SPEAKERS CONTENTS INSERTS
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26–015PDF
2006
THE IMPACT OF LIBERIA'S ELECTION ON WEST AFRICA
HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON AFRICA, GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED NINTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
FEBRUARY 8, 2006
Serial No. 109–146
Printed for the use of the Committee on International Relations
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Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.house.gov/international—relations
COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
HENRY J. HYDE, Illinois, Chairman
JAMES A. LEACH, Iowa
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey,
Vice Chairman
DAN BURTON, Indiana
ELTON GALLEGLY, California
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida
DANA ROHRABACHER, California
EDWARD R. ROYCE, California
PETER T. KING, New York
STEVE CHABOT, Ohio
THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado
RON PAUL, Texas
DARRELL ISSA, California
JEFF FLAKE, Arizona
JO ANN DAVIS, Virginia
MARK GREEN, Wisconsin
JERRY WELLER, Illinois
MIKE PENCE, Indiana
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THADDEUS G. McCOTTER, Michigan
KATHERINE HARRIS, Florida
JOE WILSON, South Carolina
JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas
J. GRESHAM BARRETT, South Carolina
CONNIE MACK, Florida
JEFF FORTENBERRY, Nebraska
MICHAEL McCAUL, Texas
TED POE, Texas
TOM LANTOS, California
HOWARD L. BERMAN, California
GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York
ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American Samoa
DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey
SHERROD BROWN, Ohio
BRAD SHERMAN, California
ROBERT WEXLER, Florida
ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York
WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT, Massachusetts
GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
BARBARA LEE, California
JOSEPH CROWLEY, New York
EARL BLUMENAUER, Oregon
SHELLEY BERKLEY, Nevada
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GRACE F. NAPOLITANO, California
ADAM B. SCHIFF, California
DIANE E. WATSON, California
ADAM SMITH, Washington
BETTY McCOLLUM, Minnesota
BEN CHANDLER, Kentucky
DENNIS A. CARDOZA, California
VACANT
THOMAS E. MOONEY, SR., Staff Director/General Counsel
ROBERT R. KING, Democratic Staff Director
Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey, Chairman
THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado
JEFF FLAKE, Arizona
MARK GREEN, Wisconsin
JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas
JEFF FORTENBERRY, Nebraska
EDWARD R. ROYCE, California,
Vice Chairman
DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey
GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
BARBARA LEE, California
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DIANE E. WATSON, California
BETTY McCOLLUM, Minnesota
EARL BLUMENAUER, Oregon
MARY M. NOONAN, Subcommittee Staff Director
GREG SIMPKINS, Subcommittee Professional Staff Member
NOELLE LUSANE, Democratic Professional Staff Member
SHERI A. RICKERT, Subcommittee Professional Staff Member and Counsel
LINDSEY M. PLUMLEY, Staff Associate
C O N T E N T S
WITNESSES
Jendayi E. Frazer, Ph.D., Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. Department of State
Mr. Lloyd Pierson, Assistant Administrator for Africa, U.S. Agency for International Development
J. Peter Pham, Ph.D., Director, William R. Nelson Institute for International and Public Affairs, James Madison University
Ms. Vivian Lowery Derryck, Senior Vice President, Academy for Educational Development
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Mr. David M. Crane, Former Chief Prosecutor, Special Court for Sierra Leone
LETTERS, STATEMENTS, ETC., SUBMITTED FOR THE HEARING
The Honorable Christopher H. Smith, a Representative in Congress from the State of New Jersey, and Chairman, Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations: Prepared statement
The Honorable Donald M. Payne, a Representative in Congress from the State of New Jersey: Prepared statement
The Honorable Diane E. Watson, a Representative in Congress from the State of California: Prepared statement
Jendayi E. Frazer, Ph.D.: Prepared statement
Mr. Lloyd Pierson: Prepared statement
J. Peter Pham, Ph.D.: Prepared statement
Ms. Vivian Lowery Derryck: Prepared statement
Mr. David M. Crane: Prepared statement
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THE IMPACT OF LIBERIA'S ELECTION ON WEST AFRICA
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2006
House of Representatives,
Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights
and International Operations,
Committee on International Relations,
Washington, DC.
The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 11:05 p.m. in room 2200, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Christopher H. Smith (Chairman of the Subcommittee) presiding.
Mr. SMITH OF NEW JERSEY. The hearing will come to order. Good morning, everybody.
On January 16th, as we all know, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was sworn in as the first elected female President in the history of independent Africa. Mrs. Sirleaf had run against Charles Taylor in 1997, but lost, at least partly due to the impression that Taylor would return to war if he failed to win the election. Following the election, Mrs. Sirleaf spent a great deal of time outside of Liberia, and many observers felt her gender and her supposed lack of common touch would prevent her from being elected President.
In 2005, former international soccer star George Weah captured the imagination of many inside and outside of Liberia, who felt that his connection with Liberia's youth made him an almost inevitable winner, despite his lack of education and political experience.
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However, in the run-off election between the two, Mrs. Sirleaf employed modern campaign techniques, including polling, message development and targeted campaigning to achieve a stunning victory. Her connection with the female voters may have not only made the difference in her election, but also may pave the way for other female candidates throughout Africa.
Now that she is leading this West African nation, the question is: What can she do to turn it around from the chaos and poverty into which it has fallen? From its independence in 1847 until 1980, Liberia was ruled by the descendants of former slaves from the United States. They managed to turn this nation into an economic engine, using the country's wealth of natural resources. Abundant sources of water and fertile soil supported rubber, palm oil and tropical fruit plantations, as well as some of the richest timber supplies in Africa. Liberia's mountains contain some of the highest quality iron ore in the world, and there were significant deposits of diamonds and gold.
Unfortunately, the so-called Americo-Liberians denied the descendants of the indigenous people their benefit from Liberia's natural wealth and their fair share of political power. The 1989 coup by then-Sergeant Samuel Doe led to the ascendancy of indigenous ethnic groups, but it also led to a poisonous political atmosphere and rampant official corruption.
In late 1989, Charles Taylor, a former member of the Doe Government and an escapee from a prison in America, began an insurgency that eventually toppled the Doe Government in 1990. Several years of factional fighting devastated the capital of Monrovia, as well as much of the country. Following a rather shaky cease-fire, a 1997 election brought Charles Taylor to power. By that time, more than 150,000 of his countrymen had died in the fighting, and more than half of the population had been displaced.
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The Taylor regime was a disaster for Liberia. Taylor and his Government looted the treasury and Liberia's natural resources. Political opponents were jailed, or in the case of Dam Dokie and his family members, they were killed. However, Taylor was also a catastrophe for its West African neighbors. Rebels who had been supported by Taylor have destabilized Sierre Leone, Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire.
Taylor's crimes against his own people stimulated an insurgency that eventually led to his negotiated exile in Nigeria. His crimes against the region led first to United Nations sanctions in 2001 for his support of the Revolutionary United Front rebels in Sierra Leone and subsequently to an indictment for war crimes by the UN War Crimes Tribunal in Sierra Leone in 2003.
The issue of Taylor's extradition to the Sierra Leone Special Court remains high on the agenda of the United States Government. Nevertheless, there are internal issues facing the new Government in Liberia that also are pressing, and that is the main focus of our hearing today.
During the Taylor regime, and apparently also during the transitional government headed by Gyude Bryant, corruption became a way of life in Liberia. Illegal logging and mining and just plain theft of government resources were commonplace. In fact, the transitional government officials reportedly took furniture, computers and even rugs and light fixtures when they left office just a couple of weeks ago.
In one of her first acts as President, Mrs. Sirleaf fired the entire staff of the Ministry of Finance for corruption and told the officials to stay in the country pending an audit. The ministry and the Central Bank significantly differ as to the amount of money on hand for government operations.
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Those funds are desperately needed to repair Liberia's roads, water systems and power supply—all of which suffer from years of warfare and neglect. The Sirleaf Government will have to examine all contracts to determine if they are in the best interest of the nation and rationally exploit Liberia's resources.
Too many of the population of 3 million remain displaced, and 85 percent of Liberia's people are unemployed and 80 percent live below the poverty line. About 70 percent of the population survives on agriculture, which remains disrupted due to the lingering impact of the war.
If Liberia is to recover from its long nightmare, the United States will have to take the lead among the international community to assist in its restoration. That will require focus and consistency in America's engagement, and we are here today to determine what that focus should be.
Liberians feel a kinship to America that Americans do not always share with Liberia. Nevertheless, our country's relationship with Liberia is quite real and very important to the welfare of its neighbors. The Bush Administration and the Congress must take these facts into account in developing policies and programs to respond to Liberia's new, post-election realities.
Let me just say, before turning to my good friend and colleague, Mr. Payne, the Ranking Member, we will be hearing in panel II from David Crane, and he is, in my opinion, one of the real heroes in the effort to bring justice—and because of that justice, reconciliation—to that troubled part of the world. And as the special prosecutor, he was often at great risk to his own life, and yet he persisted with a tremendous amount of competence, and we will introduce him later when he makes his presentation.
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But I want to say how much this Subcommittee, and really the Congress, respects the contributions to justice that he has made.
I would like to yield to Mr. Payne.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Smith of New Jersey follows:]
PREPARED STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY AND CHAIRMAN, SUBCOMMITTEE ON AFRICA, GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS
On January 16th, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was sworn in as the first elected female president in the history of independent Africa. Mrs. Sirleaf had run against Charles Taylor in 1997, but lost, at least partly due to the impression that Taylor would return to war if he failed to win the election. Following the election, Mrs. Sirleaf spent a great deal of time outside Liberia, and many observers felt her gender and her supposed lack of common touch would prevent her from ever being elected president.
In 2005, former international soccer star George Weah captured the imagination of many inside and outside Liberia, who felt that his connection with Liberia's youth made him an almost inevitable winner, despite his lack of education and political experience. However, in the run-off election between the two, Mrs. Sirleaf employed modern campaign techniques, including polling, message development and targeted campaigning to achieve a stunning victory. Her connection with women voters may have made not only the difference in her election, but also may pave the way for other female candidates throughout Africa.
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Now that she is leading this West African nation, the question is: what can she do to turn it around from the chaos and poverty into which it had fallen? From its independence in 1847 until 1980, Liberia was ruled by the descendants of former slaves from the United States. They managed to turn this nation into an economic engine, using the country's wealth of natural resources. Abundant sources of water and fertile soil supported rubber, palm oil and tropical fruit plantations, as well as some of the richest timber supplies in Africa. Liberia's mountains contained some of the highest quality iron ore in the world, and there were significant deposits of diamonds and gold.
