Liberia: Boakai Raises Questions Over U.S.-Liberia Relationship
U.S. Delegation arrives in Liberia for Boakai's inauguration
… “Given this long relationship, it is a bit discomforting to be found debating about how we, as a country, are still struggling to come to terms with the extent to which we think the relationship might benefit us,” Boakai said.
President Joseph Boakai has questioned Liberia’s 160-year-old relationship with the U.S., which remains its biggest traditional partner and wields significant shadow political influences.
In his inaugural address, Boakai believes that the U.S-Liberia relationship, which began in 1864, 17 years after the former declared independence, is much more theoretical with little or no practical substance to show.
“Liberia’s relationship with the United States of America is spoken about in glorious terms,” said Boakai in the presence of a high-power U.S. delegation led by Linda Thomas Greenfield, the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. “But on the eve of our 177th anniversary, we are yet to show how we have made this traditional relationship work for us in ways that have helped the transformation this country craves.”
“This is not to suggest, however, that we are not aware of the debate over the dynamics of two centuries of a relationship nurtured across the Atlantic,” he said. “But given this long relationship, it is a bit discomforting to be found debating about how we, as a country, are still struggling to come to terms with the extent to which we think the relationship might benefit us.”
However, Boakai believes that while Liberia “deserves more” from its relationship with the U.S., it cannot be remiss “if we did not mention that we cannot ask the United States to do for us what we can do for ourselves,” which includes leveraging the relationship for the good of the “country.”
For example, he said he is not expecting American taxpayer money to support the country’s development needs when government officials “embezzle public funds” with impunity, and government officials personally pocket taxes raised locally.
Some experts fear that Boakai's blunt questioning of the U.S. relationship in the presence of its high-ranking relationship delegates made it insinuating that his administration might not be an arena for America’s geopolitical game of chess with China.
This comes after the outgoing Weah administration developed a foreign policy that was pleasant to the U.S---going as far as joining 43 other countries to denounce and criticize China's human rights record at the United Nations, particularly the detainment of Uyghurs in the western region of Xinjiang.
The vote in 2021 saw Liberia, which has benefited much in terms of development aid, joining Eswatini to become the only two African countries to rebuke Beijing’s alleged repressive actions in Xinjiang -- catching China by surprise.
“China is shocked and disappointed that Liberia, a good friend and brother of China, is among those countries that have supported this “joint statement,” and it is, in fact, the only African country that has diplomatic relations with China that has done so,” said the Chinese Ambassador, Ren Yisheng. “We sincerely hope that Liberia can keep her eyes open, discern the truth, not be deceived by those with ulterior motives, and stand on the side of correctness and justice with concrete actions.”
Yisheng's response, which came about two months after the votes, led to the stalling of several Chinese earmarked projects, including the overhead bridge, which has been built on Congon Town Boulevard. The President's remarks also came just a day after Greenfield on Sunday declared the U.S’ unwavering commitment to Liberia under the incoming Boakai-Koung administration.
“The United States has always supported Liberia, not just in this administration but in previous administrations and Liberia’s time of need. During war, during COVID, during Ebola, we have been here for Liberia and we intend to be here for Liberia under this new President,” Greenfield said. “Liberia made history in this region to have a peaceful transition of power, and that says a great deal about this country, and we want to continue to support Liberia much to a stronger democracy.”
For Boakai, while the U.S-Liberia relationship has not yielded much, he believes he can make the relationship work for the benefit of the country as he eyes a partnership with the United States in ways that promote an equitable society. He discussed the idea of “working with the U.S. to build our democracy,” to end the culture of corruption and impunity, and promote deep economic and cultural cooperation while collaborating on serious global challenges to “lift the relationship to a mutually beneficial level.”
“Under our leadership, we will strive for Liberia to rise and take its rightful place in the world as a leader in global affairs, maintaining its traditional liberal and democratic ideals at home while fostering international cooperation driven by development diplomacy focused on a repurposed national development agenda aimed at giving our people better livelihoods,” he said.
According to Boakai, he will strengthen cooperation with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union, while fostering “South-South cooperation” to address mutual developmental issues in the global south.