Liberians may be proud of their sovereignty and its position as the oldest on the Continent of Africa and may want to keep it inviolate. But they, however, are unanimous that the assistance and political and economic guidance of the United States are pivotal to their country’s recovery from years of warfare and dysfunctional economy.

	• Amb. Thomas-Greenfield

The existence of such mindset seems not lost on the understanding of top notches of the U.S. Foreign Service and, not the least, Ambassador-designate for Liberia Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

Related: Amb. Greenfield Statement

Ambassador-designate Thomas-Greenfield testifying before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations this week did not mince words on exactly what she intends to do in Liberia if confirmed.

The Analyst Managing Editor, Stanley Seakor, reports.
 
U.S. Ambassador-designate for Liberia, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, says though Liberia chose a future over stagnation in 2005, its peace remains fragile having resisted government’s recovery efforts, and that therefore she is prepared to confront those who will threaten the nation’s recovery.

Ambassador Greenfield, who is currently a principal deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of State, made the observation, Wednesday this week, when she testified before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations that is vetting her to take over the U.S. diplomatic mission in Liberia.

“If confirmed, I would also use my position to confront those who threaten Liberia's recovery. I would not hesitate to publicly attack corruption, human rights abuses, and the ‘old ways of doing business’ in Liberia that contributed so much to its breakdown and civil conflict,” said the ambassador-designate who U.S. Embassy sources in Monrovia say is due to arrive in the country shortly to take over from Amb. Donald Booth.

She described Liberians as “proud and strong people” and noted that they deserve a government that will serve the public interest, not private agendas, and that will protect the people, not prey on them.

She praised the Liberian government for committing itself to serving the public interest of Liberia, noting that as the representative of the President of the United States of America, she will stand by President Sirleaf in that endeavor.

The US envoy said Liberia, which had been bogged down in a vicious civil war for 14 years was now well along the road to recovery, revealing that she was one of the observers of the United States for the first round of Liberia's national elections in 2005 that eventually led to the inauguration of Africa's first woman president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

She did not say what her observer role contributed to the elections or prevented from happening to the freeness and fairness of the presidential elections, but she noted that Liberians used that election to choose peace over war; a future over stagnation; and a return to the community of nations.

“Now we are five years past Liberia's civil war, and the government of President Sirleaf is making major strides, reforming its institutions, attracting investment, and setting Liberia on the right path to stability and economic growth,” said the ambassador-designate who said she has spent a better part of her career working in Africa and on African issues.

But Ambassador-designate Greenfield was not about mincing words and risk sending confusing signals about achievements and extent of challenges to recovery in Liberia.

The next U.S. envoy to Liberia, who disclosed that she spent part of her intern tour in Liberia in the 1970s as graduate student from the University of Wisconsin in the US, emphasized that whatever is said about achievement after two years of civil rule, Liberia still faces formidable challenges despite the commitment of the government to serving public interest.

According to her the nation’s economy was still essentially weak, the justice system still broken, the civil service needed training and development, and the security services needed to be built in order to keep the peace.

Also, she said, notable benchmarks for Liberia’s full recovery must include economy growth that shows landmark improvements, a marked reduction of the nation’s current 85% unemployment, and a significant revival of the agricultural sector that guarantees food sufficient.

“[Liberia] must develop its civil society, independent media, and community organizations to reverse the social and cultural damage done by years of conflict,” she said.

In her view, these must be in place in order for Liberia to continue on the path of democracy and to face the next major test of conducting free, fair, and democratic presidential and legislative elections in 2011.

But she agreed with most Liberians that a nation smarting from the sting of 14 years of devastating warfare cannot achieve these benchmarks in six year, acting alone. “Throughout this period, U. S. engagement will remain critical to Liberia's success,” she said.

Echoing President Sirleaf recent line that “Liberia is not yet out of the woods”, Mrs. Greenfield said high unmet expectations in the country risk compromising Liberia's future. She gave no details, but told the Congressional foreign relations committee for Africa:

“If confirmed as Ambassador, I would work diligently to continue the strong engagement of the United States to keep Liberia moving in the right direction, and I would ensure that our attention and commitment to Liberia does not waver or diminish during this crucial post-conflict period.”

She said the U.S. has thus far contributed some $180 million per year to Liberia’s recovery efforts and that with a population of 3.5 million such aid was sufficient to impact enormously on the nation’s health and education and reform the government.

The aid, she said, spans the entire range of program areas but fell short of saying for how long the aid has been running at this rate. She however disclosed that USAID Liberia is the second largest U.S. financial assistance program on the African Continent next to Sudan.

Observers say the question the ambassador-designate may probe as she confronts those who threaten Liberia’s recovery is whether the U.S. government’s support to Liberia through USAID Liberia has the impact it should have considering the size of the country.

An Encarta fact sheet on Liberia puts the average adult life expectancy in Liberia to 40.4 years, infant mortality rate to 150 for every 1,000 live birth, 43,478 patients per physician, and 75.1 percent males educated for every 43.9 percent female Liberians. This statistics, backed by the massive unemployment give every indication such volume of U.S. assistance to Liberia needs congressional investigation, they said.

“But does the ambassador-designate believe the matter needs to be investigated now that she is coming to confront saboteurs and to ensure that the U.S. does not waver in its support to Liberia?” is the question many are asking. The answer is she does.

“If confirmed as Ambassador, I would work with our excellent Embassy, USAID, DOD, and other agency staff to ensure that our assistance achieves maximum impact, and is coordinated with the efforts of other donors and of the Government of Liberia.

