monday because of their past association with notorious former president Charles Taylor… including his wife Jewel Howard Taylor and his former son-in-law Edwin Snowe, managing director of Liberia's Petroleum Refinery Corporation in the current power-sharing transitional government. Also banned from travel were General Kai Farley, a former rebel commander, and pro-Taylor militia commander General Adolphus Dolo.
UN Security Council renews bans on sale of arms, diamonds, timber (21.12.2005)
(Quelle: UN News) After receiving reports that the situation in Liberia is still a threat to international peace and that its natural resources are still not being used in a way that benefits its people, the United Nations Security Council has renewed the sanctions regime it imposed on the war-torn country in 2001, which now includes timber, travel, arms and diamond embargoes. … The Council also re-established the Panel of Experts appointed by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to conduct follow-up assessments of the sanctions and said it would review the measures at the request of the new Government of Liberia, once it reported that the conditions for terminating them had been met.
Weah withdraws protest (21.12.2005)
(Quelle: AllAfrica) Defeated presidential candidate George Weah has finally backed out of his electoral fraud case against the National Elections Commission. The standard bearer of the Congress for Democratic Change told supporters at the party's headquarters in Congo Town today that he was withdrawing the case from the Supreme Court. Weah, who has been challenging the results of the November 8 presidential run-off won by his political rival Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, has been under pressure locally and internationally to concede defeat.
Weah has fraud claims thrown out (17.12.2005)
(Quelle: ISN) George Weah has had his claims of fraud in the recent presidential elections thrown out by Liberia's national electoral commission on Friday. 'There is no prima facie evidence from the CDC to establish a case of fraud and there was no clear and convincing facts presented before the hearing by the CDC,' said Joseph Blidi, presiding office of the national electoral commission. The hearing concluded that there were errors, but that they were 'technical' and had 'negligible effect' on the final result 23 November, which gave Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf 59 per cent of the tally.
UN mission chief in Liberia calls on party leader to calm supporters (13.12.2005)
(Quelle: Reliefweb) The head of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) today called on the losing presidential candidate to calm his supporters following two incidents yesterday in the capital, Monrovia, in which one Liberian police officer was seriously wounded and several Liberian and three UN police officers suffered minor injuries. Alan Doss strongly condemned the violence, and UNMIL said responsibility for it must be assumed by the leadership of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC). He urged CDC leader George Weah and others to call on their supporters to prevent any further disturbances.
Riots erupt as Weah claims presidency (12.12.2005)
(Quelle: Irinnews) Former football superstar and loser of Liberia’s first post-war elections, George Weah, claimed the presidency this weekend in a series of rabble-rousing speeches that sparked rioting in the battered capital Monrovia. … Weah’s verbal onslaught began as soon as he was off a plane, fresh from visiting presidents John Kufuor of Ghana and Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, who have been urging the onetime FIFA world footballer of the year to concede defeat gracefully. “I am President of this country, whether you like it or not, it will not change. I told President Mbeki this. I repeat that I was cheated in the elections,” Weah told reporters on Sunday afternoon.
Transition team to be expanded - Johnson-Sirleaf (07.12.2005)
(Quelle: allAfrica) President-elect Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's 153-person Transition Team, whose publication has caused widespread public uproar, is about to witness a drastic change; at least that's what the President-elect has hinted. In an exclusive interview with the Daily Observer yesterday in her private office at her Fish Market Residence, Madam Sirleaf called on all groups and persons dissatisfied with the current Team to become 'proactive' and offer their services to work.
Justice system going from bad to worse, PAP executive alleges (07.12.2005)
(Quelle: allAfrica) The Executive Director of the Prisoner Assistance Program (PAP) Mr. Jarwlee Tweh Geegbe has alleged that the criminal justice system of Liberia is going from bad to worse. Mr. Geegbe pointed out that the justice system is rights-unfriendly, noting that especially the Criminal Court detains people without the observance of the rights of the detainees.
Taylor's fate discussed (01.12.2005)
(Quelle: BBC) Liberian president-elect Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has been discussing the future of former President Charles Taylor with the Nigerian authorities. Mr Taylor has been in exile in Nigeria since 2003, when Nigerian President Olusegun Obansanjo persuaded him to step down in the face of a rebellion. … Mrs Johnson-Sirleaf, who is touring West African capitals after being elected last month, said she had discussed the question of Mr Taylor's future with Mr Obasanjo, but no decision was made.
UN launches education programme for thousands of former combatants (28.11.2005)
(Quelle: UN News) The head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Liberia today launched a programme to provide formal education to 20,000 disarmed former combatants as part of efforts to reintegrate into the mainstream the West African country's former belligerents who ended their civil conflict in 2003. … The programme administered by the UNDP Trust Fund and the National Commission on Disarmament, Demobilization, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (NCDDRR) involves 353 schools, colleges and other tertiary educational institutions.
'Iron Lady' named Liberian leader (23.11.2005)
(Quelle: BBC) Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has been declared the winner of Liberia's presidential poll, making her Africa's first elected female head of state. She took 59.4% of the vote in elections earlier this month, compared to 40.6% for former football star George Weah. Mr Weah alleged the run-off vote was rigged, but international observers say the poll was largely free and fair.
