Reuters Africa

Liberia stability fragile, needs world help: UN Reuters Africa MONROVIA (Reuters) – The United Nations must resist pressure to cut back its mission in Liberia too soon, or risk instability before … and more »

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INTERVIEW-Liberia stability fragile, needs world help -UN Reuters Africa MONROVIA, Sept 5 (Reuters) – The United Nations must resist pressure to cut back its mission in Liberia too soon, or risk instability before …

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In observance of this year’s World Tourism Day under the theme: “Tourism and Biodiversity.” Ecotourism Consultancy and Service, in partnership with the Ministry of Information Culture and Tourism and Art of the Heart Gallery, has planned the Liberia Industrial, Tourism, Handicraft and Hospitality Potentials (LITHOPO 2010) fair and exhibition, a week-long culture and mega business opportunity event to be held on Providence Island, one of the Liberia Landmarks and wetland in Monrovia beginning September 22-26, 2010. This cultural event, the first of its kind in post war Liberia, promises to be a high-class event featuring:

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FTC Publications

Liberia: Ellen Listed Among Top 10 World Leaders FTC Publications By The News Staff NEWSWEEK has done a list of ten outstanding Leaders of the world who have won respect, with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia …

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NEWSWEEK has done a list of ten outstanding Leaders of the world who have won respect, with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia mentioned.

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Running Africa

Liberia: Ellen Listed Among Top 10 World Leaders AllAfrica.com NEWSWEEK has done a list of ten outstanding Leaders of the world who have won respect, with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia mentioned. … Liberia: Over 68 Mosques Get Ellen's Rice Donation-As Muslims Observe RamadanAllAfrica.com Liberia: Newsweek Dubs Sirleaf 'Rebuilder'AllAfrica.com Liberia: US-based Liberians Professional Laud Pres. SirleafAllAfrica.com ChristianToday -Continentalnews.net (blog) -Liberian Dialogue all 20 news articles »

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x700 guru posted a photo:

This is the conference room at my sisters restaurant. We partied hard with some roasted meat, bread and goat soup and beer.

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The Guardian

Naomi Campbell reminds the world of Charles Taylor's trial Washington Post The former Liberian president waged one of the most horrific wars of recent history in neighboring Sierra Leone, where a rebel movement he sponsored became … Naomi Campbell says "nothing to gain" from diamondsReuters Home truths?BBC News Naomi and Wyclef – A Celebrity Week in Foreign AffairsHuffington Post (blog) NEWS.com.au -Telegraph.co.uk -ABC Online all 3,016 news articles »

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Nigerian Compass

World Justice Meme Emerges Right Side News AU leaders had an agreement that facilitated peace in Liberia. It's shameful how Obasanjo threw Charles Taylor under the bus after pressure from the … Nigeria: How Obasanjo, Sirleaf-Johnson Betrayed Taylor – Fani-KayodeAllAfrica.com all 26 news articles »

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United States President Barack Obama has held a town hall meeting with at least 120 young African leaders drawn from civil society and the private sector representing nearly 50 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

The meeting was held on Tuesday, August 3, 2010, in the East Wing of the White House.

Organized on key themes of youth empowerment, good governance and economic opportunity, the President’s Forum with Young African Leaders was an opportunity for the participants to engage with each other, their American counterparts, and U.S. government officials.

In his statement to the young African leaders, President Obama said: “It’s my great privilege to welcome all of you to this Young African Leaders Forum. You’ve joined us from nearly 50 countries. You reflect the extraordinary history and diversity of the continent. You’ve already distinguished yourselves as leaders – in civil society and development and business and faith communities – and you’ve got an extraordinary future before you. In fact, you represent the Africa that so often is overlooked — the great progress that many Africans have achieved and the unlimited potential that you’ve got going forward into the 21st century.

“Now, I called this forum for a simple reason. As I said when I was in Accra last year, I don’t see Africa as a world apart; I see Africa as a fundamental part of our interconnected world. Whether it’s creating jobs in a global economy, or delivering education and health care, combating climate change, standing up to violent extremists who offer nothing but destruction, or promoting successful models of democracy and development – for all this we have to have a strong, self-reliant and prosperous Africa. So the world needs your talents and your creativity. We need young Africans who are standing up and making things happen not only in their own countries but around the world.”