Unfortunately, the so-called Americo-Liberians denied the descendants of the indigenous people their benefit from Liberia's natural wealth and their fair share of political power. The 1980 coup by then-Sergeant Samuel Doe led to the ascendancy of indigenous ethnic groups, but it also led to a poisonous political atmosphere and rampant official corruption. In late 1989, Charles Taylor, a former member of the Doe government and an escapee from a prison in America, began an insurgency that eventually toppled the Doe government in 1990. Several years of factional fighting devastated the capital city of Monrovia, as well as much of the country. Following a rather shaky cease-fire, a 1997 election brought Charles Taylor to power. By that time, more than 150,000 of his countrymen had died in the fighting, and more than half the population had been displaced.
The Taylor regime was a disaster for Liberia. Taylor and his government looted the treasury and Liberia's natural resources. Political opponents were jailed, or in the case of Sam Dokie and his family members, they were killed. However, Taylor also was a catastrophe for its West African neighbors. Rebels who had been supported by Taylor have destabilized Sierra Leone, Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire.
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Taylor's crimes against his own people stimulated an insurgency that eventually led to his negotiated exile in Nigeria. His crimes against the region led first to United Nations sanctions in 2001 for his support of the Revolutionary United Front rebels in Sierra Leone and subsequently to an indictment for war crimes by the UN-sponsored war crimes tribunal in Sierra Leone in 2003.
The issue of Taylor's extradition to the Sierra Leone Special Court remains high on the agenda of the U.S. government. Nevertheless, there are internal issues facing the new government in Liberia that also are pressing, and that is the main focus of our hearing today.
During the Taylor regime, and apparently also during the transitional government headed by Gyude Bryant, corruption became a way of life in Liberia. Illegal logging and mining and just plain theft of government resources were commonplace. In fact, the transitional government officials reportedly took furniture, computers and even rugs and light fixtures when they left office just a couple of weeks ago. In one of her first acts as president, Mrs. Sirleaf fired the entire staff of the Ministry of Finance for corruption and told the officials to stay in the country pending an audit. The ministry and the Central Bank significantly differ as to the amount of money on hand for government operations.
Those funds are desperately needed to repair Liberia's roads, water systems and power supply—all of which suffered from years of warfare and neglect. The Sirleaf government will have to examine all contracts to determine if they are in the best interest of the nation and rationally exploit Liberia's resources. Too many of the population of three million remain displaced, and 85% of Liberia's people are unemployed and 80% live below the poverty line. About 70% of the population survives on agriculture, which remains disrupted due to the lingering impact of the war.
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If Liberia is to recover from its long nightmare, the United States will have to take the lead among the international community to assist in that restoration. That will require focus and consistency in America's engagement, and we are here today to determine if that focus and consistency will be forthcoming.
Liberians feel a kinship to America that Americans do not share with Liberia. Nevertheless, our country's relationship with Liberia is quite real and very important for the welfare of its neighbors. The Bush Administration and Congress must take these facts into account in developing policies and programs to respond to Liberia's new, post-election realities.
Mr. PAYNE. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for calling this very important hearing on the most timely subject of Liberia.
Liberia, as many of us know, is a country where African-Americans have had longstanding relations when back in 1822 free men and women went back to Liberia, went to Liberia under a program of, actually, some church groups to have a back-to-Africa movement. And as we know, I believe in 1848, it became an independent country and patterned many of its laws on United States laws. The color of its flag is red, white and blue, and had an extremely close relationship with our Government throughout the years.
As a young person, the first indigenous African persons I had the opportunity to meet were from Liberia. Those, as a young boy, met Howard students that visited Newark, New Jersey, and had an opportunity to—for the first time have a chance to meet actually ancestors from Africa. So I have had a long-time interest in Liberia.
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Back in 1991, when the situation began, when Doe was under siege, I had the opportunity to meet with then-National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft in the White House because we were urging the United States to move into Liberia at that time. We felt that the Marines were in the bay, and that if they had moved in it could have prevented the growth of Taylor and the removal of Doe, and that the country may have been saved from the terrible problems that it had since that time.
But you may recall that it was at the time of the first Persian Gulf situation, and Brent Scowcroft said that we do not want to be involved in two areas at the same time. Almost similarly the same thing happened when the Iraqi situation occurred, and Liberia too came about.
So I have had a long-time interest even to the standpoint of following some Jerseyites in Essex County who back in 1822 left my home county of Essex County to go to Liberia, and we have been able to trace the names of some of the original people who went back at that first trip.
So the whole question of Liberia—and in my district there are many Liberian-Americans. We have Leslie Coe who is in the audience, former schoolboard member in the township of Union, who convened a meeting of Liberians in my district when I returned from the first election. As you know, they had a run-off election, but I had the privilege to be an observer at the election, the first election, and Lloyd Pierson and I shared one of the only houses standing, I guess. We were roommates, different rooms. [Laughter.] But we are friendly, but not that close. [Laughter.]
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But there are not too many places at that time that we had, and of course, Ms. Vivian Derryck was also there, and Ms. Frazer—this is a kind of little reunion we have here, and so we have much interest in what is going on. And as a matter of fact, just yesterday—I do not have the opportunity like you, Ms. Frazer, to see the President of the United States often, but I did happen to bump into him yesterday in Atlanta at the funeral of Mrs. King, which was quite a moving experience, but did have a moment to get a word in, and it was about Liberia, and said that we were looking forward to continued support for Liberia, and he agreed, at least he nodded his head. I will take it as an agreement that we should do more for Liberia.
But I think that the impact of Liberia's election on West Africa is very important, and I look forward to hearing both from you, Dr. Frazer, and Mr. Pierson. We had a good trip. I think the only one missing is Senator Chafee, who was along with us, and has a very strong interest in Liberia.
As I was mentioning, Leslie Coe had convened a meeting of many, many Liberians. When I came back, I brought the newspapers, brought the election materials, and there is a tremendous amount of interest of Liberians in New Jersey and throughout the United States.
I am excited about the optimism about Liberia's future, the transition period, which began in 2003 when ECOWAS, then the UN, stepped in to stop the bloodshed and more than 14 years of civil conflict as we know. We saw the tragedy of Sergeant Doe coming in, taking over militarily, murdering the first family, and many of the officers of the Government of Liberia.
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The New York Life Magazine had on its cover a picture of the President and some of his Cabinet people on the beach tied to a stake where they were murdered, and so that picture remained for many, many years, and actually when Doe was challenged, many felt that things could not get worse, and that to have a person who took over with a blood-letting murder of government officials, that things could not get any worse, but of course, we had the emergence of Charles Taylor, and things in fact did get worse.
President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's victory is not only historical because she is Africa's first woman to be elected President, but also because these elections, which were unblemished March 1st contested election in Liberia in a long time, after the first election since the brutal dictator Charles Taylor when he won it in 1997. And I have to say that the turnout was unbelievable.
I think, Lloyd, when we looked around, people stood in long lines, took them a long time to get to the polling places, took them a long time to vote, and it took a long time to get back to their villages, and turnout probably exceeding 80–85 percent on the first election. I did not have the opportunity to go back to the run-off, but it was tremendous, and we thought it was unblemished.
I commend the National Elections Commission and the UN mission in Liberia for all of their work and ensuring that the elections were able to take place and in an environment that was conducive to free and fair elections, and I have to commend the IRI and the NDI and IFIS for the outstanding job that they did in preparing the people of Liberia for this election. It was outstanding, and the Carter Center.
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President Johnson-Sirleaf has received widespread support from the international community. Among those who attended her inauguration in January was the First Lady, Laura Bush, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Johnson-Sirleaf walked home after the ceremony and was accompanied by cheers and cries of the thousands of Liberians who lined the streets along her way.
She faces many challenges ahead, but the country has an opportunity for lasting peace while it takes its steps forward toward democracy.
As the Chairman mentioned, Liberia is rich in natural resources, one of the two remaining untouched forests in the world, rubber trees, rich arable land, minerals, and possibly petroleum sources, which hold possibilities for economic growth in the future.
However, the road ahead is long and uphill. Sustained international support, particularly from the United States, is critical to Liberia's progress. President Johnson-Sirleaf finds herself strapped with a hefty responsibility to bring Liberia from a post-war transition into a bludgeoning democracy. Some of the challenges she will face include providing public electricity in Monrovia.
We had the opportunity, when I met with her when she was here, to talk about Stanley Engineering from Muscatine, Iowa, which was the actual company to build the first energy plant in Liberia. I do know, 50–60 years ago, 70 years ago, and still had all the original blueprints, and we made contact with Congressman Leach, who is from that area, and Stanley Engineering has actually visited Monrovia, and we are hoping, Ms. Frazer, that perhaps there could be some interest in the State Department and our Government in seeing whether Stanley Engineering, who originally started the project, could be re-engaged because, as we know, there is no energy in Liberia, and that would be fantastic, and they certainly would have a jump start since they built the original plant. So I would like to discuss that with you further.
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She has avowed to attempt to get something started in the first 6 months, trying to show that there can be improvement and that democracy works, and the physical infrastructure, as we saw, all of us who were there recently, that there is a tremendous need for that, for education, for healthcare, for transportation.
So to conclude, the repatriation of refugees is another one of the many issues the President will have to address along with job creation and education and training of former combatants, primarily former child soldiers.
I made a suggestion to President Bush in a meeting we had in 2003, that we should start a program similar to the old depression-era programs of the CCC (Conservation Corps), where we could take people out of the city, especially young combatants, and put them out in the environment and work on the environment and get them away from the urban ills, and so the WPA where you created work.
He asked, that meeting, then-National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice whether we had funds available to start a project, a small project before we got the real funding, and lo and behold we were able to start some program similar to that, and so we are very pleased at the interest and the White House was there, and hopefully we can have it continued.
President Johnson-Sirleaf will also face challenges to Liberia's stability within the subregion for nearly a decade, and have conflict in Liberia generated a range of efforts that undermine the national security, political stability, and economic prosperity of its neighbors and brought about negative repercussions in the wider subregion. Among the most serious of such efforts were the spread of small arms, increased mercenary activity, deployment of diverse, often state-assisted rebel groups along regional borders, a rise in human rights abuses, and the creation of refugees and internally-displaced populations. Instability in the region could pose serious problems, and we need to make sure that Liberia is stable.
