Considerable assistance from donors, including debt relief, will be needed in the early years. That is inevitable because there are things that government needs to do: infrastructure has to be built, and so on. |
Economic hope I think is crucial. There is a window of opportunity here, but that would not last forever. |
I hope it will be resolved in a peaceful manner. |
Liberia has been the epicenter of progressive waves of instability that have swept through this region over the past 25 years, |
offered the people of Liberia an opportunity to leave behind the conflict that has devastated this country for so long and turned the page on a very dark chapter in their history. |
Poverty is pervasive, the productive base of the economy has been destroyed. None of that can be fixed with the best will in the world in a few months, |
remain on full alert throughout the country to ensure a secured environment. |
Right now, Liberia is a country on life support, |
Right now, Liberia is a country on life support. But this is the best opportunity it has had for decades. |
The government will have to be inclusive. If [it isn't] the old nightmares will come back to haunt them. |
The greatest danger now is that expectations are too high. The euphoria of the end of the conflict will soon be forgotten. |
The Liberian people have made their choice through the ballot today, and we are all obliged to respect the choice made by the men and women of this nation, |
The next two years will be critical for Liberia. |
The observer mission has termed the elections free and fair. Party representatives were present in, I believe, just about every polling station and they signed off on the records. |
The United States has made a start here, training the army, but this goes beyond one partner and I hope others will come in, |