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LAROME: We just finished a training for 150 policemen and we sent to Paris 5 officers and we shall do that 3 times more so that you will have a complete unit of 600 policemen. Then we are supporting Liberia through the department of health, not the Minister of Health here, but multilaterally. For example, with Fonds Mondiale, we gave last year a little more than a million euros for the fighting against malaria and HIV. We have a new envelope of funds, we will try at my embassy to begin that this year, is to finance more development projects, projects for Liberian people themselves. ALKASIM: Liberia's next presidential and general elections are some 18 months away. Does France have any plans to support the electoral exercise in 2010? LAROME: Yes of course. The presidential election of 2011 are very, very important. And we are, as I told you, we are supporting the government of Madame Ellen Sirleaf because it's a democratic government and she tries to put all the things and people in the right track. So for this election, we shall see. In fact, through the European Union, EU, we have a fund special for that, we have the money and we will wait until the date when the government will ask for something and what exactly. It could be observers, it could be other things. And we could eventually through Europe support a national election commission. ALKASIM: The United Nations Mission in Liberia, still thinks, the rule of law system in Liberia needs support and direction. What does France think about this? LAROME: Oh, France thinks that even in my country we need to support the rule of law and the rule of law system. You know in every country, it's not easy, and each country has its own rules. What we can see in Liberia is that the country just left the civil war so people have bad, bad customs you know. They are not working and worrying under the rules. But you know UNMIL is in charge of civil affairs and this includes to the rule of law but you know, it will be better in the future. Just now, we don't do really anything about that but I shall think about that. ALKASIM: What are the main things that Liberia needs to focus on as a nation over the next years or so? LAROME: One of the main things for the Government and for the President, Madame Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the first purpose is to give or to try to give a job to the young people. The one who don't have any school education... And you have the one that are coming from the war, you have people in the bush in some towns in the country. And even when you think about the students at the University- I was at the University some weeks ago to speak with them- even when they don't have a lot of diploma, it is not easy to find a job. And if the Government of Liberia wants to keep these people inside the borders of Liberia, it will have to find a way to give more jobs to people if it is possible. France's Ambassador to Liberia Gerard Larome, speaking to Shadi Alkasim of UN Radio in Liberia. (duration: 2'32") |
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