Monrovia – Long before she threw her hat in the ring to contest the Liberian Presidency in the 2023, Sara Nyanti Beyslow enjoyed a colorful career as a United Nations diplomat, following the footsteps of Ambassador Winston Tubman. Beysolow, an international development expert and pastor went on to form the African Liberation League and managed to secure 3,644 votes for 0.20 percent. She endorsed the Unity Party and Joseph Boakai in the second round and was rewarded with a nomination as Minister of Foreign Affairs, owing mostly to her last post as Deputy Special Representative in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.
By Rodney D. Sieh, [email protected]
In the days that followed her nomination, Beysolow has been engulfed in a major scandal surrounding her education credentials, which is now threatening to disrupt her chances of becoming Dean of the Boakai administration’s cabinet.
Aware of the controversy dogging her for the past few weeks, Beysolow recently posted on her Facebook page: “I have read the posts and heard the lies and disinformation being spued. When I am given the chance to serve the people of Liberia as I have served other nations, I will be prepared to defend my record and my legitimate and hard-earned credentials before the Senate.”
Beysolow’s day has arrived.
At about 2pm Thursday, Beysolow will face the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs where she will get a chance in what is poised to be one of the most closely watched confirmation hearings in recent memory.
FrontPageAfrica has been privy to about a dozen pages of education credentials submitted by Beysolow to the Committee.
Among the papers presented are a résumé showing an ongoing pursuit of a doctorate degree in Transformational leadership at Bakke Graduate University, a 2021 master’s in management and leadership from the Western Governors University.
At the time she was receiving her Masters, Beysolow was the UN Resident Coordinator and Head of the UN Development System in Nepal.
Where it gets tricky is that the résumé shows that Beysolow also obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from the same Western Governors University in the same 2021.
Beysolow also lists as part of her credentials a 2014, Accredited Global Partnership Broker from the Partnership Brokers Association in the United Kingdom and an Advances in Social Norms Course she says was completed with high distinction in July 2012.
Additionally, Beysolow lists a Health Policy Financing Course: Achieving Results for Children from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and UNICEF in 2009.
Beysolow also lists an Evidence-Based Social Policy Analysis Course from the University of Maastricht, The Netherlands, also obtained in 2009, an MPA in Public Administration from Andrew Jackson University, Alabama, USA (New Charter University) and a Registered Medical Assistant certificate from the Georgia Medical Institute.
What’s the Issue?
On paper, Beysolow’s credentials appear to be legitimate but some Senators speaking to FrontPageAfrica this week are concerned about the MPA she earned in 2007 from Andrew Jackson University (New Charter University), both not regionally accredited and defunct. The school is now called Bottega University: https://bottega.edu/mission-history/
Secondly, Bottega’s graduate admissions requires a bachelor’s degree: Graduate Admission Requirements Copy of a valid government issued ID required for identity verification bachelor’s degree proof of completion Official transcripts from all previously attended colleges or universities.
Thirdly, Beysolow earned her bachelor’s in business admin from Western Governors University in 2021 and a master’s in management and leadership from the same university (Western Governors University) in the same year (2021).
According to the School’s website, to be considered for this master’s program, students must: Submit a transcript verifying receipt of your bachelor’s degree from a recognized, accredited institution. NOTE: You do not need to take the GRE or GMAT to be admitted to this program: https://www.wgu.edu/online-business-degrees/management-leadership-masters-program.html
One of the million-dollar questions Beysolow will be grilled on today is, how did she enter the master’s program at Western Governors University without a bachelor’s degree?
As Minister of Foreign Affairs, Beysolow is expected to be the face of Liberia in the diplomatic community. This is why some Senators are keen to hear from the horse’s mouth how her résumé adds up.
Wheeling & Dealing Likely
Confirmation hearings for Foreign Minister nominees are often contentious, controversial, and not without hitches.
In September 2020, President Weah’s nominee, Dee Maxwell Kemayah had his nomination halted as the Senate’s Committee on Foreign Relations probed allegations levied by Madam Cummings Wilson against the nominee amid an anti – rape protest.
Mr. Kemayah denied the allegations at the time and was eventually confirmed but former Senator Commany Wesseh (River Gee County) was keen to ensure that the Senate made sure that the person Liberia has out there as Foreign Minister was the legitimate person to represent the people of Liberia.
At the time, Senator Wesseh declared that the Executive Branch needed to take into consideration some comments that come out when nominees appear before the Senate for confirmation.
FrontPageAfrica has learned from the corridors of the Senate that despite the questions surrounding Beysolow’s confirmation, the usual wheeling and dealing the characterizes the Senate cannot be ruled out. “Well Senator Darius Dillon’s relative is nominated to be Education Minister. So, we could see some compromises, but it will all depend on how Beysolow makes her case,” said a Senate committee member who preferred anonymity.
A Daunted Assignment Awaits
For Beysolow and her quest to be Foreign Minister, a ton of work awaits her should she survive what is expected to be a brutal confirmation hearing.
The ministry has endured a rocky period over the past six years amid lingering and familiar issues regarding the country’s passport falling into the wrong hands. The ministry has also been rocked by multiple scandals over the past few years. Back in September 2020, the United States designated Andrew Wonplo who was then Liberia’s Director of Passport and Visas for his alleged involvement in “passport fraud that undermined the rule of law, reduced the Liberian public’s faith in their government’s management of identification and travel documents, and compromised the integrity and security of immigration processes.” Three years on, the illicit issuance of Liberian diplomatic passports remains a menace the country is grappling with.
The Liberian passport is currently ranked 91st among global passports, according to the Guide Passport Ranking Index.
On the campaign trail, Mr. Boakai was critical of Liberia’s foreign policy under the Weah-led government especially following President Weah’s order suspending the issuance of Liberian diplomatic passports. The issue of the passports prompted many to raise alarm that the recent discovery of Liberian ECOWAS diplomatic passports in the possession of several money launderers and international criminals projects an image of a country that is turning into a criminal enterprise in the eyes of the international community.
One of the most pressing dilemmas at the ministry needing urgent address is the issue of staffers stationed abroad living in dire straits. The outgoing government left vacuums at various embassies that were never filled over the past years. If confirmed, Beysolow will be tasked with not just addressing the plight of diplomatic staffers but restoring respectability to the foreign service.
Allegations of credentials aside, Beysolow comes with a high profile, most recently serving the Deputy Special Representative in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and Resident Coordinator in South Sudan. She has more than 20 years of experience in international development and humanitarian affairs including in conflict and post-conflict settings, most recently serving as Resident Coordinator in Nepal (2021). Nyanti previously served as United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative in Yemen (2019-2020) and in The Gambia (2015-2017). Prior to her senior-level representational roles, she served in numerous technical capacities in UNICEF and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) related to setting up systems for large scale grant management, social protection/cash transfers, HIV/AIDS, health, and education.
Before joining the United Nations in Liberia where she worked during the conflict and transitional government periods, Beysolow-Nyanti held senior positions in the Ministry of Health of the Government of Liberia (1999-2003). She served as the Director of the National AIDS Control Programme and prior to that, she served as Special Assistant to the Minister of Health.
While she came to the party late in the second round of last year’s elections, Beysolow will face a ministry known to be widely political with lots of infighting. If confirmed, Beysolow will be entering a rugged system and could struggle to adapt to such a polarizing environment. But first, the attention now centers on her confirmation Thursday and her ability to defend herself against the noise and allegations over her education credentials.