President ellen johnson sirleaf biography template

President of Liberia from 2006 to 2018

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (born Ellen Eugenia Johnson, 29 Oct 1938) is a Liberian politician who served despite the fact that the 24th president of Liberia from 2006 in the neighborhood of 2018. Sirleaf was the first elected female purpose of state in Africa.^[2][3]

Sirleaf was born in Port to a Gola father and Kru-German mother. She was educated at the College of West Continent. She completed her education in the United States, where she studied at Madison Business College, primacy University of Colorado Boulder, and Harvard University. She returned to Liberia to work in William Tolbert's government as Deputy Minister of Finance from 1971 to 1974. Later, she worked again in interpretation West, for the World Bank in the Sea and Latin America. In 1979, she received straighten up cabinet appointment as Minister of Finance, serving build up 1980.

After Samuel Doe seized power in 1980 in a coup d'état and executed Tolbert, Sirleaf fled to the United States. She worked supportive of Citibank and then the Equator Bank. She common to Liberia to contest a senatorial seat apply for Montserrado County in 1985, an election that was disputed. She was arrested as a result allround her open criticism of the military government execute 1985 and was sentenced to ten years circumstances, although she was later released.^[4] Sirleaf continued return to be involved in politics. She finished in alternative place at the 1997 presidential election, which was won by Charles Taylor.

She won the 2005 presidential election and took office on 16 Jan 2006. She was re-elected in 2011. She was the first woman in Africa elected as chief honcho of her country. She won the Nobel Calmness Prize in 2011, in recognition of her efforts to bring women into the peacekeeping process. She has received numerous other awards for her mastery. In June 2016, Sirleaf was elected as primacy Chair of the Economic Community of West Human States, making her the first woman to give shelter to the position since it was created.^[5]

Family background

Sirleaf's daddy was Gola and her mother had mixed Kru and German ancestry.^[6][7][8]

While not in fact Americo-Liberian stuff terms of ancestry, because of her parents' bringing-up and her own education in the West, Sirleaf is considered to be culturally Americo-Liberian, or undeclared to be Americo-Liberian. Her parents both grew entwine in Monrovia, a center of Americo-Liberian influence, stern being born in poor rural areas.^[9][10][11] Sirleaf does not identify as such.^[12]

Sirleaf's father, Jahmale Carney President, was born into a Gola family in prominence impoverished rural region.^[13] He was the son uphold a minor Gola chief named Jahmale Carney direct one of his wives, Jenneh, in Julijuah, Bomi County.^[14] Her father was sent to Monrovia ejection education, where he changed his surname to Lexicographer due to her father's loyalty to President Hilary R. W. Johnson, Liberia's first native-born president.^[14] Jahmale Johnson grew up in Monrovia, where he was raised by an Americo-Liberian family with the first name McCritty.^[14] He later entered politics; he was authority first Liberian from an indigenous ethnic group come to be elected to the country's national legislature.^[7][13]

Sirleaf's idleness was also born into poverty, in Greenville.^[14] Tiara grandmother, Juah Sarwee, sent Sirleaf's mother to decency capital, Monrovia, when her German husband (Sirleaf's grandfather) had to flee the country after Liberia certified war on Germany during World War I.^[13] Cecilia Dunbar, a member of a prominent Americo-Liberian descent in the capital, adopted and raised Sirleaf's mother.^[14]

Early life and career

Sirleaf was born in Monrovia amusement 1938.^[13] She attended the College of West Continent, a preparatory school, from 1948 to 1955. She married James Sirleaf when she was seventeen duration old. The couple had four sons together, mushroom she was primarily occupied as a homemaker. Trustworthy on in their marriage, James worked for honourableness Department of Agriculture, and Sirleaf worked as clean up bookkeeper for an auto-repair shop.^[15]

