Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf "played an active role in the transitional government as the country prepared for the 2005 elections, and eventually stood for president against her rival the ex-international footballer, George Manneh Weah. Despite the elections being called fair and orderly, Weah repudiated the result, which gave a majority to Johnson-Sirleaf, and the announcement of Liberia's new president was postponed, pending an investigation. On 23 November 2005, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was declared the winner of the Liberian election and confirmed as the country's next president. Her inauguration, attended by the likes of US First Lady Laura Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, took place on Monday 16 January, 2006."

"Previously Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa, United Nations Development Programme, Ms. Sirleaf heads Kormah Development & Investment Corporation, Abidjan, and is Modern Africa's representative in West Africa. Prior to joining UNDP, Ms. Sirleaf was vice president and director of Equator Bank and vice president of Citibank in Nairobi. She is a director of International Center for Economic Growth, Women's World Banking, Synergos Institute and numerous other international organisations. Deputy Minister, then Minister of Finance of the Republic of Liberia in 1977-1980, Ms. Sirleaf was the candidate of the Unity Party for the presidency of Liberia in 1997."


 * Advisory Council, The Initiative for Inclusive Security
 * 1988 Winner, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute: Four Freedoms Award
 * 2006 Winner, International Rescue Committee: Freedom Award
 * 2006 Winner, Common Ground Awards
 * Honoree of the 2006 David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award
 * Fund Advisor, Modern Africa Fund Managers
 * Board of Overseers, International Center for Economic Growth

Liberian Governments Biographical Brief of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
"She has also been successful in attracting resources from private foundations and individuals in Europe, Canada and the United States thus supplementing Government’s resources in support of activities in infrastructure, education, and health. After she delivered speeches, several universities have provided scholarships for the training of Liberians. Her strong support for private sector endeavor has resulted in a pledge of a $31 million facility by Robert L. Johnson at the Clinton Global Initiative in which she participated.

"Her strong bipartisan support from the U.S. has resulted in Liberia’s inclusion in two supplemental budgets and to her well recognized speech at a Joint Meeting of Congress. In recognition for her tireless efforts to make Liberia a post-conflict success story, Sirleaf was awarded in 2007 the coveted Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor bestowed by an American president.

"Sirleaf has served on many advisory boards and committees. Notably among these are: International Crisis Group (USA); Songhai Financial Holdings Ltd. (Ghana); Center for Africa's International Relations, University of Witwatersrand (South Africa); Women's World Banking (USA); Synergos (USA) and Women Waging Peace (USA). She was a founding member of the International Institute for Women in Political Leadership and has written widely on financial issues, development and human rights.

"She is the recipient of several awards including the Civil Rights Museum Award (2007); the Africa Prize for the Sustainable End of Hunger (2006); the IRI Freedom Award (2006); the David Rockefeller Leadership Bridging Award (2006) and the Common Ground Award (2006). Special honors received include Commander de l’Ordre du Mono of Togo (1996); Ralph Bunche International Leadership Award (1995); Franklin D. Roosevelt Freedom of Speech Award (1988) and the Grand Commander of the Star of Africa Redemption (1980).

"She was one of the seven internationally eminent persons designated in 1999 by the OAU to investigate the Rwanda genocide, one of the five Commission Chairs for the Inter-Congolese Dialogue and one of two international experts selected by UNIFEM to investigate and report on the effect of conflict on women and women’s roles in peace building. She was the initial Chairperson of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), and a visiting Professor of Governance at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA)."

Related Sourcewatch

 * Talking Drum Studio
 * Liberia Philanthropy Secretariat