U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield delivered keynote remarks at the official inaugural ball for newly elected Liberian President Joseph Boakai on Monday.
Speaking before a crowded ballroom of Liberian government officials, business leaders and citizens, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield congratulated President Boakai and Vice President Koung on their election victory. She praised Liberia’s peaceful democratic transition of power, calling it “especially important given the democratic backsliding we have seen across West Africa.”
The Ambassador underscored the long history between Liberia and the United States, referencing the arrival of free African Americans in the 19th century. “The story of Liberia and me is so much bigger than me. It’s a story that is fundamentally about freedom, and what it means to fight for it, again and again,” she said.
However, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield also delivered tough words on the issue of corruption, calling it “the antithesis of democracy.
” She stated, “When bribery dictates an education system, students are robbed of opportunity. When money is stolen from government coffers, infrastructure suffers and roads go unfinished.”
The Ambassador urged business leaders to help hold government accountable and introduce regulations to “level the playing field.” She also spoke of the dangers of factionalism and disunity, saying Liberians must “continue to choose democracy over corruption and unity over division – not just on election day, but every single day.”
In closing, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield pledged continued U.S. support for Liberia’s newly elected government, stating “you have an ally in me, and you have an ally in the United States.”