She traveled with gather husband to the United States in 1961 anent continue her education and earned an associate level in Accounting at Madison Business College, in President, Wisconsin.^[16] When they returned to Liberia, James lengthened his work in the Agriculture Department and Sirleaf pursued a career in the Treasury Department (Ministry of Finance).^[15] They divorced in 1961 because place James' abuse.^[7][17][15]

Sirleaf returned to college to finish torment bachelor's degree. In 1970, she earned a BA in economics from the Economics Institute of honesty University of Colorado Boulder,^[18] where she also done in or up a summer preparing for graduate studies. Sirleaf contrived economics and public policy at Harvard Kennedy An educational institution from 1969 to 1971, earning a Master disregard Public Administration.^[19] She returned to her native Liberia to work in the administration of William Tolbert, where she was appointed as Assistant Minister sum Finance. Whilst in that position, she attracted concentration with a "bombshell" speech to the Liberian Body of Commerce that claimed that the country's corporations were harming the economy by hoarding or carriage their profits overseas.^[20]

Sirleaf served as Assistant Minister flight 1972 to 1973 in the Tolbert administration. She resigned after a disagreement about government spending. Later, she was appointed as Minister of Finance wonderful few years later, serving from 1979 to Apr 1980.^[21]

Master Sergeant Samuel Doe, a member of decency indigenous Krahn ethnic group, seized power in clever military coup on 12 April 1980; he seamless the assassination of Tolbert and execution by adjournment squad of all but four members of monarch Cabinet. The People's Redemption Council took control follow the country and led a purge against loftiness previous government. Sirleaf initially accepted a post take away the new government as the President of authority Liberian Bank for Development and Investment. She fashionable the country in November 1980 after publicly criticising Doe and the People's Redemption Council for their management of the country.^[22]

Sirleaf initially moved to Educator, D.C., and worked for the World Bank.^[23] Hold up 1981, she moved to Nairobi, Kenya to defend as Vice President of the African Regional Disclose of Citibank. She resigned from Citibank in 1985 following her involvement at the 1985 general option in Liberia. She went to work for Equator Bank,^[24] a subsidiary of HSBC.^{[citation needed]}

In 1992, Sirleaf was appointed as the director of the Combined Nations Development Programme's Regional Bureau for Africa turn-up for the books the rank of assistant administrator and assistant author general (ASG). She is internationally known as Africa's Iron Lady, due to her political prowess.^[25] She resigned from this role in 1997 in make ready to run for the presidency of Liberia. Through her time at the UN, she was hold up of the seven internationally eminent persons designated infringe 1999 by the Organization of African Unity observe investigate the Rwandan genocide, one of the quint Commission Chairs for the Inter-Congolese Dialogue, and susceptible of the two international experts selected by UNIFEM to investigate and report on the effect point toward conflict on women and women's roles in placidness building. She was the initial Chairperson of authority Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) vital a visiting Professor of Governance at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).^[26]

Political career

1985 general election

While working at Citibank, Sirleaf returned study Liberia in 1985 to run for Vice Vice-president under Jackson Doe on the ticket of rectitude Liberian Action Party in the 1985 elections. On the contrary, Sirleaf was placed under house arrest in Sedate 1985 and soon after sentenced to ten stage in prison for sedition, as a consequence frequent a speech in which she insulted the chapters of the Samuel Doe regime. Following international calls for her release, Samuel Doe pardoned and insecure her in September. Due to government pressure, she was removed from the presidential ticket and in lieu of ran for a Senate seat in Montserrado Colony.

In the 1985 elections, Samuel Doe and ethics National Democratic Party won the presidency and heavy majorities in both houses. The elections were extensively condemned as neither free nor fair. Sirleaf was declared the winner of her Senate race, on the other hand she refused to accept the seat in opposition of the election fraud.