" I am pleased to report that Peace Corps, an important face of America, has already begun reestablishing itself in Liberia and volunteers will be arriving soon,” she said. DOD is the Department of Defense.

For the past two and a half years, the ambassador-designate said, she served in the Bureau of African Affairs, first as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for West Africa and in her current position as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary.

She said nearly half of her Foreign Service career focused on refugee and humanitarian issues, including as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration where I had oversight for refugee, humanitarian, and migration programs in Africa, Europe and Latin America.

She did not say how this experience will help her assignment in Liberia, but observers say a country with huge IDPs and returns seeking opportunities to return, she may be the right U.S. diplomat for Liberia.

Meanwhile, Ambassador-designate Greenfield said governance reforms are also important as a means of attracting foreign investment.

“I believe Liberia's growth and recovery will depend on inflows of private capital, particularly from American businesses seeking opportunities in mining, agriculture, services, and other sectors. If confirmed as Ambassador, I would work to advance U.S. business interests for the benefit of both the American economy and the Liberian economy,” she said.

She described Liberia as the country that “opened my eyes to the wider world and inspired my passion for Africa and my decision to make the Foreign Service as a career.

 “Now, some thirty years later, if confirmed, I hope to have the chance to contribute to Liberia's development and to advance our important bilateral relationship, she noted.

---------

Statement of Linda Thomas-Greenfield
U.S. Ambassador-designate to Liberia
Before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Chairman and distinguished members of the Committee, I am honored and delighted to be here today as President Bush's nominee to be the next United States Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia. I would like to thank the President and Secretary Rice for the confidence and trust they have shown by nominating me for this position. Liberia is one of the United States' closest friends on the continent of Africa, and I am grateful to be nominated to serve there as the U.S. Ambassador.

Mr. Chairman, I would like the take the opportunity to introduce my husband Lafayette Greenfield, a retired Foreign Service Officer, who enticed me nearly 30 years ago to pursue this career. I also recognize my two children, Lindsay and Deuce, both of whom grew up in the service and who with their dad have supported me throughout my 26 years in the United States Foreign Service.

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I have spent the better part of my career working in Africa and on African issues. For the past two and a half years, I have served in the Bureau of African Affairs, first as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for West Africa and now in my current position as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary. Nearly half of my Foreign Service career focused on refugee and humanitarian issues, including as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration where I had oversight for refugee, humanitarian, and migration programs in Africa, Europe and Latin America.

Not long ago, Liberia was mired in civil war and spreading conflict throughout the region; now it is well along the road to recovery. I was honored to be an observer for the first round of Liberia's national elections in 2005 that eventually led to the inauguration of Africa's first woman President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. With those democratic elections, Liberians chose peace over war; a future over stagnation; and a return to the community of nations. Now we are five years past Liberia's civil war, and the government of President Sirleaf is making major strides, reforming its institutions, attracting investment, and setting Liberia on the right path to stability and economic growth.

But Liberia, as they say, is "not out of the woods" yet. Its peace is fragile, its economy remains weak, and high unmet expectations risk compromising Liberia's future. If confirmed as Ambassador, I would work diligently to continue the strong engagement of the United States to keep Liberia moving in the right direction, and I would ensure that our attention and commitment to Liberia does not waver or diminish during this crucial post-conflict period. Liberia will face many challenges over the next several years. It must grow economically, creating jobs and reviving the agricultural sector. It must develop its civil society, independent media, and community organizations to reverse the social and cultural damage done by years of conflict. The government must fix its broken justice system, train and develop its civil service, and build its security services to keep the peace. In 2011, Liberia will face another major test when it holds presidential and legislative elections. Liberia must continue on the path of democracy.

Throughout this period, U. S. engagement will remain critical to Liberia's success. Thanks to the generous support of the Congress, our assistance to Liberia spans the entire range of program areas and averages some $180 million per year. Liberia has the second largest USAID program in Africa, after Sudan. In a country with only three-and-a-half million people, that support has an enormous impact on the health and education of Liberia's people and the improvement and reform of its government. If confirmed as Ambassador, I would work with our excellent Embassy, USAID, DOD, and other agency staff to ensure that our assistance achieves maximum impact, and is coordinated with the efforts of other donors and of the Government of Liberia. I am pleased to report that Peace Corps, an important face of America, has already begun reestablishing itself in Liberia and volunteers will be arriving soon.

If confirmed, I would also use my position to confront those who threaten Liberia's recovery. I would not hesitate to publicly attack corruption, human rights abuses, and the "old ways of doing business" in Liberia that contributed so much to its breakdown and civil conflict. Liberia's proud and strong people deserve a government that will serve the public interest, not private agendas, and that will protect the people, not prey on them. President Sirleaf has made that commitment and, if confirmed, I, as the President's representative to Liberia, will stand with her. Governance reforms are also important as a means of attracting foreign investment. I believe Liberia's growth and recovery will depend on inflows of private capital, particularly from American businesses seeking opportunities in mining, agriculture, services, and other sectors. If confirmed as Ambassador, I would work to advance U.S. business interests for the benefit of both the American economy and the Liberian economy.

Finally, on a personal note, I am especially pleased to be here today, to come full circle back to Liberia. In the late 1970s, I spent a year and a half in Liberia as a graduate student from the University of Wisconsin, where I studied political science. Liberia opened my eyes to the wider world and inspired my passion for Africa and my decision to make the Foreign Service a career. Now, some thirty years later, if confirmed, I hope to have the chance to contribute to Liberia's development and to advance our important bilateral relationship. Thank you again, Chairman Feingold, for today's hearing. I look forward to your questions.