Pres. Sirleaf receives separate delegations from UNICEF and Carter Center

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Wednesday, July 6, 2016 held talks with two separate delegations from the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and Carter Center. Both delegations involved international representations.

An Executive Mansion release said, the UNICEF Delegation, which included representation from The Power of Nutrition through its Chief Executive Officer, Martin Short and Director of Investment, Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi briefed President Sirleaf about its $10 million United States Dollars Nutrition -Program in Liberia. The delegation was led by the Country Representative of UNICEF-Liberia, Sheldon Yett. The program represents the organization’s first intervention in West Africa and is aimed at countering mal-nutrition and stuntedness through education and other interventions.

Speaking during the gathering, President Sirleaf welcomed the Power of Nutrition to Liberia and lauded its nutrition program. She assured the delegation of government’s support and commitment to the initiative, adding that it will help combat mal-nutrition amongst the population, particularly ailing children. She expressed the hope that the project will focus on practical activities rather than spending huge resources on indicators, processes, workshops, consultancies, etc.

In another development, during a meeting with the delegation from the Carter Center led by a former UN Deputy SRSG and Vice President/Peace Program of the Center, Jordon D. Ryan discussed the 2017 and crisis/conflict prevention before, during and after the elections. Mr. Ryan informed President Sirleaf that the Carter Center has monitored about 102 elections around the world and that Liberia is a key priority for the organization.

The carter Center currently runs three programs namely, Access to Justice Program, Access to Information and a Mental Health Training Program, but is also keen on helping Liberia towards holding free, fair and violence-free elections.
In remarks, President Sirleaf thanked Carter Center for its works in Liberia and welcomed the organization’s interest in the Liberian Electoral Process. She pointed out that the 2017 election will represent a history-making moment for the country because it will be the first time in many decades for a sitting President to transfer power to a democratically elected civilian President. She praised Carter Center for its interest in wanting to ensure a peaceful and violence-free electoral process in Liberia in 2017.