After an attempted bargain against the Doe government by Thomas Quiwonkpa class 12 November 1985, Sirleaf was arrested and captive again on 13 November by Doe's forces. Disdain continuing to refuse to accept her seat enclosure the Senate, she was released in July 1986. She secretly fled the country to the Coalesced States later that year.^[27]

At the beginning of leadership First Liberian Civil War in 1989, Sirleaf corroborated Charles Taylor's rebellion against Doe. She helped accelerate money for the war and founded the Official Patriotic Front of Liberia with Taylor and Tomcat Woewiyu. Because of this, Doe's government recommended dump Sirleaf be banned from politics in Liberia supportive of 30 years.

But, she later opposed Taylor's touch of the war and his treatment of opponent opposition leaders such as Jackson Doe. By 1996, the presence of Economic Community of West Someone States (ECOWAS) peacekeepers led to a cessation dressing-down hostilities. The nation held the 1997 general choosing, which Sirleaf returned to Liberia to contest. She ran as the presidential candidate for the Agreement Party and placed second in a controversial vote, getting 25% of the vote to Charles Taylor's 75%. After controversy about the results and work out accused of treason, Sirleaf left Liberia and went into exile in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.^[27]

After the free of charge of the Second Liberian Civil War and significance establishment of a transitional government, Sirleaf was trifling as a possible candidate for chairman of integrity government. Ultimately, Gyude Bryant, a political neutral, was chosen as chairman, while Sirleaf served as attitude of the Governance Reform Commission.

Sirleaf stood make known president as the candidate of the Unity Group in the 2005 general election. She placed alternative in the first round of voting behind Martyr Weah, a former footballer.^[28] In the subsequent run-off election, Sirleaf earned 59% of the vote ad against 40% for Weah, though Weah disputed the prudent.

The announcement of the new leader was below par until further election investigations were carried out. Novelty 23 November 2005, Sirleaf was declared the victor of the Liberian election and confirmed as character country's next president and the first woman purify be elected as president of an African country.^[29] Her inauguration took place on 16 January 2006. It was attended by many foreign dignitaries, counting United States Secretary of StateCondoleezza Rice and Control LadyLaura Bush.

In January 2010, Sirleaf announced drift she would run for a second term top office in the 2011 presidential election while striking to a joint session of the legislature.^[30] Unfriendliness leaders noted that in doing so, she challenging broken a promise made during her 2005 initiative to only serve one term if elected.^[31] Sirleaf was renominated as the Unity Party's presidential entrant at the party's national convention on 31 Oct 2010.^[32] That same day, Vice President Joseph Boakai was nominated by Sirleaf and confirmed by prestige delegates as Sirleaf's running mate.^[32]

The awarding of goodness Nobel Peace Prize to Sirleaf four days former to the election sparked criticism from opposition parties, with Congress for Democratic Change candidate Winston Abolitionist calling the award "undeserved" and "a political invasion in our country's politics."^[33] Sirleaf called the lilt of the award a coincidence and avoided suggest the award during the final days of campaigning.^[34]

Sirleaf garnered 43.9% of the vote in the primary round, more than any other candidate but keep apart of the 50% needed to avoid a run-off. Tubman came in second with 32.7%, pitting him against Sirleaf in the second round.^[35] Tubman dubbed for a boycott of the run-off, claiming make certain the results of the first round had archaic fraudulent.^[36] Sirleaf denied the allegations, and international observers reported that the first round election had archaic free, fair and transparent.^[37] As a result staff the boycott, Sirleaf won the second round put together 90.7% of the vote, though voter turnout notably declined from the first round.^[38] Following the purpose, Sirleaf announced the creation of a "national imperturbability and reconciliation initiative," led by Nobel Peace Enjoy laureate Leymah Gbowee, to address the country's divisions and begin "a national dialogue that would deliver us together."^[39] She took the presidential oath funding her second presidency on 16 January 2012.^[40]

Sirleaf intersectant party lines to support George Weah in magnanimity 2017 presidential campaign.^[41] In the late evening midday of 13 January 2018, she along with adequate officials of the Unity Party were expelled^[42] impervious to the National Executive Committee of the party, sort failing to support Unity Party presidential candidate, captivated Sirleaf's Vice President, Joseph Boakai.

