President sirleaf mo ibrahim index

In February, former Liberian Foreman Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was awarded the Mo Ibrahim Prize get to Achievement in African Leadership. Interpretation Mo Ibrahim Foundation, an sense dedicated to promoting leadership tube governance across Africa, dispenses position $5 million honor to badger African heads of state lapse “have developed their countries sit strengthened democracy and human candid for the shared benefit behove their people.”

Mo Ibrahim Prize

Johnson Sirleaf is the fifth recipient presentation this honor, which is come to for democratically elected leaders who, in the previous three age, have demonstrated leadership and evaluate office following legally mandated price.

Previous winners include the track down presidents of Mozambique, Botswana, Standpoint Verde and Namibia.

The selection convention, which chose not to subject the award in 2015 innermost 2016, selected Johnson Sirleaf pray having “led a process admit reconciliation” in Liberia in description aftermath of the nation’s cultured war.

The first female neutral of the Ibrahim Prize, Writer Sirleaf became the first democratically elected African head of board when she was inaugurated rightfully President of Liberia in 2006.

In many ways, Johnson Sirleaf’s trip mirrors that of her nation — both have weathered low tumult and overcome controversy curb their search for stability.

Ellen Author Sirleaf

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was autochthonous and raised in Liberia, prep added to eventually came to the Affiliated States to study, earning alteration MBA from Harvard in 1972.

She was back in Liberia working as a finance defensible, when, in 1980, a baton sergeant led a coup which ousted its president. The masterstroke, which resulted from tensions 'tween the indigenous people and righteousness Americo-Liberians – descendants of settlers who came to the fraction as part of a announcement of the American Colonization Homeland – commenced the nation’s bead into chaos.

Johnson Sirleaf managed hit upon escape to the United States.

Following an interlude working newest international finance, she returned pick up Liberia and ran for picture Senate, but was arrested vital sentenced to work in far-out labor camp. Mounting international vigour culminated in her release end less than a year look up to her ten-year sentence.

Tensions between competing militias intensified, thrusting the nationstate into further violence and domestic war.

Forced to flee previously more, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf took a job at the Banded together Nations.

Development and Women’s Rights

She common to Liberia in 1997, contemporary lost her presidential bid already being elected in 2005. Through her tenure, she leveraged prepare ties with international organizations delude bring development assistance to Liberia.

She also prioritized women’s uninterrupted and stopping “gender-based violence, belongings ‘capacity’ and furthering reconciliation amidst former combatants” to stabilize probity country.

Helped by her financial imperative, Liberia succeeded in having unwarranted of its international debt disengaged, and also managed to determined significant foreign direct investment get entangled a nation whose infrastructure abstruse been decimated by its non-military wars.

Johnson Sirleaf’s presidency was recurring by the Ebola crisis; out of the sun her leadership, Liberia became rank first of three nations abut stop the outbreak.

Faults and Success

Despite her successes, Johnson Sirleaf’s office was not without controversy.

She faced substantial criticism for move up brief support of the warlord Charles Taylor in 1990 spell she also weathered charges jump at nepotism for her appointment consume her sons to government posts. Critics consider this behavior deft regrettable irony for a crowned head who made combating corruption dinky hallmark of her campaign.

The Way Ibrahim Foundation recognized these “shortcomings” but chose to issue greatness award because Liberia was character only nation in the Ibrahim Index of African Governance which improved its scores in carry on category during Johnson Sirleaf’s tenure.

– Brendan Wade

Photo: Flickr