The Long-Term Challenge of Peace and Security at the Liberia/Côte d’Ivoire Border Penelope Chester June 12, 20127 peacekeepers were killed last week. This is a particularly difficult part of the region to monitor and secure, but the willingness of Ivorian and Liberian officials to pay more than lip service to the security concerns in the region is critical to the long-term sustainability of peace.
Charles Taylor Verdict Penelope Chester April 27, 2012As the guilty verdict in the five year-long trial of Charles Taylor, former president of Liberia, was handed down yesterday in the Hague, Liberians looked to the sky and saw an ominous sign: a perfect circular rainbow around the sun.
Local Champions: Making a Difference in the Lives of Children with Special Needs in Liberia Penelope Chester April 16, 2012Andre Johnson was disabled by war as a toddler. His father, Del, has been working tirelessly to create opportunities for him and other children with special needs in Liberia. This post is part of the A Day Without Dignity 2012 campaign, with a focus on local champions.
Fighting Malaria in Liberia With UNITAID Mark Leon Goldberg January 30, 2012Malaria is by far the biggest killer here in Liberia. The entire country – from Monrovia city center to the border regions — is considered malaria endemic. Prevention and treatment of malaria is among the country's most pressing public health challenge.
Off to Liberia, With UNITAID Mark Leon Goldberg January 24, 2012I'm heading to Liberia this week on a global health reporting project. I will accompany a delegation from UNITAID, a World Health Organization affiliated program that gives grants to governments and NGOs to implement HIV/AIDS, Malaria, TB and other health projects in the developing world.
Liberia: Tense Run-Off Election Tomorrow Penelope Chester November 7, 2011Liberians head to the polls again tomorrow for the second round of the presidential election, as the main opposition candidate boycotts the election.
Liberia Elections: How a Former Warlord’s Endorsement can Make or Break Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Penelope Chester October 14, 2011Liberia's National Election Commission released preliminary results, based on roughly 10% of the precincts reporting.
Could the Nobel Peace Prize Hurt Liberia President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s Chances at Re-Election Next Week? Penelope Chester October 7, 2011Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the Liberian president and first female African head of state, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this morning - only four days before a key presidential election in Liberia. How will the award impact her re-election bid?
Liberia: Presidential Election a Test of Democracy Penelope Chester October 6, 2011Next week, Liberians head to the polls for the first presidential election since Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf assumed office in 2006 at the end of a nearly two decade-long destructive civil war.