Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to Co-Chair Committee to Review Response to COVID-19 Pandemic
13 Jul 2020
Nobel Laureate and APB speaker President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was recently selected for the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPR) to evaluate the world’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Known as “Africa’s Iron Lady,” Johnson Sirleaf earned international acclaim for leading Liberia through the Ebola Crisis and through reconciliation and recovery following her nation’s decade-long civil war. “Prime Minister Clark and President Sirleaf were selected through a process of broad consultation with Member States and world experts. I cannot imagine two more strong-minded, independent leaders to help guide us through this critical learning process.” said Dr. Tedros in his speech.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, crisis is the ultimate test of leadership—shining a light on one’s values and ability to communicate, build relationships, and create a strong shared vision. No one knows this better than Nobel Laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. As Africa’s first democratically elected female head of state and Liberia’s first female president, she is credited with achieving dramatic economic, social, and political change, culminating in Liberia’s first peaceful and democratic transfer of power in 73 years.
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