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Summary

This report, which is updated as events warrant, covers recent events in Liberia, a small, poor West African country. It held elections in October 2005, with a presidential runoff in November, a key step in a peace-building process following its second civil war in a decade. That war began in 1999, escalated in 2000, and ended in 2003. It pitted the forces of Charles Taylor, elected president in 1997 after Liberias first civil war (1989-1997), against two armed anti-Taylor rebel groups. It also destabilized neighboring states, which accepted Liberian refugees and, in some cases, hosted anti-Taylor forces and became targets of the Taylor regime. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, an economist, won the presidential runoff vote, with 59.4% of votes cast and took office in mid-January 2006, becoming the first female president of an African country. Her runoff rival, George Weah, a former star soccer player, conceded Sirleafs win after initially contesting it. Most observers viewed the vote as orderly, free and fair. It fulfilled a key goal of an August 2003 peace accord that had ended the second civil war and led to an ongoing, U.S.-aided post-war transition process, which is bolstered by the multifaceted peacekeeping and development-focused U.N. Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). Liberias security situation is stable but subject to periodic volatility. Progress in governance under the interim government that preceded that of President Sirleaf was mixed; widespread corruption within it was widely reported. Liberias economy and state structures remain devastated by war. Humanitarian conditions are improving. Liberia receives extensive U.S. post-war reconstruction and security sector reform assistance. In March 2006, former President Taylor was arrested in Nigeria and transferred to the U.S.-supported Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) to face war crimes charges. He was later transferred to The Hague, the Netherlands, where he is on trial by the SCSL. In addition to providing substantial support for Liberias post-war peace and reconstruction processes, Congress has maintained a continuing interest in the status of Charles Taylor and in ensuring funding for the SCSL. Other legislation proposed in the 109th and 110th Congresses centered on immigration, debt, and tax haven issues, and the commendation of Liberia for successfully holding elections. No Liberia-focused legislation has, to date, been introduced in the 111th Congress. Appropriations for Liberia in the 110th Congress were made under P.L. 110-5, P.L. 110-28, and P.L. 110-161. Other Liberia-related legislation introduced in the 110th Congress has included H.R. 1941 (Kennedy); H.R. 1591 (Obey); H.R. 2206 (Obey); H.R. 2764 (Lowey); H.R. 3123 (Kennedy); H.R.6655 (Jackson); S. 396 (Dorgan); S. 554 (Dorgan); S. 656 (Reed); S. 965 (Byrd); S. 1508 (Dorgan); and S. 1903 (Reed).

Related Legislation:
• H.R.1941
• H.R.1591
• H.R.2206
• H.R.2764
• H.R.3123
• H.R.6655
• S.396
• S.554
• S.656
• S.965
• S.1508
• S.1903

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