Liberia’s President George Weah has urged the United States government to give maximum support to the West African nation’s scheduled 2023 presidential and legislative elections.
Funding the elections will consolidate democracy, rule of law and enhance growth and development, Weah said in a statement released by the presidency.
He reiterated his strong commitment to the tenets of democracy where the will of the people prevails, the statement said.
“I have participated in a lot of elections and even when the results were not favorable, we respected the results. My administration will ensure a free, fair and transparent process in 2023 and Liberia will remain a bastion of peace, freedom, prosperity and development under our watch”.
Biden held a private meeting at the White House on Wednesday with Weah and leaders from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Nigeria, Madagascar, and Sierra Leone to discuss elections and democracy in Africa, the White House said.
“Together the leaders discussed the challenges of holding elections and exercising the right to vote, including foreign interference and political violence, and shared best practices for how to manage these risks and ensure transparency and public confidence in the electoral process,” the White House said in a statement.
“Participants reaffirmed their commitment to hold free, fair, and transparent elections conducted by competent, independent, and impartial national electoral bodies, as enshrined in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance.”
The White House said the administration, working with Congress, plans to provide over $165 million to support elections and governance in Africa in 2023.
