The Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) leader and departing president of Liberia, George M. Weah, has declared his retirement from public office.
Weah made the unexpected announcement that he would not run in the 2029 presidential and legislative elections. The declaration was given at his Forky Klon Jlaleh family fellowship Church in Paynesville during a service.
Weah, who is currently 57 years old, said he will be getting near retirement age in 2029.
“I can’t perform certain duties when I’m old, and I’m 57 now, our retirement age is 65, I’m 57 now; six years from now, I will be 63 and I can’t work for two years; so the best thing to do is to promote peace,” Weah said.
In 2017, the football icon turned politician was chosen to serve as Liberia’s 25th President. During his term, he worked to improve the nation’s infrastructure, healthcare, and education systems while also trying to draw in foreign capital to strengthen the economy. But criticism of his presidency also centered on the lack of speedy progress in tackling the nation’s pervasive corruption.
Many Liberians and political analysts have speculated about Weah’s surprise resignation and the reasons behind it since he announced his decision to retire. With this statement, Liberia’s political landscape undergoes a major change, paving the way for the country’s upcoming period of leadership.
During his term from 2018 to 2024, George Weah, the 25th President of Liberia, accomplished tremendous progress in a number of areas. These are a few of his major accomplishments:
- Education: Weah has prioritized expanding educational opportunities.
- Healthcare: He improved the industry by implementing reforms in this area.
- Economic Growth: Weah pushed for boosting the economy and generating job opportunities. Under his leadership, exchange rate stability was attained and inflation dropped from 30% to 7%.
- Corruption: He made efforts to fight the nation’s pervasive corruption.
- Infrastructure Development: During his term, infrastructure development was his main priority.
- Social Protection: Weah achieved progress in the fields of social protection and gender.
Weah’s efforts helped Liberia progress, and his presidency signified an important time in the nation’s history.
Keeping Liberia’s Peace
During his presidency, George Weah was also instrumental in keeping Liberia peaceful. The progress Liberia had achieved toward peace over the previous 14 years was largely maintained thanks to his leadership.
Weah’s government was distinguished by its dedication to sustainable and inclusive development, tackling Liberia’s unfulfilled peacebuilding objectives. He underlined how crucial peace is to development, saying that sustainable development is the only path to lasting peace. The National Development Agenda for 2018–2024, which connected the accomplishment of the Sustainable Development Goals to peacebuilding initiatives, demonstrated this commitment.
In addition, Weah started the National Peace Dialogues, emphasizing the lasting effects of war on people’s lives. He conveyed gratitude for UNMIL, the UN peacekeeping force stationed in his nation, pointing out that it provided stability and assisted in the reconstruction of Liberia’s institutions and communities.
Throughout his administration, George Weah shown a strong dedication to both development and peace. His actions have had a long-lasting effect on Liberia, advancing the stability and development of the nation.
Liberian-born Emmanuel Orlind Cooper is an accomplished multimedia journalist with extensive experience covering news and stories on a variety of media platforms. Orlind's work frequently demonstrates his profound grasp of the region and its complexity, given his Liberian heritage.
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