United States’ former ambassador to Liberia, Michael McCarthy, is expected to head the American delegation to President-elect, Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s inauguration scheduled for Monday, January 22.
Diplomatic sources told this Paper this week in Monrovia, that Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who was earlier named to head the American delegation, will not, due to workload at the United Nations where she serves as ambassador for her country.
Instead, McCarthy, who was a fierce critic of the outgoing regime during his tenure of service in Liberia from 2021 to 2023, will lead the American delegation.
Among the delegation coming could be Mark Christopher Toner, who was named as McCarthy’s replacement last July.
Mark Christpher Toner, the sources said, could be here on or before the inauguration of the President-elect. If not, immediately thereafter, he shall be in to take up his assignment.
Many believe that McCarthy’s tenure was the shortest ever in Liberia, and were quick to accuse him of meddling in the country’s internal politics.
They further stated that Weah’s government was not happy at the time with McCarthy’s style of diplomacy in Liberia. A chronicle of diplomatic exchanges between the McCarthy-led United States Embassy in Liberia and agents of the Liberian Government will bear testimony.
On Friday, March 17, 2023, Weah departed Liberia for an official visit to the United States and The United Arab Emirates, but did not disclose the details of the visit at the time.
There were claims at the time that Weah and the Government of Liberia may have had a hand in withdrawing McCarthy from Monrovia. The timing between the announcement of the new Ambassador and Weah’s visit to the US is all too striking.
In November last year, the United States Ambassador issued a statement warning the Liberian Government, and Liberians in general, to avoid doing business with officials of the Liberian Government who had been sanctioned for corruption.
In that statement, McCarthy reminded the Liberian citizens that anyone who transacted any form of business with these sanctioned individuals “may themselves be exposed to sanctions or subject to an enforcement action.”
On Wednesday, March 15, 2022, during the birth anniversary celebration of the first Liberian President, Joseph J. Roberts, McCarthy expressed frustration over how the country is being led under President Weah.
He noted that despite huge contributions made by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to the health and other sectors of the country, the country’s development is not impressive.
McCarthy also stressed the filthiness of the city of Monrovia under the Mayor-ship of the Coalition for Democratic Change General Secretary, Jefferson Koijee, a statement the Monrovia City Mayor found offensive.
Before then, McCarthy stated that the National Elections Commission (NEC) must be fully funded for Liberia to have a fair and transparent electoral process. His assertion resulted from calls made by the NEC over funds not yet released to conduct the country’s Presidential and Legislative polls in October last year.
On Friday, December 9, 2022, McCarthy again wrote an open letter to the Liberian government, highlighting that, though the United States was not announcing any more sanctions against corrupt Liberian officials, its anti-corruption efforts against Liberia would continue and remain robust.
