It's been almost three years since former Liberian President Charles Taylor was indicted on 17 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes. Taylor was captured in Nigeria in late March and sent to Sierra Leone, where a war crimes court will try him on those charges.
Discussion of Taylor's capture has dominated recent media coverage of Liberia: "The fact that Charles Taylor will be brought to justice in a court of law will help Liberia," President George W. Bush told reporters on Mar. 30.
Bush isn't the only administration official who has recently commented on issues related to Liberian governance. At a February World Bank farewell dinner for Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy graduate Antoinette Sayeh (F '82) - who was appointed Liberia's finance minister in January -Paul Wolfowitz, Bush's former deputy secretary of defense and the current president of the World Bank, called Liberia "blessed... to have an extraordinary World Bank staffer who is prepared to give up all the comforts of Washington life."
Sayeh, whose native country is Liberia, earned a master's degree in 1982 and a doctoral degree three years later at the Fletcher School. She has worked for the past 17 years as an economist and development expert alongside Wolfowitz at the World Bank.
Recently-elected President of Liberia Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf appointed Sayeh to head the Finance Ministry as part of an extensive effort to put the country back on track.
Liberia is ranked by the Economist as one of the poorest countries in the world. The country has been severely plagued by corruption and economic problems, and it owes an estimated $3.5 billion in foreign debt.
According to the Embassy of Liberia's website, Sayeh pledged to the Liberian Senate that "she will fight corruption, increase salaries for civil servants and improve the living standards of Liberians in general."
Sayeh is only the second woman in Liberia ever to hold the post of finance minister, after Sirleaf herself.
"We need to restore our credibility to the international community, we need to ensure that we improve financial management, debt management, and that we are making efforts to curb corruption in the Liberian society," Sayeh told FrontPage Africa, an African newspaper.
While other World Bank officials who have become involved in improving the economies of their native countries have achieved considerable success, Sayeh has her work cut out for her.
In addition to the $3.5 billion external debt, the country has $250 million dollars in domestic debt. Unemployment in Liberia hovers around 85 percent, and civil war has ravaged the country for 14 years.
Sayeh will be working towards creating increased opportunities for jobs, "getting Liberia's financial house in order, restoring the country's credibility with the international community, and fighting corruption head on," according to FrontPage Africa.
Sayeh has said that she will draw on the connections she made at the World Bank to help to accomplish these goals. She has also called upon the people of Liberia to help her in these economic aims, citing "the responsibility of Liberians to demonstrate patriotism and hard work to their country before anyone else," according to Africa News.
Sayeh has already taken considerable steps towards increasing economic stability in Liberia. Since taking on her new post, Sayeh has called for an end to the United Nations ban on timber exports, along with a ban on diamond and arms exports that was imposed during Taylor's time in office.
Sayeh also fired three top Finance Ministry workers, citing a payroll too large for a country facing dire economic problems.
Liberian officials have already met with the Bush administration and secured an infrastructure grant of $25 million from the World Bank. An agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) may also be on the horizon this month. The organization would help to supervise and track economic progress in Liberia.
Sayeh could not be reached for comment by press time; and colleagues at the Fletcher School did not return requests for interviews.