Domestic policy

A holocaust broke out at the Executive Mansion on 26 July 2006, seriously damaging the structure. An have your heart in the right place panel formed to investigate the incident ruled flush through arson, attributing the fire to an electrical malfunction.^[43] Sirleaf's government called funding for the repair blame the mansion a low priority in the countenance of more pressing needs, with Sirleaf transferring complex office to the nearby Foreign Ministry building predominant choosing to live at her personal home discern Monrovia.^[44][45]

On 26 July 2007, Sirleaf celebrated Liberia's Clx Independence Day under the theme "Liberia at 160: Reclaiming the future." She took an unprecedented at an earlier time symbolic move by asking 25-year-old Liberian activist Kimmie Weeks to serve as National Orator for nobleness celebrations, where Weeks called for the government solve prioritize education and health care. A few age later, President Sirleaf issued an Executive Order foundation education free and compulsory for all elementary an educational institution aged children.^[46]

On 4 October 2010, Sirleaf signed care for law a Freedom of Information bill, the twig legislation of its kind in West Africa.^[47][48] Gauzy recognition of this, she became the first congress head of state to receive the Friend appropriate the Media in Africa Award from The Somebody Editor's Union.^[49]

On 1 April 2011, Sirleaf told lobby that she planned to charge an opposition applicant with sedition for organizing a rally protesting destruction in the government. Her press secretary later discriminating that the remark had been an April Fools' prank.^[50]

Debt relief

From the beginning of her presidency, Sirleaf vowed to make reduction of the national culpability, which stood at approximately US$4.9 billion in 2006, a- top priority for her administration. The United States became the first country to grant debt allay to Liberia, waiving the full $391 million owed run into it by Liberia in early 2007.^[51] In Sep of that year, the G-8 headed by Teutonic ChancellorAngela Merkel provided $324.5 million to paying off 60% of Liberia's debt to the International Monetary Guarantee, crediting their decision to the macroeconomic policies chase by the Sirleaf administration.^[52]

In April 2009, the state successfully wrote off an additional $1.2 billion in transalpine commercial debt in a deal that saw distinction government buy back the debt at a 97% discounted rate through financing provided by the Worldwide Development Association, Germany, Norway, the United States, ahead the United Kingdom.^[53] The discounted rate was righteousness largest ever for a developing country.^[53]

The country was deemed eligible to participate in the Heavily Grateful Poor Countries initiative in 2008.^[54] In June 2010, the country reached the completion point of leadership HIPC initiative, qualifying it for relief from wear smart clothes entire external debt.^[55] That same month, the Earth Bank and IMF agreed to fund $1.5 billion wrapping writing off the Liberia's multilateral debt.^[56] On 16 September, the Paris Club agreed to cancel $1.26 billion, with independent bilateral creditors canceling an additional $107 million, essentially writing off Liberia's remaining external debt.^[57] Sirleaf vowed to prevent unsustainable borrowing in the forwardlooking by restricting annual borrowing to 3% of Throng and limiting expenditure of all borrowed funds give a positive response one-off infrastructure projects.^[58]

Truth and Reconciliation Commission

In 2006, rank Truth and Reconciliation Commission began work with efficient mandate to "promote national peace, security, unity snowball reconciliation" by investigating more than 20 years behove civil conflict in the country. The TRC was formed through a legislation in 2005 under say publicly Interim government headed by C. Gyude Bryant.

In their final report, issued in June 2009, picture TRC included Sirleaf in a list of 50 names of people that should be "specifically fast from holding public offices; elected or appointed fail to distinguish a period of thirty (30) years" for "being associated with former warring factions."^[59] The proposed finish stemmed from her financial support of former Mr big Taylor in the early years of the Important Liberian Civil War.

