2006 -- H 7904 ======= LC02811 ======= STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2006 ____________ H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N WELCOMING LIBERIAN PRESIDENT ELLEN JOHNSON-SIRLEAF TO THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS Introduced By: Representatives Diaz, Williams, Slater, Almeida, and Rice Date Introduced: March 16, 2006 Referred To: House read and passed 1 WHEREAS, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Liberia’s first woman president, is a woman of 2 extraordinary accomplishments. After more than twenty years of civil war, during which time no 3 public elections could be held, Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf won the general election to become the first 4 women leader in all of Africa; and 5 WHEREAS, A brilliant and highly educated woman, President Johnson-Sirleaf studied 6 accounts and economics at the College of West Africa. In 1961, after marrying James Sirleaf, she 7 traveled to America to continue her education. She attained a degree from the University of 8 Colorado, studied economics at Harvard, and received a Master’s Degree in Public 9 Administration, also from Harvard; and 10 WHEREAS, President Johnson-Sirleaf returned to Liberia and began her career in 11 government. She has served as Minister of Finance, but as the country became divided she left 12 her position. She later had to flee to Kenya after a bloody military coup in her country; and 13 WHEREAS, By 1985, President Johnson-Sirleaf had returned to Liberia to campaign 14 against Samuel Doe of the People’s Redemption Council. She was once again briefly imprisoned 15 and forced to live in exile. During her exile she served as Vice President of both the African 16 Regional Office of Citibank and the Equator Bank; and 17 WHEREAS, President Johnson-Sirleaf served as the Assistant Administrator and later as 18 the Director to the UN Development Program Regional Bureau until 1996, at which time she 19 returned to Liberia for the election. By 1999 Civil War once again overtook the country. On 1 November 23, 2005, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf became the first women President of Liberia as well as 2 the first elected female leader in Africa; and 3 WHEREAS, Liberia has historical ties with America and has provided unwavering 4 support for the United States by allowing U.S. military airstrips to be established in their country 5 and adopting a policy of special cooperation and friendship. In addition, the U.S., as well as 6 Rhode Island, have a very large Liberian community, with an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 people 7 of Liberian descent living in the Ocean State; and 8 WHEREAS, President Johnson-Sirleaf has achieved goals that very few people would 9 have dared to dream were even possible. She has overcome gender barriers and decades of civil 10 war in order to become president of her country, and we know she will serve her people 11 honorably and courageously; now, therefore be it 12 RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and 13 Providence Plantations hereby welcomes President Johnson-Sirleaf to our state; and be it further 14 RESOLVED, That this House hereby congratulates President Johnson-Sirleaf on 15 becoming the first woman president in Liberia, and wish her much success as she works towards 16 the betterment of her country for the people of Liberia and the world community; and be it further 17 RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to 18 transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and the 19 Liberian Association of Rhode Island. ======= LC02811 ======= 2 .