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A Conversation with Liberia's President Sirleaf and World Bank's Ngozi
Nkonjo-Iweala

   The  two women discussed their experiences and hopes for Africa during
   Africare's Bishop John T. Walker Dinner in Washington

   James Butty | Washington, D.C. 08 November 2010

   Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

   Two  of  Africaâs  most  powerful women have been speaking about their
   experiences and hopes for Africa.

   Liberian  President  Ellen  Johnson-Sirleaf,  the first elected female
   president on the continent and Nigeriaâs Ngozi Nkonjo-Iweala, managing
   director  of  the  World  Bank, shared their views last Friday evening
   with   Africare   President   Darius  Mans  and  a  select  number  of
   journalists.

   Africare  is  a  U.S.-based  non-profit  organization  specializing in
   development  aid  for  Africa  and  the  conversation was part of this
   yearâs Africare Bishop John T. Walker Memorial Dinner.

   On  some  of the challenges confronting Africa, President Sirleaf said
   youth  unemployment  and  urban population growth were two of the most
   serious problems facing her government.

   âFor one thing, the challenge of youth employment and youth engagement
   in productive endeavor is perhaps one of our greatest challenges. What
   we  want to do is to make sure that we prepare them for private sector
   endeavors  by  giving  them  skill.  Urbanization  is  indeed the real
   problem.  We  want  to  meet  that through a rigorous decentralization
   program  whereby  we  can make the rural areas sufficiently productive
   and  empowered  to  be  able  to absorb and to start a reversal of the
   movement,â President Sirleaf said.

   World  Bank official Ngozi Nkonjo-Iweala said the bank advises African
   countries  in  dealing with their challenges, including infrastructure
   development.

   âInfrastructure  is  a  big,  big  challenge.  If  we donât tackle the
   challenge  of  infrastructure I really do not believe that, across the
   continent,  weâll  be  able  to make much headway. We need to speed up
   growth.  So,  weâre  focusing  on that, not just within countries, but
   also  looking  at  regional  integration and regional infrastructure,â
   Nkonjo-Iweala said.

   Both  women talked about the importance of women in Africaâs governing
   and  development.  Ngozi Nkonjo said girls and women are the future of
   Africa.

   âAny  country  that  focuses  on  their  (womenâs) development will do
   better  in  economic  development,  in  social development. And so, we
   really  need  to  focus  our  attention,  and, I must say, maybe Iâm a
   little  bit  biased. Women also tend to be more transparent, they tend
   to  have  fewer egos and, so, I think that they tend to move countries
   along and sectors along,â Nkonjo-Iweala said.

   President  Sirleaf, who is running for re-election next year, said she
   will be running on her record of moving Liberia from a failed state to
   once again being a respected country.

   She explained, for the first time, why she dismissed almost her entire
   cabinet last week.

   âWeâre  going  into  the  final  leg of this administration; weâve set
   certain goals; we want to start off in this dry season when we can get
   most  of our work done with as much energy and commitment and dynamism
   as  possible.  The whole idea is to say to the team, âNow, weâre going
   to  stop,  reflect,  determine  who wants to pursue something else and
   give them the opportunity to do that, and that those that are ready to
   work  will  set specific goals for this year and we will judge them by
   the achievement of those goals,â President Sirleaf said.

   President  Sirleaf  advised young African women to get their education
   and be prepared to vie for leadership on the basis of competitiveness.

   The  2010  Africare  Bishop  John T. Walker Distinguished Humanitarian
   Award  was  given  to World Bank managing director Ngozi Nkonjo-Iweala
   for  the  sweeping  economic  and  social  reforms she made to improve
   Nigeriaâs financial stability.

   Ngozi Nkonjo said she was happy and honored by the recognition.

   âIâm  thrilled  and  I  was very surprised when I got the honor, and I
   regard  it  not  as  something to sit back and sort of enjoy, but as a
   charge  to  do  more, to try to contribute more to the continent, as a
   charge to work with Africare in partnership trying to join in the good
   theyâve  been doing and see how we can collaborate more with the World
   Bank to leverage both our strengths for Africa,â Nkonjo-Iweala said.

   Former  South  African  President Nelson Mandela received the Lifetime
   Achievement Award for his efforts to improving the lives of the people
   of Africa and around the world.

   Mr. Mandelaâs daughter, Zindzi, and grandson, Zondwa Mandela, received
   the award on behalf of their father and grandfather.

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