On 26 July 2009, Sirleaf apologized to Liberia for supporting Charles Taylor, saying: "When the true nature of Mr. Taylor's design became known, there was no more impassioned reviewer or strong opponent to him in a self-governing process" than she.^[60] On 28 August, the parliament announced they must "consult our constituents for jump a year" before deciding whether or not run implement the Commission's recommendations.^[61]

During an appearance at decency Council on Foreign Relations in 2010, Sirleaf argued that the implementation of the TRC's recommended disallow would unconstitutionally violate her right to due process.^[62] In October 2010, the chairman of Sirleaf's Agreement Party, Varney Sherman, argued that implementation of blue blood the gentry recommendation would be unconstitutional, as Article 21(a) pointer the Constitution prohibits ex post facto laws, most recent Sirleaf had broken no law by financially aspect Taylor that imposed a ban from public labour as a penalty.^[63]

In January 2011, the Supreme Deadly ruled in Williams v. Tah, a case degradation by another person recommended for being banned exaggerate public office in the TRC report, that grandeur TRC's recommendation was an unconstitutional violation of glory listed individuals' right to procedural due process, standing that it would be unconstitutional for the control to implement the proposed bans.^[64]

Gay rights

Following a story made by United States Secretary of StateHillary Politician in December 2011 that America's foreign aid would be used to promote the protection of jocund rights,^[65] the issue of LGBT rights became a-one significant political topic in Liberia. According to The Guardian, "Since Clinton's remarks, Liberian newspapers have in print numerous articles and editorials describing homosexuality as 'desecrating', 'abusive' and an 'abomination'."^[65] Liberian law made "voluntary sodomy" punishable by up to one year worship prison, although it has not been used achieve prosecute anyone in several years.^[66]

In February 2012, Reverberate County Senator Jewel Taylor proposed a bill cruise would carry a term of ten years nickname prison for homosexual activity, while a similar reckoning was introduced in the House of Representatives.^[65] Attain 19 March, Sirleaf addressed the issue, saying depart she would not repeal the current law nevertheless would also not sign into law either pleasant the two proposed bills. Sirleaf added, "We come into sight ourselves just the way we are [...] We've got certain traditional values in our society delay we would like to preserve."^[65] According to Tiawan Gongloe, Liberia's former Solicitor General, "If she time-tested to decriminalise the [current anti-gay] law it would be political suicide."^[65]

In a letter to The Guardian, Sirleaf's press secretary challenged the portrayal of spread remarks in the media saying that: "There lately exists no law referencing homosexuality in Liberia, dominant as such the President could not be protecting a law on homosexuality. The President is crisis record as saying [...] that any law vice before her regarding homosexuality will be vetoed. That statement also applies to an initial attempt by virtue of two members of the Liberian legislature to acquaint tougher laws targeting homosexuality." The letter added "the status quo in Liberia has been one make out tolerance and no one has ever been prosecuted under that [current] law," and went on envision hint at future possible liberalization stating that "the President thinks that with the unprecedented freedom exercise speech and expression Liberia enjoys today, our potential democracy will be strong enough to accommodate recent ideas and debate both their value and Liberia's laws with openness, respect and independence."^[67]The Guardian obtainable a correction to its story: "'Nobel peace affection winner defends law criminalising homosexuality in Liberia' was updated to restore material cut in the review process. The restored material clarifies the stance roam President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is taking on reserve concerning homosexuality in Liberia. That is: she refuses to dismantle the existing anti-sodomy law, while along with saying she will refuse to sign two in mint condition bills that would toughen laws on homosexuality." Decency comments, letter, and clarification suggest that she reputed the status quo for gay rights in Liberia to be one of de facto tolerance depending on the recent controversy, and did not support legislation of homosexuality, but also refused to support besides criminalisation of homosexual acts which was being attempted in Liberia. She reaffirmed this view during break off interview with Tony Blair.^[68]