President Obama further told the gathering of young Africans: “Today, you represent a different vision, a vision of Africa on the move — an Africa that’s ending old conflicts, as in Liberia, where President Sirleaf told me, today’s children have “not known a gun and not had to run”; an Africa that’s modernizing and creating opportunities — agribusiness in Tanzania, prosperity in Botswana, political progress in Ghana and Guinea; an Africa that’s pursuing a broadband revolution that could transform the daily lives of future generations. So it’s an

Africa that can do great things, such as hosting the world’s largest sporting event. So we congratulate our South African friends. And while it may have been two European teams in the final match, it’s been pointed out that it was really Africa that won the World Cup.

So once again, Africa finds itself at a moment of extraordinary promise. And as I said last year, while today’s challenges may lack some of the drama of 20th century liberation struggles, they ultimately may be even more meaningful, for it will be up to you, young people full of talent and imagination, to build the Africa for the next 50 years.

Now, no one should have to pay a bribe to get a job or to get government to provide basic services. So as part of our development strategy, we’re emphasizing transparency, accountability, and a strong civil society — the kind of reform that can help unleash transformational change. So Africa’s future also belongs to those who take charge of that
kind of transparency and are serious about anti-corruption measures.

Now, this is a forum, so we’ve devoted some time where I can answer some questions. I don’t want to do all the talking. I want to hear from you about your goals and how we can partner more effectively to help you reach them. And we want this to be the beginning of a new partnership and create networks that will promote opportunities for years to come.

But I do want to leave you with this. You are the heirs of the independence generation that we celebrate this year. Because of their sacrifice, you were born in independent African states. And just as the achievements of the last 50 years inspire you, the work you do today will inspire future generations.”

Then came the time for questions. The first questioner was a Malian young woman. For the second question, President Obama recognized a Liberian participant, Bai Sama Gwenning Best, a young Liberian journalist, who is also marketing manager of Liberia’s first independent daily, the Daily Observer.

Dressed in short gown with cap, made from Liberian country cloth, Bai put this question to President Obama:
Q. Mr. President, my name is Bai Best from Liberia. The late Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller was the first black psychiatrist in America and probably in the world. In my country, Liberia, where there are many great people who made landmark accomplishments both in their nation and in the world, many of them are not recognized for their accomplishments. Today, Dr. Fuller’s name is etched in medical history. There is a psychiatric center named in his honor at a place in Boston. There are many other talented young Africans and Liberian who have great ideas and who want to come back home and contribute to their countries, to the development of their peoples. But many times, their efforts — their patriotic efforts — are stifled by corrupt or sometimes jealous officials in government and in other sectors. It’s an age-old problem. Many times this basically leads them to seek greener pastures and better appreciation abroad, instead of coming back home. What are your thoughts on this?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, look, this is a problem that’s not unique to Africa. Given different stages of development around the world, one of the problems that poorer countries often have is that the best educated and the most talented have opportunities elsewhere. And so there’s what’s called the “brain drain” — people saying, I can make 10 times as much money if I’m a doctor in London as I can if I’m a doctor back home.

And so this is a historic problem. Here is the interesting moment that we’re in, though — if you look at where the greatest opportunities are, they’re actually now in emerging markets.

There are countries in Africa that are growing 7, 8, 9 percent a year. So if you’re an entrepreneur now with an idea, you may be able to grow faster and achieve more back home than you could here.

Now, it entails greater risk, so it may be safer to emigrate. But it may be that you can actually achieve more, more quickly back home. And so the question is for young leaders like yourselves, where do you want to have the most impact? And you’re probably going to have more impact at home whether you’re a businessman or woman, or you are a doctor or you are an attorney, or you are an organizer. That’s probably going to be the place where you can make the biggest change.

Now, you’re absolutely right, though, that the conditions back home have to be right where you can achieve these things. So if you want to go back home and start a business and it turns out that you have to pay too many bribes just to get the business started, at some point you may just give up.

And that’s why one of the things that we’re trying to do — working with my team — when we emphasize development, good governance is at the center of development. It’s not separate.

Sometimes people think, well, that’s a political issue and then there’s an economic issue. No. If you have a situation where you can’t start a business or people don’t want to invest because there’s not a clear sense of rule of law, that is going to stifle development.

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