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Within Liberia, I also have concerns about the Security Council decision recently to decrease the UN force in Liberia as of March. I think it is a mistake. I do not think the country is stable enough to reduce the UN forces at this time. This decision was taken against the advice of Secretary-General Kofi Anan. Without a national army, the President needs a sustained international presence, and I hope we can perhaps get the United States, who will be in charge of the Security Counsel, perhaps we can get us reengaged in an interest in keeping peacekeepers still in Liberia. It would be a shame to move out prematurely and waste all of the investment that we have put in.
Additionally, I was disturbed by reports that the multinational rubber manufacturing company, Firestone, has been using extensive child labor, exposing its workers to dangerous pesticides and fertilizers, forcing its employees to work in inhumane conditions, and that should be a concern to all of us.
An alien torts claim act suit was filed in the United States on behalf of the Liberia Firestone employees. Firestone has operated a rubber plant in Liberia since the 1920s, and in February 2005, Liberia's transitional government extended their land concessions for 36 years. If Firestone is going to do business in Liberia for years to come, they have a responsibility to provide quality working conditions and fair pay for their employees. But it appears that the opposite is happening. It is time for Firestone and many other multinational corporations to take responsibility for their actions, and to make some substantial changes in their behavior.
Certainly, Mr. Chairman, I look forward to the testimony, and I really apologize for taking—I took a page from you, I went a little bit long. You can see that I have a very strong interest. And I would just like to also mention—I know that Mr. Crane is here, I am going to have to run out at 5 minutes to 1 o'clock, and I will be back a few more minutes after that, but I do believe that we need to deal with former President Taylor, and we need to have that whole question resolved.
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However, I think that we need to stabilize Liberia and give the President an opportunity to start her process moving forward without having the tremendous distraction of focusing solely on Taylor, and other things will certainly fall by the wayside. I think we need to keep the Taylor issue very much in front of us. However, I would hope that we do not get distracted and do give the total support she needs to try to move that country on the road to recovery.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Payne follows:]
PREPARED STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE DONALD M. PAYNE, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY
I commend Chairman Smith for calling this extremely important hearing on ''The Impact of Liberia's Election on West Africa''. I welcome Assistant Secretary Frazer and Lloyd Pierson back to the committee. It's good to see you both and I greatly enjoyed traveling with you and Senator Chafee to observe the elections on October 11th.
I am excited and optimistic about Liberia's future. The transition period—which began in 2003 when ECOWAS and then the UN stepped in to stop the bloodshed after more than 14 years of civil conflict—has given way to a new democracy thanks to the peaceful and transparent elections in October and the runoff in November of last year.
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President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's victory is not only historic because she is Africa's first woman to be elected president, but also because these elections which were unblemished, marked the first contested elections in Liberia in a long time and the first elections since the brutal dictator Charles Taylor won in 1997.
I commend the National Elections Commission and the UN Mission in Liberia for all their work in ensuring the elections were able to take place in an environment that was conducive to a free and fair process.
President Johnson-Sirleaf has received widespread support from the international community. Among those who attended her inauguration in January were First Lady Laura Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Johnson-Sirleaf walked home after the ceremony and was accompanied by the cheers and cries of the thousands of Liberians who lined the street along her way. She faces many challenges ahead but the country has an opportunity for lasting peace while it takes steps towards democracy.
Liberia is rich in natural resources—one of the two remaining untouched forests in the world, rubber, rich, arable land, mineral and possible petroleum resources—which hold possibilities for economic growth in the future. However, the road ahead is long and uphill. Sustained international support, particularly form the US is critical to Liberia's progress.
President Johnson-Sirleaf finds herself strapped with a hefty responsibility—to bring Liberia from a post-war transition into a burgeoning democracy.
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Some of the challenges she will face include: providing public electricity in Monrovia, which she has vowed to attempt to do within her first six months of being elected, rapid improvements in social services and the reconstruction of physical infrastructure, particularly for education, healthcare, and transportation.
The repatriation of refugees is another one of the many issues the president will have to address along with job creation and education and training of former combatants, particularly former child soldiers.
I made a suggestion to President Bush in a meeting in 2003 that we should help implement a program similar to the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to give former child soldiers education in conservation while at the same time protecting Liberia's forests.
President Johnson-Sirleaf will also face challenges to Liberia's stability within the sub-region. For nearly a decade and a half conflict in Liberia generated a range of effects that undermined the national security, political stability, and economic prosperity of its neighbors, and brought about negative repercussions in the wider sub-region.
Among the most serious of such effects were: the spread of small arms, increased mercenary activity, deployment of diverse, often state-assisted rebel groups along regional borders, a rise in human rights abuses and the creation of aggrieved refugee and internally displaced populations.
Instability in sub-regional neighbors Cote d'Ivoire and Guinea could pose serious challenges and will take the sustained engagement of the U.S. to help contain those situations.
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Within Liberia I also have concerns about the Security Council decision recently to decrease the UN force (the UN Mission in Liberia) as of March. This decision was taken against the advisement of Secretary-General Annan. Without a national army, the president needs a sustained international presence in these times.
Additionally, I was disturbed by reports that the multinational rubber manufacturing company, Firestone, has been using extensive child labor, exposing its workers to dangerous pesticides and fertilizers, and forcing its employees to work in inhuman conditions should greatly concern us all. An Alien Tort Claims Act suit was filed in the U.S. on the behalf of Liberian Firestone employees
Firestone has operated a rubber plantation in Liberia since the 1920s, and, in February 2005, Liberia's transitional government extended their land concession for thirty-six years. If Firestone is going to do business in Liberia for years to come, they have a responsibility to provide quality working conditions and fair pay for their employees, but it appears that the opposite is happening.
It is time for Firestone and many other multinational corporations to take responsibility for their actions and make some substantial changes in their behavior.
I look forward to the testimonies and thank the Chairman again for calling this important hearing.
Mr. SMITH OF NEW JERSEY. Thank you very much, Mr. Payne.
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Vice Chairman Royce.
Mr. ROYCE. Thank you, Chairman Smith. I appreciate the opportunity here to say a few words, and welcome Dr. Frazer, and welcome Mr. Pierson. And I thank Chairman Smith for convening this hearing.
As we will hear today, Congress and the Administration have shown a commitment to Liberia. Over $1 billion has been devoted to the rebuilding of that country over the last several years, and of course, in 2003, the President dispatched U.S. Marines to Monrovia. I not only supported those efforts, Don Payne and I had a meeting with the President, requested and pressed for these very actions, and we were glad the Marines were dispatched, and we are certainly heartened by Liberia's recent elections, which resulted in Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf becoming President of the country.
As the Administration will testify, I think this election is something that Americans should feel proud of. Needless to say, Liberia still faces tremendous challenges. I do feel that the new Liberian Government's road ahead will be far less treacherous and the futures of not only Liberia but the rest of West Africa would be far more secure if the warlord who brought so much destruction to the region was forced to face justice before the Special Court for Sierre Leone.
That court indicted Charles Taylor on 17 counts of war crimes, and crimes against humanity for his destruction of Sierre Leone. Many West Africans understand, I think, the importance of ending Taylor's cushy exile in Nigeria. The campaign against impunity is a coalition of over 300 African and international society groups, and they recently wrote President Johnson-Sirleaf asking her to take urgent action to ensure that Nigeria properly surrenders Taylor to the court.
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This group stated, and I will just quote:
''The campaign against impunity looks to you as Liberia's President to demonstrate your commitment to fighting impunity and to manifest the leadership necessary to ensure that justice is done. We believe the victims of the crimes committed in Sierra Leone, including murder, rape and other sexual violence, mutilation and widespread use of child soldier, deserve nothing less.''
I think they are right, and Mr. Chairman, I am going to ask unanimous request that this letter be placed in the record.
Mr. SMITH OF NEW JERSEY. Without objection.
[The information referred to follows:]
PROMPT ACTION TO ENSURE TAYLOR'S SURRENDER NEEDED
CIVIL SOCIETY COALITION LETTER TO NEW LIBERIAN PRESIDENT JOHNSON-SIRLEAF
January 26, 2006
H.E. Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
President of the Republic of Liberia
Executive Mansion
Monrovia, Liberia
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Dear President Johnson-Sirleaf,
We are writing on behalf of the Campaign Against Impunity, a coalition made up of some three hundred African and international civil society groups, to urge you to take concrete steps to ensure Nigeria promptly surrenders former Liberian President Charles Taylor to the Special Court for Sierra Leone. The Campaign Against Impunity believes your urgent action on this issue would not only help consolidate political stability in Liberia, but would also send a strong message about the importance of establishing the rule of law in West Africa.
We welcomed news reports last week that you would ask Nigerian President Obasanjo to surrender Charles Taylor following consultation with regional leaders. The Special Court has a mandate to prosecute those bearing the greatest responsibility for serious violations of international humanitarian law and Sierra Leonean law committed during Sierra Leone's armed conflict, while ensuring a fair trial for all those who stand before it. Charles Taylor has been indicted on seventeen counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his alleged role in atrocities committed during the Sierra Leone armed conflict.
While a request from you for Taylor's surrender to the Special Court should not be needed given his outstanding indictment, it could prove determinative. As you know, President Obasanjo has thus far refused to surrender Charles Taylor to the Special Court. However, President Obasanjo has indicated that he would consider surrendering Taylor upon a request from a duly-elected Liberian government.
The Special Court will only operate for a limited time. It is already advanced in its operations and will confront increasing international pressure to complete its mandate. As such, this valuable window of opportunity for bringing justice to countless victims of atrocities in Sierra Leone and for helping to set a precedent for the fight against impunity is rapidly closing. Of course, Charles Taylor's trial by the Special Court would not preclude trials for the many war crimes for which he has been implicated in Liberia. The Campaign Against Impunity also urges you to ensure that Liberian authorities will promptly investigate all accusations of crimes in the country with a view to bringing those responsible to justice.
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The Campaign Against Impunity looks to you, as Liberia's president, to demonstrate your commitment to fighting impunity and to manifest the leadership necessary to ensure that justice is done. We believe the victims of the crimes committed in Sierra Leone—including murder, rape and other sexual violence, mutilation and widespread use of child soldiers—deserve nothing less.
We appreciate your consideration of this letter.
