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.
