During an interview with veteran journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault in Essence Magazine, Ms. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf disclosed to her that she chose to become president because she wants “to bring motherly sensitivity and emotion to the presidency” as a way of healing the wounds of war. She is the new hope for Liberia because after fourteen years of two bloody civil wars, the country is ready for change and everyone is counting on her to restore and rebuild this once great nation.

She has been in office for a little over eleven months, but has already begun to make changes in the government and in the country as a whole. Her minister of labor, Samuel Kofi Woods II has observed that she has also changed the nature of political leadership.

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is committed to fighting corruption in this nation which has been corrupted by previous head of states. She has implemented a comprehensive anti-corruption program which aims to ensure that public officials and institutions conduct their business with integrity and a sense of new national attitude.

As the first female African president, she is very committed to empowering women all over the world especially women in Liberia. Her cabinet has women who hold various positions such as security, commerce and justice. Her director of police is also a woman and so is her minister of finance.