Sincerely,
Ezekial Pajibo
Executive Director
Centre for Democratic Empowerment
(Liberia)
Aloysius Toe
Founder and Director
Foundation for Human Rights and Democracy
(Liberia)
Atty. Alfred Brownell
President
Environmental Lawyers Association of Liberia
(Liberia)
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Shina Loremkin
Director of Programmes
Committee for the Defence of Human Rights
(Nigeria)
Sulaiman Jabati
Executive Secretary
Coalition for Justice and Accountability
(Sierra Leone)
Kolawole Olaniyan
Director, Africa Programme
Amnesty International
Richard Dicker
Director, International Justice Program
Human Rights Watch
Brima A. Sheriff
Acting Section Director
Amnesty International-Sierra Leone
Mr. ROYCE. This group wrote Liberia's President because President Obasanjo of Nigeria, who is—Nigeria, of course, is harboring Taylor under the agreement—has indicated over the last several years that he would surrender Taylor to the court upon receiving a request from a duly-elected Liberian Government.
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Well, thankfully, Liberia now has that government. Justice demands that Taylor face the court. I will remind my colleagues here of a hearing that we had with the African Subcommittee several years ago when I was Chairman in which Sierra Leonean boys and girls with amputated hands and amputated arms spoke to us. They were victims of Taylor.
The Special Court, which is backed by the United Nations and United States-financed, is, frankly, challenging the culture of impunity that plagues West Africa, and helping to establish critical standards of accountability. It needs to succeed and it needs to have Charles Taylor face justice.
There is also a practical reason to send Taylor to the court. Until he is tried, he continues to plot in seaside Calibar, Nigeria. Taylor says he will return to Liberia, and I would say that his track record suggests that he would do that if he is not stopped.
To subject Liberians and West Africans to another Taylor nightmare would be unconscionable. The United Nations Security Council understands Taylor's potential for destruction. Last November, in passing a resolution giving the United States peacekeepers in Liberia a mandate to arrest him, the UN identified Taylor as a threat to the peace of Liberia. The Liberian people, many who want Taylor to face justice, need to hear this.
In December, a bipartisan group of 13 House and Senate Members wrote Secretary of State Rice regarding Taylor, noting:
''Should Mr. Taylor continue to evade justice, the international community may show reluctance to continue with its strong support for the reconstruction of Liberia and Sierra Leone.''
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I am going to amplify and fine-tune this concern. This friend of Liberia has very little interest in providing more money to rebuild Liberia until its President brings Taylor, a known force for destruction, one step closer to justice by calling on Nigeria's President to send him to the Special Court.
The Special Court's indictment of Charles Taylor is nearly 3 years old. Time is running out on its mandate, which I can assure you Taylor understands. Many are looking to President Johnson-Sirleaf for an active leadership in forging an era of accountability that would distinguish her for all time.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. SMITH OF NEW JERSEY. Thank you, Vice Chairman Royce.
Ambassador Watson.
Ms. WATSON. I want to thank you, Mr. Chairman, for scheduling this hearing at such a critical time in Liberia's history. I also want to thank my colleague, Mr. Payne, who has been such a leader on the issue, and of course, my California colleague, Ed Royce, whom I have been so proud to work with on bringing Charles Taylor to justice and supporting Liberia's future.
Now, I am interested in today's hearing about what the plans are of the United States Government and what plans are being made to sustain the necessary long-term commitment to democracy and development in Liberia. Experience has taught us the hard lesson that we need a comprehensive plan both for how we intend to help Liberians rebuild their country as well as a plan for how we will sustain United States and international commitment to this effort.
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No one who has watched the events of the last 6 months in Liberia can fail to be inspired by the transition which is underway. Through their historic election process, Liberians engaged in a lively but peaceful debate about the future of their own country.
Several times during the process Liberians encountered political disputes that threatened to derail the process. Yet these results were ultimately solved peacefully and legally and it can be argued that the fragile institutions of Liberian democracy were strengthened as a result.
In the end, Liberians chose a remarkable lady, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, to be their President. President Johnson-Sirleaf, the first woman elected President of an African nation, has a wealth of expertise in finance, in governance, and is a very wise, wise woman. And to anyone who doubted her nickname, ''The Iron Lady,'' she has proved her mettle early by taking immediate, strong actions to fight corruption and restore a measure of the public's trust.
But no matter how talented and dedicated the President might be, her nation and people face immense challenges. They will need the help of the United States and other countries of Africa and Europe to support them as they seek to rebuild their nation and their society. Among the many challenges it faces, the Liberian Government must root out the systematic corruption that threatens to rut the foundation of this new democracy, and saps the energy from free enterprise.
The GEMAP program, while controversial, offers the opportunity to institutionalize transparency and accountability. We must provide the support to ensure this program is a success. The Liberian Government must also be able to provide security for its people. This will require above all the successful reintegration of tens of thousands of former child soldiers in their community and society as young citizens.
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Americans have a stake in Liberia's success because it is our national security interests to have strong, effective, democratic partners around the globe, and particularly in West Africa. Liberia is now at crossroads where it can become the type of partner we need and want in order to keep our country safe. We must embrace this opportunity or we will be dealing with the consequences of that failure for another generation.
There is one more issue which I cannot let go unmentioned, and that is the issue of Charles Taylor. My colleagues have already spoken of that issue. The Special Court for Sierra Leone has indicted Taylor on 17 counts of war crimes, including unlawful killings, abductions, forced labor, physical and sexual violence, use of children as soldiers, and looting and burning of civilian structures.
While today's war criminals such as Slobodan Milosevic and Saddam Hussein are behind bars, Charles Taylor lives in freedom on a Nigerian estate, and he remains a major source of instability in the area of West Africa. We have a duty to make sure that Taylor is immediately transferred to the jurisdiction of the Special Court in Sierra Leone.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the role you are playing at the time, and I look forward to hearing from our witnesses as to how the United States is working to plan and sustain the necessary long-term commitment to Liberian democracy and development.
In closing, I have many friends whose families many, many decades ago went back to Liberia, and therefore many of the Liberians have the same names as we do here in this country, and they stayed, and they re-found their roots, but several of them returned, and their children and grandchildren, great-grandchildren were born here in America, so we do have some natural ties to that area, and we are deeply interested and committed to democracy succeeding in that land.
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Thank you very much.
Mr. SMITH OF NEW JERSEY. Thank you very much, Ambassador.
Let me now go to our first panel, but I would like to acknowledge and welcome the Liberian Ambassador, Charles Minor, who is with us this afternoon. If he could just wave and be acknowledged. Thank you for being here and joining us today.
Let me first begin by introducing Dr. Jendayi Frazer who is the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs. Prior to becoming Assistant Secretary, Dr. Frazer served as the U.S. Ambassador to South Africa. Ambassador Frazer also served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council. As a Council of Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow, she served as a political-military planner with the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Department of Defense, and as Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council.
We will then hear from Lloyd Pierson who serves as the USAID Assistant Administrator for Africa and as the Government Representative on the Board of Directors of the African Development Foundation. Prior to joining USAID, he was Chief of Staff/Chief of Operations for the Peace Corps. Shortly after the inauguration of President Bush, Lloyd was named a member of the transition team at the Peace Corps, and then in September 2001, he was named Acting Deputy Director. Prior to returning to the Peace Corps in 2001, Mr. Pierson was the Director of the African Division for the International Republic Institute, or IRI.
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Dr. Frazer, please.
Ms. WATSON. Can I submit my testimony for the record?
Mr. SMITH OF NEW JERSEY. Your full statement will be made a part of the record. Without objection, so ordered.
Ms. WATSON. Okay.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Watson follows:]
PREPARED STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE DIANE E. WATSON, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Thank you, Mr. Chairman for scheduling this hearing at such a critical time in Liberia's history. I also want to thank Mr. Payne, who has been such a leader on this issue, and of course my California colleague Mr. Royce, whom I have been so proud to work with on bringing Charles Taylor to justice and supporting Liberia's future.
I am interested in hearing today about what plans the United States government is making to sustain the necessary long-term commitment to democracy and development in Liberia. Experience has taught us the hard lesson that we need a comprehensive plan both for how we intend to help Liberians rebuild their country as well as a plan for how we will sustain the U.S. and international commitment to this effort.
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No one who has watched the events of the last six months in Liberia can fail to be inspired by the transition which is underway there. Through their historic election process, Liberians engaged in a lively but peaceful debate about the future of their country. Several times during the process, Liberians encountered political disputes that threatened to derail the process. Yet these results were ultimately solved peacefully and legally, and it can be argued that the fragile institutions of Liberian democracy were strengthened as a result.
In the end, Liberians chose a remarkable lady, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, to be their President. President Johnson- Sirleaf, the first woman elected President of an African nation, has a wealth of expertise in finance and governance. And to anyone who doubted her nickname—the ''Iron Lady''—she has proved her mettle early, by taking immediate, strong actions to fight corruption and restore a measure of public trust.
But no matter how talented and dedicated President Johnson-Sirleaf is, her nation and people face immense challenges. They will need the help of the United States to support them as they seek to rebuild their nation and society.
Among the many challenges it faces, the Liberian government must root out the systemic corruption that threatens to rot the foundations of this new democracy and saps the energy from free enterprise. The GEMAP program, while controversial, offers the opportunity to institutionalize transparency and accountability. We must provide the support to ensure this program is successful. The Liberian government must also be able to provide security for its people. This will require, above all, the successful reintegration of tens of thousands of former child soldiers into their communities and society.
Page 37 PREV PAGE TOP OF DOC
Americans have a stake in Liberia's success because it is in our national security interest to have strong, effective, democratic partners around the globe, and particularly in West Africa. Liberia is now at a crossroads where it can become the type of partner we need and want in order to keep our country safe. We must embrace this opportunity or we will be dealing with the consequences of that failure for another generation.
There is one more issue which cannot go unmentioned—Charles Taylor. The Special Court for Sierra Leone has indicted Taylor on seventeen counts of war crimes, including ''unlawful killings, abductions, forced labour, physical and sexual violence, use of child soldiers, looting and burning of civilian structures.''
While today war criminals such as Slobodan Milosevic and Saddam Hussein are behind bars, Charles Taylor lives in freedom on a Nigerian estate. And he remains a major source of instability for West Africa. We have a duty to make sure that Taylor is immediately transferred to the jurisdiction of the Special Court in Sierra Leone.
Thank you Mr. Chairman, for the time, and I look forward to hearing from our witnesses as to how the United States Government is working to plan and sustain the necessary long-term commitment to Liberian democracy and development.