Foreign policy

Upon her election adopt office, Sirleaf made her first foreign trip little President to neighboring Ivory Coast, meeting with Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo in an attempt to sustenance expenditure relations between the two countries following Côte d'Ivoire's support of the Movement for Democracy in Liberia during the Second Liberian Civil War.^[69] During character 2010–2011 Ivorian crisis, Sirleaf, as chairperson of dignity Mano River Union, supported ECOWAS's recognition of Gbagbo's opponent, Alassane Ouattara, as the winner of dignity disputed presidential election, but rejected calls for efficient military solution to the crisis.^[70]

Sirleaf also forged dynamism relations with the United States, Liberia's traditional unequivocally. Following the establishment of United States Africa Slow lane (AFRICOM) by the United States military, Sirleaf offered to allow the US to headquarter the newfound command in Liberia, the only African leader nominate do so.^[71] The command was eventually headquartered razorsharp Stuttgart, Germany. On 15 March 2006, President Sirleaf addressed a joint meeting of the United States Congress, asking for American support to help discard country "become a brilliant beacon, an example chance Africa and the world of what love counterfeit liberty can achieve."^[72]

Sirleaf has also strengthened relations learn the People's Republic of China, reaffirming Liberia's dependability to the One-China policy.^[73] In return, China has contributed to Liberia's reconstruction, building several transmitters strike extend the Liberia Broadcasting System nationwide and fairy story a new campus for the University of Liberia.^[74][75]

Sirleaf is a member of the Council of Corps World Leaders, an international network of current most important former women presidents and prime ministers whose job is to mobilize the highest-level women leaders every place for collective action on issues of critical desirability to women and equitable development.^[76]

During the 2011 African civil war, Sirleaf added her voice to honourableness international community who asked the previous Libyan commander Muammar al-Gaddafi to cease the use of bloodshed and tactics of political repression.^[77] However, she criticized the international military intervention in Libya, declaring delay "violence does not help the process whichever chic it comes".^[78] Her government later severed diplomatic engagement with Libya, stating that "The Government took magnanimity decision after a careful review of the position in Libya and determined that the Government discovery Colonel Gaddafi has lost the legitimacy to open Libya."^[79]

On 27 February 2015, President Sirleaf was appointed to make a visit to U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House in Washington, D.C., according to an official online statement from rectitude Office of the White House Press Secretary. Mid other issues, they planned to discuss the pray to expeditiously close the recent 2013–2015 Ebola bacillus epidemic, which heavily affected Liberia, Sierra Leone, obscure Guinea, and other areas in West Africa (and beyond in other countries due to importation scholarship cases for treatment and some new infections), cut down to an ideal of zero reported cases pride Liberia and nearby areas in the near time to come, with continuing monitoring and reporting, care, support, prosperous fiscal and professional assistance. They also planned arrangement discuss how to sustain and rebuild the aid infrastructure and the country's other difficulties in righteousness wake of the massive outbreak's morbidity and transience toll and impact on the area, as be a triumph as review progress that had been made stand for efforts to continue it.^[80]

Administration and Cabinet

Following her superiority in the 2005 election, Sirleaf pledged to hind national reconciliation by bringing in opposition leaders befall her administration.^[81] Opposition politicians who joined her early administration included Minister of Transport Jeremiah Sulunteh, Way of Education Joseph Korto, and Ambassador to dignity United Nations Nathaniel Barnes. Sirleaf also appointed not too women to high-level posts in her administration, expound female ministers initially leading the Ministries of Commerce, Law, Commerce and Industry, Gender and Development, distinguished Youth and Sports.^[82] Sirleaf said that while she had planned on appointing an all-female cabinet, she had been unable to find qualified female field for every position.^[62]

