SINCE DECEMBER 1, 2023 President-elect Joe N. Boakai has been in the United States (U.S) lobbying international support, according to Unity Party (UP) stalwarts and sources within Mr. Boakai’s inner circle. A barrage of photos coming from the U.S. shows the president-elect standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Alice Albright, the CEO of the Millennium Challenge Compact (MCC). The irony of the image is similar to President George M. Weah seen in a friendly photo with former U.S. Ambassador Michael McCarthy playing basketball while at the same time badmouthing and sanctioning officials in his government.
THE INCOMING ADMINISTRATION was hopeful that with President Weah administration passing the MCC, the UP-led government had hope that Liberia would have benefited at least $500m award usually associated with the process. Unfortunately, it appears the president-elect lobby in the U.S. failed to gain traction. Meanwhile, six of the countries selected as eligible for compact assistance for FY 2024 were previously selected for FY 2023, they include Ivory Coast, Senegal, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Togo, and Zambia. Other countries include Cape Verde, Tanzania, and the Philippines as beneficiaries of the new compact.
THE FACT THAT MR. BOAKAI was in the U.S. long before December 13, 2023 when the MCC’s Board made the selection, undermines the UP campaign and post-election rhetoric that Mr. Boakai holds a powerful international sway compared to his soon-to-be predecessor President Weah. Worse of all, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone scored lower than Liberia in the MCC, and yet they were selected for the MCC award. Additionally, unlike Sierra Leone and Guinea that are former British and French colonies, respectively, one would have thought that Liberia with its current economic vulnerability would have been of a greater significance to the U.S. considering traditional ties of the two nations. This fail begs the question, “Where did Boakai go wrong?”
UNDERSTANDABLY, UNITY PARTY OFFICIALS, partisans, and supporters would like to consider this fail a nonissue. However, this fail is most certainly going to cast a huge shadow over the Liberia people’s confidence in Mr. Boakai’s boast of having international influence and deep ties on the international scene, especially with the U.S. government. Whether Mr. Boakai’s inner circle or party officials will admit it or not, this was a litmus test of Mr. Boakai influence in the U.S. and he failed miserably.
References:
1. MCC Award Reports: https://www.federalregister.gov/…/report-on-the…
2. MCC Scorecard: https://assets.mcc.gov/…/reference-2022001273101-fy23…
Dr. Clarence R. Pearson, Sr. is a Liberian clergy and social scientist with strong interest in advancing global peace, human rights, a safe planet, and social equity. He holds a BA in Theology, and MA with distinction from the Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation, University of Liberia. He also graduated with honor from the Louisiana Baptist University and Seminary, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA with A PhD in Psychology and Counseling. Dr. Pearson is a social researcher, an educator, and an author. He has over 29 years of practical professional experience in post-conflict peace-building, recovery, and development with emphasis in both the public and private sector.