President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Outlines Challenges for Monrovia

21 Jul 2015

Nobel Laureate and APB speaker President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf recently launched the National Urban Forum to give way to a national urban policy for Liberia. This effort will help decongest Monrovia and other urban cities in Liberia.

In her opening remarks, President Sirleaf said 2.1 million of Liberia’s 4 million population live in cities in the country, with 1.3 million residing in Monrovia, the nation’s capital. According to President Sirleaf, some live in unfavorable conditions because the government has not been able to expand such services to those communities as electricity, roads, water, and access to education and medical care. Additionally, due to climate change, Monrovia’s rainy conditions and rising sea levels are forcing more residents into homelessness.

The National Urban Forum is funded by Cities Alliance and UN-Habitat. The forum brought together key stakeholders, with a goal to developing a road map for the formulation of a national urban policy. A promoter of peace and moral leadership, President Johnson Sirleaf remains an active champion for human rights and economic empowerment.

Learn more about President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.