At the dying moments of its first six-year term, the administration of President George Manneh Weah has maneuvered its way to the White House in Washington, securing over US$20 million from the Biden administration to support the conduct of the 2023 general and presidential elections.
Over the years, critics had argued that the Weah administration would not wheel the requisite international attention without the support of the White House or, at least, an invitation to Washington by the United States government. Besides, there has been a tight squeeze on the Weah administration by the Biden administration, almost bringing Weah and his officials to their knees recently when the US announced the Global Magnitsky (GloMag) designated sanctions for some officials of the government.
However, President Weah can now pat himself on the back for the landmark achievement in Washington, and sitting face-to-face with the sitting US President, Joseph R. Biden, on the margins of the US-Africa Leaders’ Summit, which could be interpreted as the greatest achievement for his administration’s foreign policy.
On Thursday, December 15, 2022, President Biden, after meeting with the Presidents of Liberia, DR Congo, Gabon, Madagascar, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, announced that the United States government plans to provide over US$165 million to support elections and good governance in Africa in 2023.
President Biden’s pronouncement comes a day after President Weah had pleaded with the US President and the United States government a day earlier to give “maximum support to Liberia’s elections in 2023 as a way of consolidating democracy, rule of law and enhance growth and development” in Liberia and Africa as a whole.
President Weah was opportune to make the plea with President Biden on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 when a select group of him and five other African leaders joined the US President at the White House in Washington, D.C. to discuss election, democracy, rule of law and development on the margins of the US-Africa Leaders Summit 2022.
President Weah reiterated his strong commitment to the tenets of democracy where the will of the people prevails. The President said, “I have participated in a lot of elections, and even when the results were not favorable we respected the results. My administration will ensure a free, fair and transparent process in 2023, and Liberia will remain a bastion of peace, freedom, prosperity and development under our watch.”
For his part, President Biden urged the leaders in attendance to ensure that the democratic process under their leadership is carried out in a free, fair and transparent manner. He committed US support to the advancement of the ideals of democracy, rule of law, peace and security and development on the continent.