The former Liberian Diplomat stated that through Congressional actions, the US can impose sanctions on Liberia under the Global Magnitsky Act, which was passed into law in 2016 by the US Congress to apply sanctions on human rights abusers and corrupt officials across the globe. Mr. Williams indicated that even though Liberia is a sovereign nation, the Global Magnitsky Act empowers the US Congress to deal with matters in other countries, including Liberia. However, Mr. Williams stated, Liberia has been on a rapid decline and the post-war democratic and economic gains made are eroding under President Weah. Mr. Williams told the congregation that he decided to use Liberia as a case study because the history of Black Americans is the history of the beginning of Liberia. He added that Liberia gained independence in 1847 as Africa’s first republic, and ten of the country’s past presidents were American-born.

Source: Front Page Africa February 21, 2020 02:15 UTC