Mr. SMITH OF NEW JERSEY. Dr. Frazer, please proceed.
STATEMENT OF JENDAYI E. FRAZER, Ph.D., ASSISTANT SECRETARY, BUREAU OF AFRICAN AFFAIRS, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
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Ms. FRAZER. Thank you and the Members for the opportunity to testify about the positive domestic and regional implications of Liberia's recent Presidential election.
With your permission, Mr. Chairman, I would like to submit my written testimony for the record.
Mr. SMITH OF NEW JERSEY. Is there objection? No objection. It will be made part of the record.
Ms. FRAZER. Thank you.
President Bush and Secretary Rice have made Africa a policy priority, and I am proud to appear before you as a member of their team. It was my privilege to join First Lady Laura Bush and Secretary Rice at the recent swearing-in of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, and I believe this high-level United States delegation conveyed our interests in renewing our close relationship with the people of Liberia.
After 14 years of civil war, Liberia is reconciling under the leadership of a new government. The United States has played an active and important role in helping Liberia make this transition. Our engagement is driven not only by our sense of connection to Liberia, which was founded in 1847 by freed American slaves and free African-Americans, but also by our foreign policy objectives.
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The President has set a goal for us to make the world safer, freer, and better. American involvement with Liberia is part of that mission, and Liberia's transition has been a boon to its people as well as its neighbors.
Our success up to today is thanks to the Congress, the President, Executive Branch agencies, many non-governmental organizations, the diaspora, and other friends of Liberia working in partnership with Liberians. Americans and Liberians have offered their efforts and expertise for the good of Liberia. Our investment is now paying dividends for Liberia's 3.3 million people.
Liberia is a good news story about Americans supporting African efforts to better Africa. As Secretary Rice recently noted:
''Transformational diplomacy is rooted in partnership, not paternalism. In doing things with other people, not for them, we seek to use America's diplomatic power to help foreign citizens to better their own lives and to build their own nations, and to transform their own futures.''
The defense, diplomacy, and development efforts that the U.S. Government has undertaken are helping Liberia move from a state of war toward being a state of peace. The American people deserve to feel proud of their Government and its actions.
Today, my goal is to elaborate on three key reasons why the 2005 Liberian Presidential election is a win not only for the people of Liberia, but also for the people of this country.
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The first reason is that regional stability is improved with a democratic and secure Liberia. The second reason is that the region's trend toward democratization is reenforced by Liberia's election. And lastly, an economically prosperous Liberia will have positive repercussions, enhancing trade and development throughout West Africa. Economic growth will reenforce the simultaneous political transformation, establishing a welcome cycle of progress toward whole, stable-elected rule and prosperity.
On regional stability, one of the central elements of President Bush's Africa policy has been the emphasis on supporting the capacity of African countries and regional organizations to mediate conflicts and carry out peacekeeping operations, to reduce the amount of external help that is needed. We all know that Liberia's internal conflict produced untold death and destruction, shattered the nation's infrastructure, and exported trouble to nearby states such as Sierra Leone and Guinea.
Indeed, we worked with the regional countries—Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and others—to try to end this destruction. We understand that Liberia's former President Charles Taylor bears much of the responsibility for Liberia's suffering, and the U.S. Government has consistently maintained that Taylor must be brought to justice before the Special Court. This will significantly help close a tragic chapter in Liberia's history and help all of West Africa overcome patterns of impunity, illicit trade and civil conflict.
Liberia's condition is clearly of concern beyond its own borders. If Liberia is internally secure, all of West Africa will benefit. It becomes easier for the region to address the ongoing unrest in Cote d'Ivoire, as well as fragile situations in Guinea and Sierra Leone. A stable Liberia is a force for regional stability.
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With few interludes, Liberia's civil war raged for 14 years, but in the spring and summer of 2003, President Bush supported the economic community of West African States in putting together a comprehensive agreement toward a lasting peace. When chaos broke out in the streets of the capital, President Bush sent U.S. Marines into Liberia to protect the innocent and create a sense of order amid the chaos. Only Nigerian soldiers arrived earlier than our Marines.
The American action was historic and represented the first time American boots had touched African soil for stability operations in nearly a decade.
Following that deployment, the United States has stayed the course in Liberia with further logistical assistance to the ECOWAS mission in Liberia, ECOMIL, and to UNMIL and providing extensive humanitarian assistance.
National reconstruction is now underway, and the United States has also taken a lead as a major contributor. The U.S. Congress has generously appropriated over $880 million in the last 2 fiscal years to help with Liberia's reconstruction efforts, which will enhance regional stability. More than $520 million of that money has supported the UN mission in Liberia, UNMIL.
For Fiscal Year 2006, we have allocated more than $270 million for continued support of the nation's reconstruction and peacekeeping efforts.
Liberia continues to benefit from various U.S. Government funding, including economic support funds, development assistance, migration and refugee assistance, P.L. 480 Title II Food Aid, and Child Survival and health funds. The United States has the largest diplomatic mission in Liberia, and the United States is supporting security reform including a new Liberian national police academy.
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Between 2004 and 2005, the United States contributed $60 million to support the training and equipping of a civilian-led Liberian military force. Recruiting of the new army began on January 18, and the goal is to have a new army of 2,000 soldiers ready by 2008.
A stable Liberia is clearly good for regional security in West Africa given that Liberia's conflicts have spilled over its borders into Sierra Leone, Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire. So the efforts that the United States is taking to both strengthen and support the ECOWAS mission, the UN mission, as well as to reform Liberia's security sector, is a key component of our effort toward regional stability as a whole.
On the democracy front, within Liberia itself the return of a stable democratic order offers space for civil society to develop and grow. It allows the Government of Liberia to extend its authority throughout the country, providing security and essential services. It allows Liberians to channel their energies into economic development and to channel their differences into democratic competition rather than civil war.
The United States has been a key partner in strengthening Liberia's democracy. Last fall we supported the Liberian legislative and Presidential elections with $10 million. Liberian voters chose a new legislature and elected Africa's first woman President, and polling that was free and fair. And as Congressman Payne said, we had the honor of going there to monitor the first round of that election, and I can attest with Lloyd that it was indeed free and fair.
We know that democracy is the way forward, but we also know that this election was only the beginning of a longer journey. In Liberia, our goal is to support local efforts to stand up a freely-elected government, a dynamic economy, and the health, educational and other services that are essential to the well-being of any nation.
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The U.S. Government has proactively engaged the international community and advocated on behalf of Liberia's democracy. In February 2004, this country co-hosted an international conference on Liberia's reconstruction. Donors pledged more than $522 million in assistance. The United States contributed $200 million toward the critical humanitarian needs of refugees and displaced persons, community revitalization, and independent media, policing social service, and other sectors critical to the promotion of democracy.
The United States has also funded a program in support of law and justice that will send a resident legal advisor and a five-person team of technical experts to Liberia. This team will help improve the Liberian criminal justice system. We will help launch a Truth and Reconciliation Commission while also supporting an access to justice program to increase the confidence of Liberians to resolve disputes efficiently, fairly, and effectively through the justice sector.
Additionally, we will work to establish legal services, advice centers, and a national referral network; integrate alternative dispute mechanisms; and provide incentives to attract public defenders. And the point here, Your Honor, is that our efforts toward the promotion of democracy will heavily focus on building an institutional basis of that democracy by supporting reform and transformation of the justice system.
On the economic prosperity front, we believe that direct aid is helpful, but is by no means a panacea. As Secretary Rice recently remarked, ''America's foreign assistance must promote responsible sovereignty, not permanent dependence.'' It is with those words in mind that we move to try to promote economic prosperity and security in Liberia.
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Liberia has potential to be a regional economic force. It has valuable natural resources which could be exported abroad. This would create many local jobs and generate revenue to finance the nation's budget. Liberia has these abundant natural resources, including timber, rubber, iron ore and diamonds, that could support export-oriented job creation.
We believe that by enacting key reforms, especially in the timber and diamond sectors, Liberia's Government can spur much needed economic growth. In addition, the Administration hopes to add Liberia to the list of nations eligible for the Generalized System of Preferences and the African Growth and Opportunity Act. In the long run, a strong national economy is the best bulwark against ebbs and flows and foreign aid. It is also the most persuasive reason for displaced Liberians to consider returning home.
We believe that many Liberians would choose to head back to their safer, freer homes if they will have the jobs that will allow them to contribute to the prosperity and stability of their country.
In closing, I would like to thank you, Mr. Chairman, for calling this hearing. I believe that Liberia is a success story that should be celebrated. United States' involvement was instrumental in helping to guide Liberia through a period of turmoil and setting the nation on a freer, more prosperous course.
The results of last fall's election process affirmed the notion of inclusion as well as democracy. Regional stability is improving. Democracy is taking root, and economic renewal is underway. Liberia is an example of President Bush's foreign policy taking root and blossoming on African soil. Liberia is safer, better, and freer, and we certainly will continue to support the efforts of the Liberian people to see that as a sustainable future.
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So I am very pleased, Mr. Chairman and Members, to take any questions that you might have.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Frazer follows:]
PREPARED STATEMENT OF JENDAYI E. FRAZER, PH.D., ASSISTANT SECRETARY, BUREAU OF AFRICAN AFFAIRS, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
INTRODUCTION
Good afternoon, and thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity to testify about the positive domestic and regional implications of Liberia's recent presidential election. President Bush and Secretary Rice have made Africa a policy priority, and I am proud to appear before you as a member of their team. It was my privilege to join the First Lady and Secretary Rice at the recent swearing in of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and I believe the high level U.S. delegation conveyed our interest in renewing our close relationship with the people of Liberia.
We are living in a period of unique opportunity for Africa. Across the continent, civil conflicts are giving way to civil society and free elections. The election and inauguration of Liberia's new president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, is a prime example. This is a nation with whom the United States has historically shared a close relationship. This is also a nation whose development and productivity were hobbled for 14 years by civil war. But now, Liberia has given the African continent its first democratically elected woman president. Changes are underway, and there are many reasons to be hopeful for the Liberian people and their neighbors.
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While working with our African partners, I am always cognizant of President Bush's directive to make the world ''safer, better, and freer.'' This phrase encapsulates the President's foreign policy objectives. President Bush supports policies that involve making real changes in the lives of real people, and this Administration's policies on Liberia are one noteworthy piece of the larger picture being painted by Members of Congress and professional staff at various federal agencies.
