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US Ambassador Michael McCarthy has disclosed it is Liberians and not the U.S government that are responsible for ensuring good governance in Liberia, by using the ballot box as a tool to punish corrupt officials.
He stressed that though the U.S sanctions of three Liberian officials in August demonstrated his government’s will to employ sanctions as needed on an ongoing basis, in support of “our shared development, democracy, and security goals;” if Liberian opt to elect or reelect sanctioned officials as their leaders, that will send a very clear message about how they feel about the battle against corruption.
“Sanctions can help, but the ballot box is a far more important tool for holding officials accountable. So, in the upcoming 2023 elections, however, it will be the turn of the people of Liberia to let their voices be heard on this topic, especially since several of those sanctioned officials may be running for office,” he said.
“Ultimately, it is Liberians and not the U.S. government that are responsible for ensuring good governance in Liberia. Sanctions can help, but the ballot box is a far more important tool for holding officials accountable. If Liberians choose to elect or re-elect sanctioned officials as their leaders, that will send a very clear signal about how they truly feel about the fight against corruption and the future of their country,” the U.S Diplomat maintained.
McCarthy noted that Liberians have generally agreed with the US analysis that corruption is the primary cause of Liberia’s failure to thrive; most in the international community share that assessment, and so, the upcoming 2023 election, for holding officials accountable.
The Ambassador’s position comes at a time when many Liberians are calling for additional sanctions after the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of Treasury sanctioned three important members of the Weah led administration (OFAC).
Nathaniel McGill, Sayma Syrenius Cephus, and Bill Twehway were sanctioned recently by the United States Department of Treasury for their alleged involvement in ongoing public corruption in Liberia.
In an open letter to Liberians Friday, December 9, 2022, Ambassador McCarthy added that while corruption is not unique to Liberia, the onus is on the country’s citizens to fight this scourge, saying the US Department of the Treasury took the extraordinary step of sanctioning five senior Liberian officials in only three years under the Global Magnitsky Act led to some positive results, including the resignation of the three most recently sanctioned officials.
“As I’ve said many times before, corruption is not a uniquely Liberian problem – it is a global issue, and one that we suffer from in the United States at all levels of governance. We must together acknowledge that corruption in Liberia can be immediately and dramatically curtailed by Liberians, without any assistance from the United States or other donors, if that is something the government and people of Liberia truly want. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
“The all important goal of transparent, free, credible, and peaceful elections in October (2023) will be one important factor in decisions about additional sanctions in the months leading up to the vote.”
However, the Ambassador revealed his government is not announcing any new sanction, but assure citizens that his government anti-corruption efforts remain robust and continuous. International Anti-corruption Day raises public awareness for anti-corruption, and encourages the public to work on innovative solutions aimed at winning the battle against corruption. Corruption is defined as dishonest or fraudulent conduct.
“As the Global Magnitsky sanctions of three Liberian officials in August demonstrated, the U.S. government can and will employ sanctions as needed on an ongoing basis, in support of our shared development, democracy, and security goals, guided by the U.S. Strategy on Countering Corruption,” said ambassador McCarthy.
According to him, Global Magnitsky is a tool the United States uses to protect itself from particularly corrupt actors, not a punishment against a country or government.
“It is also in no way a substitute for a domestic judicial process in the host country, including prosecution. Ultimately, “due process” or an accused “day in court” can only happen under Liberian law, in Liberian courts,” he added.
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