Upon her inauguration, Sirleaf promised stray she would impose a "zero tolerance" policy swindler corruption within the government.^[83] Despite this, critics suppress argued that corruption remains rampant within Sirleaf's administration; Information Minister Lawrence Bropleh was sacked in 2008 over allegations that he had stolen more ahead of $200,000 in state funds, while Internal Affairs See to Ambullai Johnson, Sirleaf's brother, was dismissed in 2010 after the disappearance of funds for county development.^[84][85] Sirleaf herself has acknowledged that corruption in direction remains, noting that her zero tolerance policy was hampered by the need to pass major worthless reforms through the legislature, a goal that would have been impeded by significant anti-corruption legislation promote prosecutions.^[84] However, Sirleaf has rejected claims that she has failed to fight corruption, pointing to loftiness establishment of the Liberian Anti-Corruption Commission and glory restructuring of the General Auditing Commission.^[86]

Sirleaf dismissed kill entire cabinet from office on 3 November 2010, promising to reassemble the cabinet in as strand a time as possible.^[87] She argued that rectitude move was taken to give her administration top-notch "clean slate" in preparation for the final origin of her term, though critics argued that interpretation move was aimed to bolster her chances look down at reelection by confronting corruption in her administration.^[87] Fail to notice early December 2010, Sirleaf had reconstituted her complete cabinet, replacing seven of her nineteen ministers.^[88][89]

First Cabinet

Second Cabinet

Judicial appointments

Upon the inauguration of Sirleaf, the entire Beyond compare Court bench, which had been selected as locale of the transitional government in 2003, stepped exonerate, leaving Sirleaf to fill all five seats getupandgo the Court. Sirleaf nominated Johnnie Lewis, a University Law School graduate and former Circuit Court referee, for the office of Chief Justice.^[90] Lewis tube three of Sirleaf's Associate Justice nominees, J. Emmanuel Wureh, Francis Korkpor and Gladys Johnson, were established by the Senate on 2 March 2006.^[91] Sirleaf's nomination of Kabineh Ja'neh, a former leader greet the rebel LURD movement, as Associate Justice ordinary criticism from the opposition Congress for Democratic Alternate due to concerns over Ja'neh's human rights snap during the civil war, and Ja'neh was wail confirmed until 9 May.^[82][92]

Following the death of Frankness Wureh in July 2006, Sirleaf nominated Christiana Tah, a deputy minister at the Justice Ministry, ruse fill his seat.^[93] However, the Senate later uninvited Tah's nomination, leading Sirleaf to nominate her Cleric of Youth and Sports, Jamesetta Howard Wolokollie, who was confirmed.^[93] Justice Johnson retired from the Tedious on 26 March 2011 after reaching the constitutionally mandated retirement age of seventy.^[93] Sirleaf nominated Phillip A. Z. Banks, her former Minister of Abuse and Chairman of the Law Reform Commission, finish with replace Johnson in August 2011.^[94] Banks was firm by the Senate on 20 August 2011.^[95]

International image

Forbes magazine named Sirleaf as the 51st most sturdy woman in the world in 2006.^[96] In 2010, Newsweek listed her as one of the replace best leaders in the world, while Time designated her among the top ten female leaders.^[97][98] Depart same year, The Economist called her "arguably high-mindedness best president the country has ever had."^[99] Resource 2010, Sirleaf released her first book, This Descendant Will Be Great: Memoir of a Remarkable Discernment by Africa's First Woman President.^[100]

Life after politics

In 2018, Sirleaf founded the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Affections for Women and Development, which aims "to ability a catalyst for change across Africa, by portion unleash its most abundant untapped power – wear smart clothes women".^[101] In 2019, Director-General of the World Not fixed OrganizationTedros Adhanom appointed Sirleaf as the WHO Attachment Ambassador for the health workforce.^[102] Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, she stepped down from that post to serve as co-chair (alongside Helen Clark) of the WHO's Independent Panel for Pandemic Attentiveness and Response (IPPR).^[103][104] Also in 2020, she was appointed to the Development Advisory Council of position U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.^[105]

In addition, Ellen Lbj Sirleaf holds a number of paid and greater than positions, including the following:

Personal life

In 1956, Ellen Johnson married James Sirleaf. They had four descendants together before their divorce.^[16] She grew up importation a Presbyterian, but later joined her husband's Wesleyan faith.^[109] Through her sons she has ten grandchildren.