This is a good news story about Americans supporting African efforts to better Africa. As Secretary Rice recently noted, ''Transformational diplomacy is rooted in partnership, not paternalism; in doing things with other people, not for them. We seek to use America's diplomatic power to help foreign citizens to better their own lives and to build their own nations and to transform their own futures.''
For a nation whose name literally means 'land of the free' and whose founders were freed American slaves, self-determination is strategically and symbolically important. The defense, diplomacy, and development efforts that the U.S. government has undertaken are helping Liberia move from a state of war toward being a state at peace. The American people deserve to feel proud of their government and its actions.
Today, my goal is to elaborate on the three key reasons why the 2005 Liberian presidential election is a win, not only for the 3 million people of Liberia, but also for the people of this country. The first is that regional stability is improved with a democratic and secure Liberia. The second is that the region's trend toward democratization is reinforced by Liberia's election. Lastly, an economically prosperous Liberia will have positive repercussions, enhancing trade and development throughout West Africa. Economic growth would reinforce the simultaneous political transformation, establishing a welcome cycle of progress toward hope, stable elected rule, and prosperity.
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REGIONAL STABILITY
President Bush's strategy for national defense is one of global peace and security. In practice, this means working bilaterally or multilaterally to address given situations. It means working with regional and sub-regional organizations, such as the African Union and Mano River Union. Since 2001, one of the central elements of President Bush's Africa policy has been the emphasis on supporting the capacity of African countries and regional organizations to mediate conflicts and carry out peacekeeping operations, to reduce the amount of external help that is needed.
The President understands that regional conflicts have global repercussions. Consider the fact of civilian deaths, refugees and internally displaced persons, arable land that lies uncultivated, and stagnant economies that offer parents no way to support their children. Liberia's internal conflict produced untold death and destruction, shattered the nation's infrastructure, and exported trouble to nearby states, such as Sierra Leone and Guinea.
Liberia's former president Charles Taylor bears much of the responsibility for Liberia's suffering. The U.S. Government has consistently maintained that Taylor must be brought to justice before the Special Court. This will significantly help to bring closure to a tragic chapter in Liberia's history and help all of West Africa overcome patterns of impunity, illicit trade, and civil conflict.
Liberia's condition is clearly of concern beyond its own borders. If Liberia is internally secure, all of West Africa will benefit. It becomes easier for the region to address the ongoing unrest in Cote d'Ivoire, as well as fragile situations in Guinea and Sierra Leone. A stable Liberia is a force for regional stability.
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With few interludes, Liberia's civil war raged for 14 years. In the spring and summer of 2003, President Bush supported the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in putting together a comprehensive agreement toward a lasting peace. When chaos broke out in the streets of the capital, President Bush sent U.S. Marines into Liberia to protect the innocent and create a sense of order amid the chaos. Only Nigerian soldiers arrived earlier than our Marines.
The American action was historic, and represented the first time American boots had touched African soil for stability operations in nearly a decade. Following that deployment, the United States stayed the course in Liberia with further logistical assistance to the ECOWAS Mission in Liberia (ECOMIL) and provided extensive humanitarian assistance. On September 19, 2003, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1509, which established a peacekeeping operation in Liberia, known as UNMIL. UNMIL consists of 15,000 troops plus a sizeable contingent of UN police officers and military observers. This force has helped maintain calm.
The Liberians agreed among themselves on a transitional government that paved the way for free and fair elections in October 2005. National reconstruction is underway, and the United States has taken the lead as the major contributor. The U.S. Congress generously appropriated over $880 million in the last two fiscal years to help with reconstruction efforts. More than $520 million of that money has supported UNMIL. For fiscal year 2006, we have allocated more than $270 million for continued support of the nation's reconstruction and peacekeeping efforts.
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Liberia continues to benefit from various U.S. Government funding, including: Economic Support Funds, Development Assistance, Migration and Refugee Assistance, P.L. 480 Title II food aid, and Child Survival Health Funds. The United States has the largest diplomatic mission in Liberia, and the United States is supporting security reforms, including the new Liberian National Police Academy. Between 2004 and 2005, the United States contributed $60 million to support the training and equipping of a civilian-led Liberian military force. Recruiting for the new army began on January 18, and the goal is to have a new army of 2,000 soldiers ready by 2008.
Sending American Marines into Monrovia was a bold action with positive results. After years of turmoil, Liberians are beginning a long process of reconstruction and post-war recovery. Nearly two decades of conflict left the national infrastructure in shambles and left people without basic services, such as access to clean water and electricity. A generation of children has only known war and destruction. They are now looking to a peaceful and democratic nation to meet their hopes for a future of dignity and an opportunity to support themselves.
The tide has turned, and since 2003, Liberians have had the opportunity to restore order, create a responsive government, and welcome refugees home. Liberia's transition from war to peace is a crucial and historic development. As former General and President Dwight Eisenhower noted many years ago, ''We seek peace, knowing that peace is the climate of freedom.'' That remains true. Today, we seek peace by sowing seeds of democracy.
DEMOCRATIZATION
The United States has had a close relationship with Liberia dating back to the 1820s. In fact, the United States and Liberia have been close allies, particularly throughout the Cold War and up until civil war broke out in 1989. As we look to the future, there is reason to believe we can renew that close friendship.
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The Liberian people had an opportunity to elect new leadership last fall, and people voted for freedom; they voted to have a voice in their national government. The U.S. government policy is to support and encourage democratic rule abroad, and for that reason, the United States spent $10 million in support of last October's election. We believe that freedom is the way forward. Every nation's government will reflect local cultures and values, but only a free government can hope to protect individuals' liberty and nurture its people's untapped potential.
In Liberia, our goal is to support local efforts to stand up a freely elected government, a dynamic economy, and the health, educational, and other services that are essential to the well-being of any nation. The peaceful and fair election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is encouraging. Her win symbolizes a victory for gender inclusiveness.
We have made great progress since 2003 due to the concerted effort of the many American public servants who were mobilized to engage on so many levels. Our Congress, the Department of Defense, the Department of Treasury, the Marines, USAID, and the State Department all helped to effect this transition. At the American Embassy in Monrovia, our diplomats have done an extraordinary service over the last two and a half years in helping Liberians move past the era of civil war and toward a better future. This is a Liberian solution to a Liberian challenge. Americans are participating, but only as partners.
The United States continues to support Liberian recovery efforts as an important element of our security, political, economic, and humanitarian strategy for West Africa. After all, nations with democratically elected governments can resolve internal disputes on Election Day, and they are unlikely to destabilize or terrorize their own people or adjacent nations.
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Toward this end, we have and will continue to offer monetary and other assistance. The U.S. government has proactively engaged the international community and advocated on behalf of Liberia. In February 2004, this country co-hosted an international conference on Liberia's reconstruction. Donors pledged more than $522 million in assistance. The United States contributed $200 million toward the critical humanitarian needs of refugees and displaced persons, community revitalization, independent media, policing, social services, and other sectors.
In fiscal years 2004 and 2005, the United States contributed $520 million to the UN Mission in Liberia and $75 million for community reintegration, including work and education programs for youths and former combatants. Another $23 million has supported the rule of law, including judicial structures and civilian police programs.
The United States continues to support these indispensable programs. After years of civil war, the physical infrastructure needs to be rebuilt from the ground up, but in many cases, so does the social network. Almost half of Liberia's 3.3 million people were uprooted during the civil war, and some 190,000 Liberians remain in other countries, including Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. Interpersonal relationships and reconciliation, as well as coming to terms with the atrocities committed during the civil war, are part of the new government's agenda.
The U.S. government has funded a program in support of law and justice that will send a resident legal advisor and a five-person team of technical experts to Liberia. This team will help improve the Liberian criminal justice system. We will help launch a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, while also supporting an access to justice program to increase the confidence of Liberians to resolve disputes efficiently, fairly and effectively through the justice sector. Additionally, we will work to establish legal advice centers and a national referral network; integrate alternative dispute mechanisms; and provide incentives to attract public defenders.
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President Bush intends to remain engaged with Liberia, while this restored democracy finds its footing. For that reason, the Administration plans to allocate nearly $43 million in fiscal year 2006 Economic Support Funds (ESF) money, including some $6 million to be made available immediately for quick-impact projects, including rebuilding schools, court houses, and hospitals. Roads that connect Liberia's major cities also need to be built. All in all, including planned allocations for the current fiscal year, the United States' contribution to Liberia's reconstruction for fiscal years 2004–2006 will exceed $1 billion. Our financial contributions underscore the seriousness of our commitment to Liberia's future. President Bush, members of his Administration, and members of Congress agree—we are all dedicated to helping Liberia realize its tremendous promise.
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY
Direct aid is helpful, but it is by no means a panacea. As Secretary Rice recently remarked, ''America's foreign assistance must promote responsible sovereignty, not permanent dependency.'' It is with those words in mind that we move to the third point—the importance of promoting economic prosperity and security.
Liberia has the potential to be a regional economic force. It has valuable natural resources, which could be exported abroad; this would create many local jobs and generate revenue to finance the nation's budget. Before its civil war, Liberia was a major exporter of iron ore and natural rubber. The country is rich in diamonds, gold and other minerals as well as natural resources such as timber and agriculture that are additional sources of potential economic activity. However, much investment will be required to restore these industries and Liberia's dilapidated infrastructure.
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Spurring widespread economic growth poses both short-term and long-term challenges for the new Liberian government. Since Liberia's prolonged crisis was in large part financed by illegal sales of the nation's major natural commodities, the UN passed Resolution 1343 in 2001 to forbid the import of Liberian diamonds by any member countries. Another resolution forbidding the import of Liberian timber followed in 2003. With timber products under UN sanction, the Liberian government's main source of income in recent years has been maritime revenue (approximately $13.5 million in 2004) and import taxes (roughly $23 million in 2004).
The new Liberian government is expected to encourage the UN to lift these sanctions and prod the growth of export-oriented jobs within Liberia. Toward this end, Liberia must move quickly and aggressively to address the concerns underlying those sanctions. The United States is working with the Liberian government through the Liberia Forest Initiative (LFI) to establish transparency and effective management in the forest sector and to fortify the government's oversight of this important sector. In a similar fashion, the United States is working with the international community to bring better governance and transparency to Liberia's diamond export industry.
