Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Biography

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the current President of Liberia. She is Africa’s first elected female head of state, famously dubbed as the ‘Iron Lady of Africa’. An economist by training, she assumed office in 2006 as the first democratically elected female president in postcolonial Africa. Previously she had run for the post of senate, vice-president and president in Liberia and also raised her voice against the unjust rule of military regimes. She spent much of her political career in exile trying to increase international awareness about the chaos and violence that was consuming her country. Throughout her career, she demonstrated passionate commitment to good governance, advocating for the rights of women and the importance of education to provide a better future for her country and its people. Upon becoming the president, she made considerable progress, notably to relieve Liberia from its crushing foreign debt. She also worked towards the liberation of African women, who have long borne the brunt of the violence, instability, and poverty that plagued the continent. She personified the nation's ability to recover from the long nightmare of civil war and has been righteously honored with the ‘Nobel Prize for Peace’ for her sincere efforts. She has revived national hope by strengthening the institutions of national security, leading the revitalization of the national economy, and restoring Liberia’s international reputation and credibility.