Bill Sweeney, IFES President and CEO, and Almami Cyllah, IFES Regional Director for Africa, were in Liberia to kick off IFES’ project Building Sustainable Election Management in Liberia. While in Monrovia, Mr. Sweeney and Mr. Cyllah had the privilege of meeting with the Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Vice President Joseph Boakai, US Ambassador to Liberia Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and the President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate Cletus Wotorson, among other distinguished officials.

During a press conference at the media center of National Elections Commission (NEC), Mr. Sweeney expressed his delight in working in Liberia. He said: "It is a pleasure to resume our work in Liberia and once again collaborate with the NEC. IFES is committed to democracy in Liberia and to helping the country continue to make strides in developing its democratic systems, institutions and processes. We look forward to the day when the technical advice we offer enables the NEC to build their capacity and run all of their electoral processes on their own."

IFES will support Liberia's NEC to increase its capacity to efficiently, effectively, impartially, and sustainably manage elections. This project will cover the upcoming constitutional referendum, by-elections, national elections (the second since the end of the civil war) and local elections (the first since the 1980s).