WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf returned from Washington scoring an international victory over her male African counterparts.
Her weeklong visit saw her achieve objectives aimed at improving Liberia's current state of affairs. At a time when corruption continues to increase in most of Africa, the Johnson-Sirleaf administration has exceeded the expectations of her well-wishers and the criticisms of her opponents by working hard at reducing her country's huge international debts.
"We are not out of the woods yet, but Liberia can be a success story," President Johnson-Sirleaf said at a luncheon in Washington last week.
Becoming the first female president of a country in conservative Africa was no easy challenge. Her 2005 election against ex-international football player George Ware saw Johnson-Sirleaf win 59 percent of the total votes.
Since then, her combination of worldly experience, diplomacy and fights against subjugation of women in her country has succeeded in not only bringing her acceptance from a reluctant and skeptical international community, the United States included, but has also helped in opening more doors for much needed international aid for Liberia.
"I have earned my dues," the Liberian leader replies when questioned how she manages to cope in a male-dominated continent.
While she confesses to enjoying a great relationship with her other counterparts in Africa, it is unlikely she would succeed in wooing some of the very suspicious and sometimes tyrannical male leaders or even dictators where applicable, who are just not used to dealing with women, especially one with immense international acceptance.
However, African leaders may just be the least of Johnson-Sirleaf problems. A looming international debt in excess of a billion dollars threatens any hopes of Liberia's standard of living improving.
She also has to woo an international community which, while having some semblance of hope for the diamond-rich country, cannot help but remember the corruption-rife and dictatorship regime of ousted leader, Charles Taylor.
Aside from mismanagement of funds, Taylor was also guilty of ordering the deaths of more than 100,000 people. In fact, Johnson-Sirleaf exemplified her country's status under Taylor when she said, "Liberia is not a poor country but a country that has been poorly managed."
While corruption is one of the biggest problems in Africa, lack of transparency and bad health care remains close second and third.
At Friday's luncheon, the president indicated her administration's willingness to tackle the corruption problems facing her nation. She cited the progress made so far and indeed U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, opening the Partners Forum Tuesday in Washington, commended the female leader for her efforts at improving the lives of her people.
"The Sirleaf's administration has worked tirelessly over the past year to ensure that Liberia's reforms and reconstruction take root and have the chance for last success," Rice said.
However, natives of African countries would say their nations, while blessed with immense natural resources -- from petroleum, agriculture and diamonds -- account for some of the worlds poorest with low life expectancy.
Bad management is not the only problem facing Liberia and many African countries. Lax banking laws allow for easy laundering of money.
So while the new president of Liberia is praised for wonderful strides made so far, it would be interesting to see how she manages some very ambitious, powerful, but greedy subordinates.
Contracts for political support are so popular in the majority of African countries it is legal. It is unlikely Johnson-Sirleaf got into power without at least some godfather support that's almost necessary to win.
The international community would be watching closely her ability to prosecute guilty cabinet members who discharge their functions in an unethical manner.
People would even be more curious about her ability to embrace all political factions, as the Speaker of the Liberian House of Representatives Edwin Snowe Jr. was removed from office by order of the country's Supreme Court.
Acting Speaker of Liberia's House of Representatives Tokpah Mulbah conceded the House did not always agree with the Johnson-Sirleaf administration policies, but insisted Liberia could not have asked for a "better and more humane" president.
The acting speaker, told United Press International said his predecessor's resignation was largely due to his inability to accommodate Johnson-Sirleaf's policies.
Nevertheless, these problems have not stopped the world from embracing Liberia at its time of need. On the international scene, Liberia is seen as a future South Africa, the model for what countries in the region ought to be. For the time being, there is great optimism for the diamond and timber rich nation.
It's no wonder the United States has so far provided Liberia with over $500 million in aid and is gearing up to send an additional $200 million if the future U.S. budget is approved by Congress.
In addition, the United States has agreed to cancel about $391 million worth of debts owed by Liberia, a move Johnson-Sirleaf says would encourage reluctant countries in Liberia's bid for debt forgiveness.
Education of girls, improving the status of her country overseas and placing more women in political roles in society are some of the president's goals.
The biggest challenge she faces is meeting the expectations of not only the international community, but also the voters, the people who put her in office, the rural women who suffer subjugation on a daily basis.
President Johnson-Sirleaf has a not-so-rosy path coming for her in the future. Many people would be watching her every move, not just because she is Africa's first female president, but because for the more than 3 million Liberian citizens, especially women, she represents hope as well as a world they only dreamt of having -- not actually living in.
