利比里亞前總統獲伊布拉欣獎

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the former president of Liberia, has been awarded the $5 million Mo Ibrahim prize which recognizes excellence in African leadership.

Johnson Sirleaf stepped down from office last month, the first democratic transition of power in Liberia since 1944. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate was Africa's first female elected head of state. She served two six-year terms, but was not eligible to run again for the office, according to Liberia's constitution.

Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, the chair of the prize committee said in announcing the award that Johnson Sirleaf "took the helm of Liberia when it was completely destroyed by civil war and led a process of reconciliation that focused on building a nation and its democratic institutions." He added that "Such a journey cannot be without some shortcomings," but nevertheless Johnson Sirleaf "laid the foundations on which Liberia can now build."

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, a former U.S. ambassador to Liberia, said Johnson Sirleaf "left the country in a much better state than she found it," adding there is "still a lot of work to be done."

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation was founded by Sudanese telecom tycoon Mo Ibrahim who said upon learning that Johnson Sirleaf had been awarded the prize: "I am proud to see the first woman Ibrahim Laureate, and I hope Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will continue to inspire women in Africa and beyond."

The $5 million prize is handed out over 10 years with another $200,000 annually throughout the winner's lifetime.利比里亞前總統埃倫·約翰遜·瑟利夫被授予五百萬美元的伊布拉欣獎，以表彰她在非洲的傑出領導作用。

瑟利夫上月卸任，這是1944年以來利比里亞的第一次政權民主過渡。這位諾貝爾和平獎得主是非洲第一位民選女政府首腦。她擔任兩屆總統，每屆六年，依據利比里亞憲法，不具備再度競選連任的資格。

評獎委員會主席薩利姆·艾哈邁德·薩利姆宣佈這一獎項時表示，瑟利夫“在利比里亞被內戰徹底摧毀時掌管利比里亞，領導了集中建設國家和民主制度的和解過程”。薩利姆還說“這樣的過程不可能沒有某些缺點”，但是瑟利夫“奠定了利比里亞如今可以發展的基礎”。

前美國駐利比里亞大使琳達·托馬斯-格林菲爾德說，瑟利夫“留下的國家，比她接管時的情況好了很多”，並說“任重道遠”。

伊布拉欣獎基金會是蘇丹電信大王莫·伊布拉欣設立的，他在得知瑟利夫獲獎時表示：“很高興看到第一位女性伊布拉欣獎得主，希望瑟利夫繼續鼓舞非洲和其他地方的婦女。”

五百萬美元獎金將分十年授予，另有每年20萬美元得獎者可終生獲得。