Discours de Monsieur Jürg Stäubli lors de la visite en Suisse du Vice-Président de la République du Liberia

Dear Mr. Vice-President

Honourable Ministers

Your Excellencies the Ambassadors

Ladies and Gentlemen

Dear Friends

 

I am very happy to welcome you here in Geneva Mr. Vice-President Boakai

 

Liberia was the first country which became independent in Africa  the 26th July  1847

Liberia was the first country in Africa who has elected a woman as President end of 2005

Since its existence the Liberian people got up after every disaster. 

Mr. Vice-President you contribute to put the nation back to peace and prosperity after the

terrible civil war and recently after the very painful outbreak of Ebola.

You were born on the 30th of November 1944 in Worsonga

You were graduating in business administration of the Kansas State University and you became later

Agriculturalist.

 

Later in the eighties  you served as Minister of Agriculture under  President  Samuel  Doe.

After that you worked for the World Bank in Washington and later you were Chairman of the Liberia Wood Management  Corporation and of Liberia Petroleum Refining Company.

Since 2006 you assume the function of Vice-President of the Republic of Liberia.

Eleven years of Government responsibility  allows to assess a political action.

To demonstrate the effectiveness of these years  let us just  look a few numbers:

1)Gross domestic product  from 550 Mio to  2,2  Billion USD

2)Gross net income per capita from 120 to  400 USD  

3)Dept decreased  from 643% to 43% from the GDP

4)The declining of the unemployment rate

5)Increase in literacy of the population

6)Except of the terrible period of Ebola the economic growth was in all these years between 5 and 8.7% and 2.8% in 2016

7)The African Development Bank  provides for 2017 approx. 4%

 

Since the arrival in power of the duo Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf – Joseph Boakai  there is peace and Liberia become a real democracy. 

Liberia become last year  a full member of the WTO.

Your Government implemented reforms in economy, education and justice, especially to combating corruption. 

Mr. Vice-President you are an example as a Democrat for the entire continent.

You said in your speech the 23third of August in Abuja in front of the African Leaders:

“ Democracy is on the rise in Africa! But in order to seize the moment and make it word for growth and development, African Governments have to be accountable to their people. Governments are created to deliver public goods and services to their people. And the body of rights in our constitutions makes this abundantly clear” 

and you added: 

“ I need not remind you that democracy will require an educated and healthy population with limited temptations of manipulations. We must invest in this!

Next October  you will ask the Liberian people if they wish that you continue your work for the Nation.

I’m convinced that you’ll be soliciting in regarding your results in the last 11 years.

Your regretted friend Nelson Mandela have said:

“It’s in our hands”

Yes the future of Africa is in African hands which brings freedom, peace and prosperity.

It is not a coincidence that the national motto of Liberia is:

“The love of liberty brought us here”

 

We all say to you:

Thank you Mr. Vice-President and good luck Uncle Joe

 

God bless Liberia