South African President Thabo Mbeki hails Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for making history by becoming Africa's first elected woman president in post-war elections

Updated: 22 Aug 2019

South African President Thabo Mbeki hails Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for making history by becoming Africa's first elected woman president in post-war elections. Mbeki said Sirleaf's election signalled a "new dawn for African women". Sirleaf, a 67-year old Harvard-educated technocrat, defeated football legend George Weah who secured only 40,6% of the votes. Though international observers declared the elections free and fair, minor irregularities were reported. Sirleaf is faced with the daunting task of reviving Liberian economy, which has been brought to its knees by fourteen years of civil war.

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2019, August 22). South African President Thabo Mbeki hails Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for making history by becoming Africa's first elected woman president in post-war elections. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0149020

South African History Online (2019) 'South African President Thabo Mbeki hails Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for making history by becoming Africa's first elected woman president in post-war elections', South African History Online, 22 August. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0149020 (Accessed: 24 October 2026).

South African History Online, South African President Thabo Mbeki hails Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for making history by becoming Africa's first elected woman president in post-war elections [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0149020, (accessed 24 October 2026).

"South African President Thabo Mbeki hails Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for making history by becoming Africa's first elected woman president in post-war elections." South African History Online, 22 Aug. 2019, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0149020. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "South African President Thabo Mbeki hails Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for making history by becoming Africa's first elected woman president in post-war elections." South African History Online. August 22, 2019. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0149020.