Weah facing heat to concede defeat (22.11.2005)
(Quelle: Irinnews) Pressure is mounting on George Weah, the former international football star and runner-up in this month’s presidential race in Liberia, to think of his country and concede defeat. “For the sake of peace and moving Liberia forward, it is about time that Ambassador Weah accepts the election results and congratulates the winner,” said Sekou Damate Conneh, a presidential candidate in the first round of the elections, who subsequently threw his lot in with Weah for the runoff vote.
UNMIL chief voices support for Liberian protest ban (16.11.2005)
(Quelle: Reliefweb) At a press conference in the Liberian capital Monrovia Wednesday, Alan Doss said the ban was necessary because “the city has to get back to work''. Doss praised the election, which appears to have been won by Harvard-trained economist Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf with 59 per cent of votes, as the “most free and fair elections for a long, long time'' in Liberia.
Liberia bans protests over election (16.11.2005)
(Quelle: New York Times) Liberia's government banned street demonstrations on Tuesday while election officials investigate soccer star George Weah's allegations that a rigged run-off vote robbed him of the presidency. Supporters of the former AC Milan striker have staged repeated protests, some of which turned violent, in the capital Monrovia since voting returns showed him losing the Nov. 8 run-off to former Finance Minister Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
Completed tally confirms Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as winner in Liberia (15.11.2005)
(Quelle: AllAfrica) Liberia's National Election Commission (NEC) has released the completed tally of last week's presidential run-off showing Ellen Johnson Sirleaf with 59.4 and George Weah with 40.6 percent. The Commission announced that formal certification of the results would occur on the constitutionally mandated date of November 23, 2005. … Once certified, Sirleaf will become the first woman to win election as head of state in Africa.
African leaders hail Liberia poll (13.11.2005)
(Quelle: BBC) Seven powerful African leaders have hailed Liberia's election as free and fair and urged anyone unhappy with the result to avoid resorting to violence. The leaders, including South Africa's Thabo Mbeki and Nigeria's Olusegun Obasanjo, praised voters and election officials for a 'job well done'. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is on course to become Liberia's next president. But her opponent, former football star George Weah, has demanded a re-run, complaining of vote-rigging.
Taylor faces UN arrest in Liberia (11.11.2005)
(Quelle: BBC) The UN Security Council has voted unanimously for UN peacekeepers in Liberia to detain ex-President Charles Taylor if he returns to the country. Mr Taylor, currently in exile in Nigeria, was indicted by a UN-backed court in neighbouring Sierra Leone for crimes against humanity there.
Economist leads ex-soccer star (10.11.2005)
(Quelle: New York Times) Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the economist who hopes to become the first woman to be elected to lead a modern African nation, opened a large lead in the race for president of Liberia as votes were tallied Wednesday in the country's first election since emerging from a 14-year civil war. With nearly 60 percent of the vote counted, Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf, who was educated at Harvard, had an 11-point lead over George Weah, the former soccer star who was favored to win because of his broad popularity with Liberia's young electorate.
Vote spurs final round of corruption in Liberia (09.11.2005)
(Quelle: Reuters AlertNet) As Liberia counts the votes in the final round of its first post-war presidential election, many officials in the West African state are indulging in a final round of their own. … Computers are disappearing from offices, number plates are being changed on government cars so their drivers can keep them, and the head of the agency responsible for procuring -- and recovering -- state assets is receiving death threats. … Endemic corruption was one of the key causes of the 14-year civil war that devastated Liberia, Africa's oldest republic founded by freed American slaves in 1847.
UN envoy to Liberia says run-off election was conducted peacefully (08.11.2005)
(Quelle: UN News) The run-off election in Liberia between leading presidential contenders Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and George Oppong Weah was conducted in a peaceful and transparent manner, the senior United Nations envoy to the West African country said today. … Mr. Doss refrained from commenting on turnout, pending a count, and from assessing yet whether the voting was free and fair.
UN mission steps up efforts to ensure free, peaceful presidential election (03.11.2005)
(Quelle: UN News) With five days left before Liberia’s run-off presidential elections, the United Nations mission that has for the past two years assisted the country’s transition to peace and democracy from 14 years of vicious civil war, is moving into top gear to assure a fair poll while preventing cross-border recruitments into troubled Côte d'Ivoire.
UNMIL raises concern over child soldiers' plight (01.11.2005)
(Quelle: allAfrica) The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has long recognized the risk of former child soldiers in Liberia being dragged into war again, within Liberia, in Cote d'Ivoire or elsewhere within West Africa. UNMIL says it therefore welcomes the report from Human Rights Watch, which will help UNMIL and all stakeholders to deal with the ever present danger of cross-border recruitment of combatants.
Diverse new parliament spells coalition for whoever ends up president (28.10.2005)
(Quelle: allAfrica) With more parties represented in Liberia's new parliament than ever before, the luxury of a majority is something the new president, be it soccer legend George Weah or veteran economist Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, can only dream of. Coalitions will be the order of the day for the aspiring heads of state, analysts say, not only to win the second-round ballot and move into the presidential mansion, but also to get anything done once they have their feet under the table.