Monrovia – In diplomacy the leadership of any country has a clear priority in terms of building relationship with other countries.
Sometimes a change of leadership results to a shift in international policies and relationship between countries as every new leader has priorities in terms of which countries to improve collaboration with and which ones to play a low key profile.
Without doubt Liberia enjoyed a stronger relationship with the regime of former American President George W. Bush which led to Bush selecting Liberia amongst many other African countries during his visit to Africa while serving as President.
While big and powerful African countries were wishing for the glorious opportunity to have a sitting United States President visit their country, Bush opted to prioritize Liberia due to the relationship with the President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf regime.
During the same regime of President Bush, United States Secretary of State Hilary Clinton also visited Liberia, all an indication that the regime of President Sirleaf had strong relationship with the Bush regime.
The regime of President Barrack Obama has seen a slightly different trend as Liberia was not amongst the African countries visited by President Obama during his tour of Africa which took him to Ghana and other countries and Secretary of State John Kerry is yet to visit here.
Former President Bush was considered a key ally to the Sirleaf regime and that was further shown by the increased in US aid to Liberia during the Bush regime. After Bush, US aid to Liberia has dropped significantly and a recent FrontPageAfrica investigation found a decline of up to 50%.
Another ally exit
On Wednesday, Theresa May officially took over as new Prime Minister of Great Britain. Mrs. May who is the UK’s second female Prime Minister, after Margaret Thatcher is undoubtedly replacing a key ally to President Sirleaf.
Outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron and President Sirleaf worked closely at the level of the United Nations with the both serving on the High Level Panel on the Post -2015 Development Agenda.
In 2015 President Sirleaf served as Chair on the High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda while Prime Minister Cameron served as Co-Chair.
Prime Minister Cameron attended the High level panel discussion held in Monrovia in 2013 where he called on the world to eradicate extreme poverty.
Cameron rallies Support for Liberia
During his visit to Liberia for the panel discussion, the Prime Minister visited a school along with President Sirleaf and called for support to the country.
“Liberia is a country that was absolutely devastated by conflict and civil war” Cameron said while in the country.
“It is now recovering but there is still desperate poverty. I think it is very important we keep a focus on eradicating extreme poverty”, he said.
Cameron made a case for Liberia to the rest of the world when he said: “Here in Liberia, one in 10 children do not make it to the age of five.”
“But I also think it is important we look at those things that keep countries poor. Conflict, corruption, lack of justice, lack of the rule of law. These things matter, as well as money.”
He also made the case for the quality of education in Liberia during his visit here pushing a good cause for the country.
Corruption Fight Support
With the Government of Liberia currently prosecuting some past and current government officials for their alleged role in a reported bribery saga involving a British Mining Company Sable, Cameron wrote President Sirleaf pledging the support and cooperation of the British Government in the corruption fight.
Cameron assurance was in regard to an earlier communication sent by the Liberian leader requesting the assistance of the UK Government in establishing the veracity and ramifications of the claims contained in the Global Witness report against Sable Mining.
President Sirleaf, in her communication to Prime Minister Cameron, mentioned that a British company called Sable, was alleged to have offered or given bribes to some Liberian officials, in the tune of US$950,000 to affect the awarding of a mining concession and emphasized that the UK’s cooperation and collaboration in resolving the issue will go a long way in launching an effective partnership between the two countries in the monumental battle against the scourge of corruption.
Prime Minister Cameron expressed gratitude to President Sirleaf for drawing his attention to the allegations made by Global Witness against Sable Mining and agreed that it is vital to work to defeat corruption at all levels.
He pointed out that he is proud that, since 2010, the UK Government has introduced some of the world’s toughest Anti-Corruption legislations, especially on bribery, adding that the Bribery Act of 2010 makes it a criminal offence for a company to fail to prevent a bribe being paid, regardless of where the crime occurred.
With the exit of Cameron who during his era maintained a coordinal and close relationship with President Sirleaf, the Sirleaf regime might be feeling uneasy that it will have to take another time to strengthen and have similar relationship with the new Prime Minister who is taking over Great Britain at a difficult period when the country is fighting to remain financial stable after voting to leave the European Union.
New Prime Minister May’s domestic task might affect her relationship internationally as she might be busy working to make Great Britain cope with the exit from EU rather than focusing on international relations.
The Sirleaf regime will also be hoping that the aftermath of the exit of former President Bush whose departure led to a decline in US aid to Liberia followed by what many may describe as a cold shoulder relationship exhibited by the Obama regime to the country does not repeat itself in the case of the exit of Cameron.
