The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

September 17, 2004

The Chairman of the National Transitional Government of Liberia, Charles Gyude Bryant heads a high power delegation that departed Monrovia on 15 September for the United States on a two weeks working visit.

While in the United States, Chairman will address the 59th session of the United Nations General Assembly on progress made in the Liberian peace process. He is also scheduled to hold discussions with UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan. It is yet to be established if Chairman Bryant will meet with President George Bush.

According to a dispatch from the Executive Mansion, Chairman Bryant will hold major speaking engagements at the Columbia University and will also hold talk with several US officials.

The Liberian transitional leader while in the United States will pay an official visit to the US Defense and Treasurer departments, and is also expected to attend a working session at the Result Focus Transitional Firework (RFTF) - to brief the audience on the development need and progress made by his government.

Addressing local and international journalists at the Executive Mansion on Tuesday, 14 September, Chairman Bryant said he and delegation will hold meetings with the donor countries to enable them to fulfill the commitment made during the last donor conference on Liberia during which US$520 million was pledged.

According to him, the pledges have been very slow but attributed the slowness of donor countries to fulfill their pledges to the fragile peace process. However, he added that with the level of progress in the DDRR exercise, he is hoping those donors will fulfill their commitment to Liberia.

He told the gathering that two important missions from the European Union and US Department of Treasurer recently visited Liberia and promised to encourage donors to fulfill their pledges.

Additionally, Chairman Bryant said the European Union is currently conducting audit at the various government functional including the National Port Authority, Roberts International Airport, Bureau of Maritime Affairs, Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation and the Forestry Development Authority and the Liberia Petroleum refining Company, among others.

He said the EU has promised to restore electricity, safe drinking water and at the same time repair roads but said the restoration of these basic social services will take time, adding that it is very easy to destroy than to build.

Chairman Bryant also spoke on wide range of issues ranging from the on-going disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation and reintegration (DDRR) exercise to the restoration of laws and orders across the country.

Commenting on the 2005 General elections, the Liberian leader said elections will be held as scheduled, and advised all those calling for the postponement of the democratic exercise to see reason to desist, adding that "I am tired being here, I don't have a single chance to go hustle".

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