Updated Jan. 16, 2024 at 12:00 p.m.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is sworn in as President of Liberia, making her the first African female head of state. It happened on this date in 2006.
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Who is Ellen Johnson Sirleaf?
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf served as the 24th president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018. She was the first woman in Africa elected as president of her country. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011 for her “non-violent efforts to promote peace and her struggle for women's rights”.
What were Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s achievements in office?
As president, Sirleaf secured millions of dollars of foreign investment and established a Truth and Reconciliation Committee to probe corruption and heal ethnic tensions. She led Liberia through reconciliation and recovery following the nation's decade-long civil war.