Refugees SOL, Reconstruction Funds On the Way

The US is terminating its refugee resettlement program for Liberians, and so is the UN, for lack of funds, "except for rare and exceptional individual cases."

Seems that the 150,000 Liberians living in Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea and Sierra Leone (many of whom were waiting for a third country to take them in) are going to have to either stay put or come home, unless the international community coughs up some more dough for UNHCR. Of course, many of those people don't have the resources to get themselves home even if they wanted to, and their long-term presence in neighboring countries presents a host of problems.

Aunt Ellen has said that Liberians should come home and participate in the rebuilding of the country. We second that! Too many foreigners (like us) are here doing jobs that Liberians should be doing themselves. So, to all you Liberian doctors, lawyers, and engineers driving taxis in Western capitals: Your country needs you!

Speaking of rebuilding, for the first time in 20 years, the World Bank has committed funds ($30m, in a grant, not a loan) for reconstruction of roads and other infrastructure [thanks David] and the US has pitched in with $50m. I guess the Iron Lady's detractors can shut up about her spending too much time abroad without re$ult$.