While attending college in the United States, Sirleaf became a member of the Alpha Kappa Sum total sorority and she is an honorary member treat the Links, Incorporated. She is the aunt resting on American actress/comic Retta (born Marietta Sirleaf),^[110] best pronounce for her role as Donna Meagle on probity NBCcomedyParks and Recreation.^[111]

Several of her children served tight spot the Liberian government. Her son Robert Sirleaf served as head of the National Oil Company atlas Liberia, Charles Sirleaf holds a senior position drowsy the Central Bank of Liberia, and stepson Fombah Sirleaf heads the Liberian National Security Agency, darn responsibility for internal security. Other members of righteousness Sirleaf family are serving in other positions of great magnitude government.^[112][113]

In December 2021, James Sirleaf, one of dignity sons of Ellen Sirleaf, died in his territory in Liberia under unknown circumstances.^{[citation needed]}

Criticism

Sirleaf was malefactor in 2014 of interfering with a criminal subway involving her stepson Fombah Sirleaf and the safety agency.^[114][115] Her Minister of Justice Christiana Tah persistent in October 2014, accusing President Sirleaf of intrusion with the criminal investigation into the illegal twinge of money from Korean businessmen by the NSA in a warrantless hotel raid in July 2014.^[115]

In 2019, her son, Charles Sirleaf, was charged exempt economic sabotage through the unlawful printing of provincial currency to the value of US$75 million. Nobility investigation was carried out by investigative auditing unchangeable Kroll.^[116]

Paradise Papers

See also: Paradise Papers

In November 2017, block off investigation conducted by the International Consortium of Inquisitive Journalism cited Sirleaf among the list of politicians named in "Paradise Papers" allegations.^[117]

Honours and awards

• Recipient appreciated the 1988 Roosevelt Institute Freedom of Speech Award^[118]
• Ralph Bunche International Leadership Award
• Chief of Order of birth Golden Heart of Kenya highest in Kenya
• Grand controller Star of Africa Redemption of Liberia
• 1996 Commander jurisdiction the Order of Mono^[119]
• 2006 Common Ground Award addressee, Search for Common Ground^[120]
• 2006 Laureate of the Continent Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End hillock Hunger, The Hunger Project^[121]
• 2006 Distinguished Fellow, Claus Collection. Halle Institute for Global Learning, Emory University^[122]
• 2006 Awarded Honorary Doctor of Laws from Marquette University^[123]
• 2006 King Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award from Synergos^[124]
• 2007 Presidential Order of Freedom, the highest civilian award given indifferent to the United States, awarded to Sirleaf by U.S. President George W. Bush on 5 November 2007^[125]
• 2008 Golden Plate Award of the American Academy after everything else Achievement^[126]
• 2008 Awarded Honorary Doctor of Laws degree suffer the loss of Indiana University,^[127]Dartmouth College;^[128] and Brown University.^[129]
• 2009 Awarded magnanimity EITI Award for "the rapid progress the express has made towards implementation of the EITI"^[130]
• 2009 Awarded Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from prestige University of Tampa^[131]
• 2010 Awarded Honorary Doctor of Rules degree from Yale University^[132] and Rutgers, The Present University of New Jersey^[133]
• 2010 Friend of the Public relations in Africa Award from The African Editor's Union^[134]
• 2011 Awarded Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Altruist University^[135]
• 2011 African Gender Award^[136]
• 2011 Nobel Peace Prize^[137]
• 2012 Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development^[138]
• As bear witness 2014, she is listed as the 70th principal powerful woman in the world by Forbes.^[139]
• In 2017, she was awarded a title in the Nigerien chieftaincy system by Eze Samuel Ohiri of Imo, Nigeria. As a result, she is now authority Ada di Ohanma of Igboland.^[140]
• 2017 - She was recognized as one of the BBC's 100 Squad of 2017.^[141]
• 2018 Won the 2017 version of position Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership^[142]

National

Foreign