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Vol. 4, No.UNMIL 02 FOCUSDecember 2007 - February 2008 Road Rehabilitation Creates More Jobs Listening to the Youth Telling the Truth Message from the Special Representative of the Secretary-GGeneral recent visits to Liberia by United States regard. President George W Bush, Executive Liberia is no longer a “failed state”, Director of UNICEF Ann Veneman and but education, health, employment cre- the World Bank President Robert Zoellick ation, poverty alleviation and infrastruc- underscored the importance the interna- ture development are all in need of urgent tional community attaches to Liberia’s support from bilateral and multilateral transition to peace and development, and partners to back up the Government’s the confidence that external stakeholders own efforts. Investments in infrastructure have in the government’s reconstruction and energy supply, in particular, are criti- and development agenda. cal to sustained growth. Since Liberia The United Nations Mission in cannot meet these investment needs from Liberia (UNMIL) will continue to support domestic sources alone, external assis- the Government in its efforts to consoli- tance is critically needed to fill the gap. date peace and take the country forward The UN family in Liberia will contin- t is a privilege for me to have on the path to reconciliation and develop- ue to actively assist the nation to deal assumed my duties in Liberia as ment. A lot more remains to be done with the massive challenges that it still the Special Representative of the before Liberia can fully emerge from the faces. The County Support Teams (CSTs), Secretary-General at a time when shadow of conflict and UNMIL will work backed by UNMIL and UN funds, pro- the country, under the dynamic to ensure a secure environment across the grammes and agencies, are actively Ileadership of President Ellen Johnson nation to facilitate successful and sustain- engaged in all 15 administrative counties Sirleaf, is moving forward from devasta- able development. to support local authorities in designing tion to recovery and getting firmly set on UNMIL’s planned drawdown is being and implementing community develop- a course of peace consolidation and executed in a calibrated and prudent man- ment projects. This initiative lays empha- national renewal. ner without compromising the Mission’s sis on locally-driven development to spur While the international community’s ability to deal with threats to the security economic growth and aligns UN assis- attention is increasingly shifting to of the nation. The adjustments in troop tance with the country’s own develop- emerging hotspots elsewhere in the strength are linked to the accomplishment ment agenda. world, Liberia is quietly undergoing a of a number of core benchmarks, most As before, let us continue to work revolution every day. Although it may importantly Liberia’s own capacity to with utmost dedication and commitment take some years to heal the wounds take over responsibilities for national to help Liberia achieve lasting peace, sta- caused by the prolonged civil war, the security. To this end, UNMIL will contin- bility, development, and to heal the days of fighting are over and Liberians ue to train and mentor the new Liberia wounds inflicted by the abuses and vio- are now full of optimism for a better National Police and also support the lence of the past. I am optimistic that future. rebuilding of the new Armed Forces of together we can achieve what the people As we have seen in many parts of the Liberia, AFL. Security sector reform of Liberia have been yearning for a long world, rebuilding a shattered nation is a however entails more than police and time – a peaceful, prosperous, stable and long-term endeavour. For some years to military, it also requires efforts to reform democratic nation that upholds rule of come, Liberia will continue to need bilat- and strengthen the rule of law. UNMIL law and offers all its citizens an opportu- eral and multilateral assistance. The will support government’s efforts in this nity to realize their dreams. Ellen Margrethe Løj Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Coordinator of United Nations Operations in Liberia 2 UNMIL FOCUS December 2007 - February 2008 4 6 8 14 With road works in In a drastic departure from Liberia's Truth and The civil war left most parts progress, Liberia's tattered the past, the government of Reconciliation Commission of the country devoid of infrastructure is getting a Liberia is involving all the (TRC) has begun taking government presence, face-lift, much to the delight segments of the society in testimonies from the vic- leaving the population at of the people. The road identifying priorities that tims and perpetrators of the mercy of warlords and rehabilitation, a combined should be reflected in its the civil war through public violent gangs. Four years effort by the Liberian gov- Poverty Reduction hearings. The TRC has ernment, UNMIL, the World Strategy. Among those who been established to