African Studies
Utafiti: Journal of African Perspectives
Call for Papers: Utafiti is inviting you to submit your manuscript – any topic in the humanities - for consideration in the next issues.
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In view of economic growth rates of at least 7% in the preceding two years, the country was reckoned to be the fastest improving nation in Africa, symbolised by rapid enhancements to physical infrastructure, such as roads (rebuilt by the Chinese), buildings and power restored in a limited way to the capital Monrovia. However, stability and growth continued to be fragile. Unemployment stood at 85% and even now few Liberians had access to electricity and clean water. Trials of former military officers for treason demonstrated threats to regime security, as did the seizure of arms at the border with Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire. Personal security was even more at risk, with the government introducing the death penalty for convicted armed robbers. There were some massacres, including the killing of 15 workers over a land dispute. A special emergency response unit was created with a total of 139 police officers to deal with these problems in and around Monrovia. The UN Security Council at year's end approved the deployment of two additional police units. The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) still had over 11,000 troops (down from 16,000 over the previous two years) and a police force of 1,074 and 471 international civilian staff – in total costing $ 603.8 m, more than three times the Liberian national budget.