State and USAID: Sustained U.S. assistance and engagement remains critical to Liberia’s short-term stability and long-term development. National elections in late 2011 were free and fair with broad participation among the electorate, and paved the way for a peaceful transition to President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s second administration. However, continued opposition and unrest surrounding the elections demonstrated that security, political, and social conditions remain fragile, and that the Government of Liberia (GOL) must continue to make rapid progress in building and solidifying confidence in public governance, re-energizing critical reforms, and fostering tangible improvements in the lives of average Liberians.

In support of these efforts, U.S. assistance will focus on professionalizing Liberia’s military and civilian security forces, consolidating and sustaining democratic progress, building the capacity, transparency, and accountability of governance institutions, promoting broad-based and environmentally-sustainable economic growth, improving access to high quality educational and health services, and responding to the emerging problem of narcotics trafficking in West Africa. In each sector, assistance will concentrate on helping Liberia build local capacity to plan, implement, and sustain its own development efforts. (Source: Congressional Budget Justification FY 2013)