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Bush pledges support for Liberia
President George W. Bush promised US support for Liberia in its recovery from a crippling civil war as he visited the close US ally on the last stop of a five-nation tour of Africa on Thursday.
- Reuters
- Published: 01:22 February 22, 2008
Monrovia: President George W. Bush promised US support for Liberia in its recovery from a crippling civil war as he visited the close US ally on the last stop of a five-nation tour of Africa on Thursday.
The US leader and his wife Laura received an enthusiastic welcome from Liberians led by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, a Harvard-trained economist who took office in 2006 as Africa's first elected female leader.
"I want the people of Liberia to know, Madam President, the United States stands with you. We want to help you recover from a terrible period. We want you to build lives of hope and peace," Bush told Johnson-Sirleaf in Monrovia.
Africa's first republic, Liberia was founded by freed slaves from America in 1847 and has close ties with the United States. Bush's visit was the first by a US president in three decades.
While other African countries have spurned US overtures for a greater military presence on the continent, Liberia has said it would willingly host a new continental US military command, known as Africom.
Crowds of cheering Liberians lined the streets as the presidential motorcade passed by after Bush and his wife Laura arrived at the international airport.
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