In addition to sector-specific work, the U.S. government is involved with macro economic policy assistance to the country. The United States is a driving force behind the well regarded Governance and Economic Management Assistance Program (GEMAP). GEMAP is intended to reduce corruption, improve revenue collection and increase expenditure transparency, thereby channeling Liberia's revenue-generating resources into efficient and effective uses by the Liberian government. The international financial institutions (IFIs) will be tracking Liberia's progress for improved economic management and consistent implementation of the GEMAP program before considering normalizing relations, addressing IFI arrears of $1.4 billion, providing new assistance, and eventual debt relief. Liberia carries a heavy bilateral debt burden, as well. Bilateral creditors, owed $783 million year-end 2004, will also be looking to the new government's economic management performance before initiating debt relief. Liberia owes $382 million to the U.S. Government alone.
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This might seem an insurmountable obstacle, but there is good reason to believe that with a sufficient track record of performance Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and her government will be able reach agreement with the World Bank, the IMF, and others for alleviation of her nation's massive debt burden. The U.S. plans to work closely with Liberia and its creditors to help resolve the debt situation.
The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Technical Assistance has been heavily engaged in Liberia, providing assistance on budget and debt management, banking supervision, and tax collection systems. There are currently two resident advisors, one in the Bureau of the Budget and one in the Central Bank. The budget engagement has focused on building capacity within the Bureau of Budget, so that the Ministry of Finance can better formulate and execute the budget. The banking supervision program has focused on building capacity within the banking supervision department to improve its ability to properly regulate and oversee the banking sector. The tax project is a comprehensive plan involving technical assistance, as well as hardware and software, in an effort to stem corruption and increase revenue flows to the newly elected government.
The Administration will also look into putting Liberia on the fast track to join the African Growth and Opportunity Act. We will encourage economic coordination and collaboration with the nations of ECOWAS, as well as with Liberia's Mano River Union partners. Liberia is ready to join the international community, and it is important to welcome them to the global marketplace as well. For the stability of the nation, as well as the region, economic development is a wise and necessary policy objective.
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CONCLUSION
In closing, I would like to reiterate my appreciation for having the opportunity to testify and share my enthusiasm and optimism about the future of Liberia. This is a nation that is emerging from the shadows and greeting the hope of a promising tomorrow. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has an enormous task ahead of her as her nation attempts to rebuild after 14 years of bloodshed, but I believe that President Sirleaf is undoubtedly equal to the task. She will have the cooperation of the Liberian people, as well as the support of President Bush and his Administration.
This nation's relationship with Liberia stretches back nearly two centuries, and we remain as committed to our Liberian friends as ever. There is great reason for the Liberian people to be hopeful that the years ahead will be more peaceful and more secure. They have elected a new leader in a free and fair election, and economic recovery is coming.
The African Union, the United Nations—international and regional organizations will do their part, and of course, so will the United States. We have been fully committed to helping Liberia make the transition from war to peace since 2003, and we won't quit now. Liberia's situation and the U.S. response represent the perfect confluence of defense, diplomacy, and development. The three are inextricably linked and mutually reinforcing. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee for the work that you do. We are effecting transformational diplomacy. The work that we do in support of the Liberian people is likely to have lasting implications. Freedom is, indeed, the way forward.
Mr. SMITH OF NEW JERSEY. Dr. Frazer, thank you so much for your testimony.
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Mr. Pierson.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Chairman, as I indicated to you earlier, I have been called to a very urgent 1 o'clock meeting, and I will have to leave for a few moments. I just wonder if I could ask the Assistant Secretary one question about GEMAP.
Dr. Frazer, I appreciate your remarks, and I was really unaware that you were at the inauguration also. I knew that the other two were there, and I am happy you were able to get back.
Just in general, how has the GEMAP been accepted by the government? I think that prior to the elections all candidates agreed that they would agree to—whoever won would agree to it. How do you see them accepting it? And how do you feel that this will work? And thirdly, is there any discontent, to your knowledge, about Liberians in Liberia feeling that this is overreaching?
Ms. FRAZER. Yes, thank you very much, Congressman Royce, and I would also ask if my colleague has information to add to that.
We feel that the Governance and Economic Management Assistance Program (GEMAP) has been widely accepted. As you said, it was accepted by Gyude Bryant's Government after some persuasion, and it certainly has been accepted wholeheartedly by President Sirleaf. She, in fact, mentioned GEMAP during her inaugural address, and went extensively into the importance of establishing systems of management to fight corruption. She also, in her inaugural address, stated that she would make her finances completely public and transparent, and challenged the Parliament to do the same.
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I think that the sense is that clearly, in order to attract investment that is necessary to reconstruct, that society there needs to have much work done to have a management system in place that provides for transparency.
So we have not heard any sense to which there is elements in her government that are opposed to GEMAP at this point.
Very early on in the development of GEMAP there were concerns about whether it impinged on Liberia's sovereignty, but I think through consultation, through working together to develop the program, that we have allayed many of those concerns.
Mr. PAYNE. Okay. Thank you.
Mr. PIERSON. Thank you. Congressman, let me say also in the beginning what a honor it was to be with you. I know of your longstanding commitment to Liberia, and it was very interesting and fun to be with you at the election, a very important election.
The GEMAP is being received very well. As the Assistant Secretary said, the chairman of the transitional government endorsed it. President Johnson-Sirleaf has not only endorsed it, but she is the Chairman of the GEMAP Economic Steering Development Committee.
So while GEMAP, and in many respects is a U.S.-funded activity, and USAID specifically is funding financial controllers and concession experts in six different either ministries or authorities, it is a multinational body. But President Johnson-Sirleaf is the chairperson of the GEMAP Economic Development Steering Committee, so that is a very high-level, obviously, not only endorsement, but continuous monitoring of the GEMAP activities.
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For USAID, by the end of this month, this is very important and you will hear it as we talk later, both some things that we think are working with the government are very important both on the short term and the long term is there is a sense of urgency in certain quick impact kind of activities, and a part of it is getting GEMAP up and running.
And by the end of this month we will have the personnel in place at six different either authorities or ministries within the Government of Liberia, and those are the National Port Authority, the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company, at Roberts International Airport, and the Forestry Development Authority, and with each of those we will have a financial controller with signature responsibility.
Also, by the end of the month a concessions expert at the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy, and then also a budget expert at the Bureau of the Budget.
So it is being very well received, but also it needs to get implemented and get implemented for a variety of reasons very quickly.
Mr. PAYNE. That is great, and I would hope that it does work well, and I think it is a model for other countries, you know, when the whole question of debt reduction, when Blair brought up with the G–8 that we increase contributions to Africa and also the whole question of increased support.
The question, of course, on the other side came up, well, there is corruption and how are we going to make sure that we eliminate corruption? And I think that an example of this working here could allay the fears of others that corruption is taking a disproportionate amount of funds. I question where that happened since we work through NGOs primarily anyway, and I think people have a misconception of where the dollars go. They very rarely go to the governments as we know.
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But I think that this is something that is good, something that we might be able to push for other countries if it can work there. In that way some people use the corruption issue because they do not want to give in the first place, so that can sort of take away a false issue and perhaps have a more transparency.
But thank you very much. I will return, Mr. Chairman, shortly.
Mr. PIERSON. Congressman, I might say as a follow-up on that, a part of the personnel focus is to have Liberians from the diaspora go back and take these positions wherever we can, people who have the capability and, obviously, knowledge in Liberia.
Mr. PAYNE. That is what I was wondering about, what the local Liberians were saying, you know, whether they feel that, well, we have been here all through the tough times and now we have got these folks coming in taking the jobs?
I see Mr. Cole, one of my constituents, smiling. Are you going back to Liberia?
Okay, thank you.
Mr. SMITH OF NEW JERSEY. Mr. Pierson, please proceed.
STATEMENT OF MR. LLOYD PIERSON, ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR FOR AFRICA, U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
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Mr. PIERSON. Mr. Chairman, Members of the Committee, thank you very much for holding this hearing today. I would like to make some brief opening remarks, but have a longer written statement that I request be included in the record.
Mr. SMITH OF NEW JERSEY. Without objection, so ordered.
Mr. PIERSON. Recent events in Liberia have given great hope for peace, democracy, good governance, a good quality of life, and security. While we have a lot of optimism and promise for the future, we also know the situation has many challenges. USAID's work is focused on four strategic objectives organized around the goals of, first, adverting and resolving conflict; and second, managing crisis and promoting stability, recovery, and democratic reform.
Our objectives in the strategy are: One, to promote local capacity to mitigate conflict; two, to increase access to social services provided by local and national institutions; three, to advance inclusive governance; and four, to restore livelihoods.
With the election and inauguration of President Johnson-Sirleaf, a new day is dawning. While we want sustained development and steady progress, we believe there is an urgency with which we need to approach our responsibilities. There needs to be immediate visible change and USAID is undertaking $6 million in quick impact projects which will demonstrate peace dividends.
The USAID is implementing a range of projects in Monrovia and in the more remote southeast corner of the country, which borders Cote d'Ivoire, where security concerns persist and investment is urgently needed. These projects include renovation of high schools and a hospital, rebuilding roads that link remote areas to Monrovia and main towns, and completing the Barclayville Bridge which will open areas previously accessible only by helicopter.
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We agree with President Johnson-Sirleaf about the importance of the first 150 days. Mr. Chairman, USAID had a development strategy that is being implemented and which is continuously updated with the new Liberian Government. The strategy involves activities on both the short and long term. The great bulk of USAID resources during the transition has gone to reintegration of ex-combatants and other war-effected health and other services for the internally-displaced individual, and preparations for the recent elections.
Ongoing programming also addresses community redevelopment, critical health needs, and education remediation. There are also regional challenges and USAID is very active in addressing them, and I will be very happy to answer questions, if you wish, concerning the regional aspects of what USAID is doing in different countries.
I would also like, Mr. Chairman, to just make a personal comment that I did have both the opportunity and honor, I think, to be on the United States delegation in October for the elections along with the Assistant Secretary, Congressman Payne, and Senator Chafee, and I also was in Liberia in 1997 for those elections. And a part of the real significant difference that I think occurred is that generally the election processes in Liberia, even in 1997, generally were good, but what was so different was that in 1997 there was intimidation and fear, and there was unhappiness.
I think all of us can attest that in October when we were there, and then for the subsequent elections, that there was a great feeling of freedom. I believe everybody, that every Liberian that we came in contact with, would tell us this is the happiest day of our life because they felt free and they felt free for the first time.