since the war came to an Bank, UN agencies and a were involved in country- address Liberia's past, end, the presence of the host of other partners, has wide consultations held by characterized by appalling Liberian government is also helped create employ- the government were human rights violations, today felt across the nation ment opportunities for Liberia's children and including sexual violence, but lack of infrastructure many Liberians, contribut- youth. A report on the to promote national recon- poses a key challenge. ing to the welfare of local views and concerns raised ciliation and healing of the communities. by this group. wounds of war. IN THIS ISSUE Special Representative of the Secretary-GGeneral and Coordinator 4 Road Rehabilitation Creates More Jobs of United Nations Operations in Liberia 6 Listening to the Youth Ellen Margrethe Løj 8 Telling the Truth Deputy Special Representative of the 10 Armed Forces Take Shape Secretary-GGeneral for Recovery and Governance 14 State Authority Extended, But... Jordan Ryan 16 Revamping the Health Sector Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-GGeneral for Rule of Law 18 Mountains of Waste Henrietta Mensa-BBonsu 20 Interview: Ellen Margrethe Løj Chief of Public Information 22 Youth in Volunteer Initiative George Somerwill 24 Women Surge Ahead Editor and Head of Publications Mathew Elavanalthoduka 26 Grow What You Eat Staff Writers 28 Stand up to be Counted Sulaiman Momodu 30 Spotlight on Street Children Rebecca Bannor-AAddae J. Wesley Washington 32 Millennium Villages Design and Graphics 34 Zoellick Pledges World Bank Support Paddy Defoxy Ilos, II 35 UNICEF Boss Veneman Visits Liberia Published by the Public Information 36 Pakistanis Contribute to Peace in Liberia Office, United Nations Mission in Liberia 38 Liberians Speak [email protected] Printed by Buck Press Ltd., Accra, Ghana December 2007 - February 2008 UNMIL FOCUS 3 Road Rehabilitation Creates More Jobs By Sulaiman Momodu ith bulldozers, graders, pavers and other heavy equipment littering Monrovia’s Tubman Boulevard, major road Wworks on the city’s main thoroughfare have resulted in heavy traffic jams across the entire metropolitan area. Yet, nobody is complaining. “I am happy to see that our roads are being fixed. Look at the work that is going on – it is just beautiful,” says Yatta Kamara, a resident of the capital. As a result of years of neglect and a devastating civil war, most of Liberia’s primary and secondary roadways lay in ruins. Pothole-infested roads in the capital cause traffic congestion and wreck the vehicles that ply them. “If I take my taxi on a bad road especially during the rains and it gets damaged, where will I get money to feed my family?” asks a cab driver. Although UN peacekeepers have been repairing roads and bridges beyond the call of their duty throughout the coun- try since April 2004, their efforts have been just a drop in the ocean. For Liberia’s new government and the population as a whole, road rehabilitation is a major priority, as echoed from deliber- ations of the ongoing County Development Agenda process. This year, in the national budget, the government has allocated over US$ 5.3 million for high- way maintenance and rural roads, which is integrated with international assistance for public road infrastructure through the Roads and Bridges Working Group of the “Infrastructure and Basic Services” Pillar (Pillar IV of the Poverty Reduction Framework). Through the provision of technical support from the Ministry of Public Works 4 UNMIL FOCUS December 2007 - February 2008 INFRASTRUCTURE (MoPW), non-governmental organisa- ILO, and German Agro Action. tions, bilateral and multilateral agencies, In her annual address to the National including the United Nations system, Legislature in late January this year, USAID and the EC as well as the civil President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said of the society and the private sector, are all total road network of 6,162 miles, only involved in road works with major contri- 456 miles is paved and that 1,500 miles of bution provided by the World Bank (WB). feeder roads were largely back to bush. In 2007, the WB committed over The Liberian President has encouraged US$30 million for roads. “The World Liberians to exercise some patience over Bank has provided US$24.5 million in the inconveniences that the rehabilitation funding for the rehabilitation of the major work creates. road corridor between Monrovia to Cotton Because infrastructure, mainly roads, Tree alone. These works involve re-sur- rehabilitation presents a great opportunity facing and rehabilitation activities along for employment creation especially for Monrovia’s main thoroughfares, including unskilled community labourers, the gov- Tubman Boulevard, UN Drive and ernment of Liberia, in mid June 2006, with Somalia Drive,” explains Bronwyn the assistance of partners, launched the Grieve, the Bank’s Infrastructure and Liberia Emergency Employment Basic Services Consultant.

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