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OO RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHMV #0098/01 0321513
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 011513Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY MONROVIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9717
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MONROVIA 000098 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W PDAVIS 
INR BGRAVES 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KCRM KCOR EAID ECON LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: PRESIDENT'S 2008 ANNUAL MESSAGE TO 
LEGISLATURE 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY.  In her Annual Message to the Legislature 
January 28, President Sirleaf called corruption Liberia's 
"number one enemy" and asked the Legislature to pass the 
draft bills establishing the Anti-Corruption Commission and 
the Code of Conduct for Public Servants soon.  She also asked 
the Governance Commission to recommend amendments to 
"modernize" the Constitution within the next two years. 
Sirleaf called the U.S. Liberia's "key (bilateral) partner" 
and repeatedly highlighted specific USG assistance.  She said 
she felt "honored" to receive the U.S. Presidential Medal of 
Freedom and closed by welcoming President and Mrs. Bush's 
visit next month.  The full text of the speech is available 
on the Executive Mansion's website at: 
www.emansion.gov.lr/doc/2007annual msg.pdf.  END SUMMARY. 
 
ACHIVEMENTS OF 2007 
------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) In her second Annual Message to a special joint 
session of Congress on January 28, President Sirleaf reviewed 
the achievements of her Administration over the last year 
including the reconstruction and retraining of the Armed 
Forces of Liberia and the Liberian National Police; growth in 
agriculture, investment, banking, and mining; progress on 
debt relief and resolution of government arrears; and 
improved education, health care, and infrastructure.  She 
thanked donors for their across-the-board support, and 
thanked the Legislature for its ratification of the 
Telecommunications Act, the Governance Commission Act, and an 
amendment to the Labor Practices Law. 
 
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR 2008: FIGHT CORRUPTION 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) President Sirleaf called corruption Liberia's "number 
one enemy" and vowed to prosecute any government official at 
any level for corrupt behavior.  She asked the Congress to 
consider and pass several draft acts (that have already been 
submitted including the Investment and revised Revenue Codes) 
as soon as possible as they have "important implications for 
the resolution of the debt problem" and for attracting 
investment.  She asked that the Legislature "give the 
Administration the teeth to deal with this evil" of 
corruption by passing the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, the 
Code of Conduct Act for Public Officials, the Act to Amend 
the Penal Law to classify all corruption as criminal, an act 
to limit the ability to transfer between budget lines, and an 
act to merge the Bureau of the Budget into the Ministry of 
Finance.  (Note: The latter two are benchmarks for Liberia's 
post arrears clearance IMF program.) 
 
UPCOMING INITIATIVES FOR 2008 
----------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Sirleaf said she would submit during the present 
session several draft bills for consideration, including the 
National Defense Act, the Security Sector Reform Act, a draft 
amendment to the Act Establishing the Independent National 
Commission on Human Rights, a Freedom of Information Law, a 
Whistleblower Statute, and the creation of the Liberia 
Airport Authority.  She noted she would also seek legislative 
approval for several concession agreements with foreign 
investors.  She also said that as a courtesy, and in the 
spirit of cooperation, the Executive Branch would continue to 
forward concession agreements on oil exploration to Congress 
for its approval. 
 
CONSTITUTION NEEDS TO BE "MODERNIZED" 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) Sirleaf said it was time that the GOL modernize its 
Constitution to reflect the current practices of government. 
She called upon the Governance Commission to embark upon a 
thoughtful and fully consultative process to review the 
Constitution and make recommendations within the next two 
years.  She suggested that amendments to the Constitution 
ought to include land reform, the election of county 
superintendents, mayors and other local officials, as well as 
reduction of the length of tenure of the office of the 
President, Vice President, and Members of the Legislature. 
She did not mention redefining the criteria for Liberian 
citizenship or land ownership.  (Note: Only Liberian citizens 
can own land and only persons of the negro race can be 
Liberian citizens.) 
 
GRATITUDE FOR U.S. ASSISTANCE TO LIBERIA 
---------------------------------------- 
 
MONROVIA 00000098  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6. (U) President Sirleaf called the United States Liberia's 
"key (bilateral) partner" and repeatedly listed the U.S. 
first in her acknowledgement of donor partners.  She 
highlighted the USG work on infrastructure, particularly the 
renovation of the Capitol Building and the Temple of Justice. 
 She also praised U.S. support on electricity, adding that it 
had allowed the power supply to reach two of Monrovia's 
suburbs, Congotown and Paynesville.  Although she had high 
praise for the OPIC-funded Liberian Enterprise Development 
Finance Company, she mistakenly attributed the funding to a 
private U.S. citizen who is providing lending to operate the 
fund, rather than highlighting OPIC's contribution. 
 
¶7. (U) Regarding education, Sirleaf thanked USAID for the 
launch of the Liberia Teacher Training Program and added that 
the return of the Peace Corps could further enhance this 
effort.  She looked forward to more details about Liberia's 
inclusion in President Bush's International Education 
Initiative.  She was also pleased that the American 
International School of Monrovia reopened and welcomed U.S. 
support to renovate part of the University of Liberia's 
Fendell campus. 
 
¶8. (U) On health, the President lauded medical teams from 
five U.S. universities and the Mercy Ship who came to share 
their skills with Liberia last year.  She cited as well the 
USG renovation of the Tubman National Institute for Medical 
Arts.  She encouraged the agriculture sector to explore 
production of non-traditional crops that could be exported to 
the United States under Liberia's new AGOA eligibility.  She 
also mentioned the Liberian Civil Aviation Authority's "Open 
Skies" Agreement concluded with the United States in February 
¶2007. 
 
¶9. (U) Finally, Sirleaf said that she felt "honored" and 
"privileged" to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom 
from President Bush as well as the Civil Rights Museum Award 
and the National Democratic Institute's Harriman Award.  She 
closed the speech by asking all Liberians to help her welcome 
President and Mrs. Bush to the country during their upcoming 
visit. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) Sirleaf's 2008 Annual Message was a solid summary 
of the accomplishments and intentions of a dynamic 
administration working in a difficult post-conflict 
environment.  The speech was well received, except for 
moments of awkward silence by some in the audience following 
the anti-corruption points.  The passage of the 
Anti-Corruption Commission Act and a Code of Conduct Act for 
Public Officials is crucial to Liberia's efforts to reach the 
completion point of the Highly Indebted Poor Country debt 
clearance process.  The Legislature appears to have made 
these bills a priority.  President Sirleaf's emphasis on U.S. 
contributions to Liberia's reconstruction help set the stage 
for a warm welcome for President Bush.  When she asked 
Liberians to join her in welcoming President and Mrs. Bush to 
Liberia, there was thunderous applause. 
Booth