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We have, as you do, a great commitment to freedom and peace and democracy and security and a good quality of life in Liberia. And Mr. Chairman, I would be very pleased to answer any questions that you might have. Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Pierson follows:]
PREPARED STATEMENT OF MR. LLOYD PIERSON, ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR FOR AFRICA, U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
INTRODUCTION
Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, and Members of the Committee. Thank you for the opportunity to be here today to testify on the impact of Liberia's historic election and the work that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is engaged in to ensure a continuing, successful transition to democracy.
Along with the Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, who headed the delegation, Congressman Donald Payne, Senator Lincoln Chafee, and others, I served as an international observer of Liberia's elections in October 2005. Voter turnout was approximately 75 percent, and citizens lined up for hours to cast their votes. There was great excitement over what for many was the first truly free election in their lifetime. I had been involved in the elections of 1997 and the hopeful, enthusiastic, and joyful spirit of this election was in marked contrast to that previous occasion.
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The election in Liberia was a strong affirmation of the rebuilding process which began two years ago under the transition. Today, I want to address how USAID's work in Liberia serves our goals for the broader region. I want to elaborate on USAID's strategy to promote a democratic and prosperous Liberia, both in the next few months and over the longer term as the new government begins to tackle Liberia's many challenges.
It is particularly inspiring that Liberia—which has suffered for so many years from civil conflict and leadership that prioritized personal gain over the national interest—should be the first nation on the African continent to inaugurate a democratically elected female president.
USAID, along with other agencies of the United States Government, will do everything it can to help bring about peace, democracy, good governance and security in Liberia. While we believe in sustained development, we also know that there need to be immediate gains.
THE FIRST ONE-HUNDRED AND FIFTY DAYS
In her inaugural address, President Ellen Sirleaf shared her strategy toward securing and promoting the transition in the first hundred and fifty days of her term in office. I quote:
''Our strategy is to achieve quick and visible progress that reaches a significant number of our people, to gain momentum, consolidate support, and establish the foundation for sustained economic development. This will encompass five major pillars: Security, Economic Revitalization, Basic Services, Infrastructure, and Good Governance. In implementing the programs, consistent with this strategy, we will ensure broad geographic representation and participation, placing emphasis on those areas that have received less in the distribution of economic benefits.''
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In support of this approach, in the immediate term, USAID will undertake nearly $6 million in quick impact projects which will demonstrate tangible peace dividends to the Liberian people and help secure support for the democratic process. Through the Liberia Community Infrastructure Project, USAID will implement a range of projects in Monrovia and in the more remote southeast region of the country, which borders Cote d'Ivoire, where security concerns persist and investment is urgently needed. These include renovation of high schools and a hospital; rebuilding of roads that link remote areas to Monrovia and main towns; and completion of the Barclayville Bridge, opening areas previously accessible only by helicopter.
Beyond the physical impact of rehabilitated infrastructure, this program will yield employment, support community development, and generate income. We estimate that these projects will total nearly 280,000 person days of employment, and engage more than 1,500 individuals in productive labor. Another result of the program will be heightened security—directly, through rehabilitated court buildings, but much more broadly by strengthening citizen confidence in the government's ability to deliver services and protect the rights of the individual. The establishment of stronger linkages across all regions of Liberia will also directly improve citizen confidence and security. The work will be labor-intensive and will involve on-the-job training where possible. By rebuilding key roads, the cash economy of the rural areas will be reactivated, expanding benefits to the farmers and artisans who will now have a viable market for their goods and produce.
USAID'S DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
While such activities are needed to demonstrate visible immediate progress, much more will be required over the medium and longer term to advance economic development and build democratic institutions. The great bulk of USAID's resources during the transition has gone to support the reintegration of ex-combatants and other war-affected populations, health and other services for the internally displaced, as well as preparations for the recent elections. However, ongoing programming also addresses community redevelopment, critical health needs and education remediation. Recognizing how critical this juncture is, and in consultation with Congress, USAID plans to substantially increase the Development Assistance (DA) and Child Survival and Health (CSH) resources to be made available to Liberia in FY 2006. In this we are guided by a new strategy focused on addressing the critical challenges to stability in Liberia and ensuring the country is on a sustainable and democratic path to recovery. In its implementation, we will work closely with the government of Liberia as well as with key donors, in particular the World Bank and European Union.
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Our strategy is driven by two root sources of conflict which have jeopardized progress in Liberia in the past. The first is the deliberate exclusion of the majority of Liberians from political life and economic opportunities. Successful development in Liberia will require a participatory democratic political system that represents the interests of all Liberians. If the pattern of exclusion is not overcome, the marginalized population is likely to continue to foment violence and engage in criminal activities.
The second potential source of conflict is competition for resources. Lacking mechanisms for oversight and enforcement, Liberia has been vulnerable to leaders seeking to exploit its substantial natural resources and potential revenue sources for personal gain. This diversion of resources, through a variety of mechanisms, has resulted in a severe lack of funding for essential public services. This has, in turn, fostered disaffection toward government among the public, and sown the seeds for growing instability.
USG assistance must address these core sources of conflict to be successful in stabilizing Liberia. Therefore, USAID's work is focused on four strategic objectives organized around the goals of first, averting and resolving conflict, and second, managing crises and promoting stability, recovery, and democratic reform. Our objectives are 1) to promote local capacity to mitigate conflict; 2) to increase access to social services provided by local and national institutions; 3) to advance inclusive governance; and 4) to restore livelihoods. I will briefly describe the activities that we expect to pursue under each of these objectives.
Our first objective is designed to build the capacity of the Liberian government and civil society to address sources of conflict. In addition to early warning mechanisms, activities under this objective will focus on restoring the social fabric of Liberian communities while promoting stability and access to services. While USAID's preliminary transition efforts focused on reintegrating displaced people and ex-combatants, programs will now be expanded to ensure benefits reach the broader community and support longer term rehabilitation efforts. Community Development Committees (CDCs), which consist of local officials and community members, as well as NGOs, churches and other private sector groups, will be engaged in prioritizing local delivery of essential services. These activities will be complemented by efforts to strengthen governance structures at the national level. In particular, efforts to fight corruption in the national government through the Governance and Economic Management Assistance Program (GEMAP) will increase the revenue available for public services and help secure the national government against the corruption and competition over resources that have proven so destabilizing in the past.
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Secondly, we will help expand access to health and education services, which are critical to restoring a degree of normalcy in society and improving citizens' quality of life. USAID will work to build the capacity of local and national government actors to provide these basic services, thereby enhancing their legitimacy in the eyes of the population.
Our third objective is focused on advancing inclusive governance. This is at the heart of our strategy, and seeks to address the great harm inflicted upon society by decades of poor and unaccountable governance. USAID will assist Liberia to meet this challenge by promoting increased participation in the political process, expanding access to the justice sector, and promoting corruption reforms, particularly through GEMAP. USAID will manage the USG's contribution to the GEMAP, which will include the provision of financial advisers in several government ministries and agencies, along with preparations for contracting out the management, or arranging for the privatization of a number of revenue-generating entities such as the port, airport, and forestry authority.
A special focus of USAID's work in governance is to help re-exert legitimate control over the management of natural resources, including timber, diamonds, iron ore and oil. This will help prevent further exploitation of these resources, cut off financing for potential conflict, and ensure that revenues benefit the majority of Liberians. Civil society and the media will be assisted to provide necessary oversight, transparency, and advocacy for reform. Legislative and electoral bodies may receive assistance to enhance their ability to conduct oversight and ensure accountability.
USAID's final objective is to restore basic economic activity and livelihoods in order to both raise standards of living and engage the population in productive and peaceful activities. Our programs will enhance agriculture, food security, and economic growth through increased production and improved access to markets, including financial and technical assistance. In particular, they seek to rehabilitate rubber and cocoa farms and to organize and support farmers' groups and community-based organizations to engage in micro-finance and micro-enterprise activities. We hope to create an economic environment that will also help attract resources—both financial and technical—of the Liberian Diaspora back to the country, for the benefit of its resident population.
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Additionally, USAID's program in Liberia will address the multi-faceted issues of HIV/AIDS, urbanization, gender, capacity-building, and youth throughout the entire portfolio. Capacity-building of government agencies and the new legislature is necessary to ensure service delivery, budget oversight, and transparency and accountability. Local community and government organizations also require strengthening to help meet basic needs and to support peoples' participation in making decisions and holding the government accountable. Our attention to youth, a large segment of the population, is particularly important. Many youth took part in the armed conflict, and most missed out on any education or semblance of a normal childhood. Integrating them into the community, through accelerated learning programs, vocational training, and employment programs is critical to the progress of the country.
REGIONAL STABILITY
While substantial progress has been achieved, fragile conditions in neighboring countries continue to threaten progress toward peace and stability. Conflict in Sierra Leone, on Liberia's western flank, only recently subsided and requires continued vigilance. Cote d'Ivoire continues to simmer on Liberia's eastern border, and instability threatens to the north in Guinea. Continued instability fosters a number of related issues, including criminal activities, environmental degradation, the spread of disease, increased numbers of refugees and displaced persons, societal fragmentation, poverty and conflict over resources, and a general deterioration in living conditions for the region's inhabitants. To help respond to these challenges, USAID is focusing its programming in Liberia's immediate neighborhood on creating conditions that mitigate instability and conflict.
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With a stable and democratic Liberia, our goals throughout the region become more attainable, whether consolidating Sierra Leone's peace, addressing civil unrest in Cote d'Ivoire, or stabilizing the fragile situation in Guinea. If its valuable natural resources are managed for the public good, Liberia also has the potential to be a substantial economic force in the region and to contribute to prosperity throughout the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries.
Regional challenges require regional and international engagement for sustained progress. President Bush's policy toward Africa has emphasized supporting the capacity of African countries and regional organizations to mediate conflict and support peacekeeping operations in the region. ECOWAS' role in the negotiation of Liberia's peace agreement in 2003 and its deployment of a peacekeeping mission served as a dramatic testimony to this regional approach, and USAID is proud to have played a role in enhancing ECOWAS' internal capacity to address conflict, as well as to build regional cooperation in the economic and energy sectors. In Liberia, international donors, regional actors, Liberian government officials, and NGO representatives meet regularly in Monrovia and have made substantial contributions toward progress in the transition. These include the successful negotiations with the National Transitional Government of Liberia to establish GEMAP.
The election of President Sirleaf is a hopeful sign for West Africa. Liberia has emerged from brutal dictatorship and civil war and is now pointed toward a democratic and free future, with leadership responsive to the public's needs. The successful implementation of GEMAP, and ado