Africa's First Democratically Elected Female President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia Visits UNEP and Addresses UN Staff in Nairobi

2011 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate conveys a strong message to UN staff in Nairobi 

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H.E. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of Liberia and Mr. Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP

Nairobi, 15 December 2015 - Africa's first democratically elected female Head of State and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia visited the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) today as part of her five-day state visit to Kenya.

President Johnson-Sirleaf met with Mr. Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Dr. Joan Clos, Executive Director of UN-Habitat.and Ms. Sahle Work Zewde, Director-General of UNON.

Addressing UN staff, President Johnson-Sirleaf stressed the great responsibility resting on the UN family to assist countries in achieving a sustainable future under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

"Go out and be the agents of change! Go out as soldiers of peace and development! Go out to help us change the world and make it a better place," she called on UN staff.

During her visit, the President planted a Cape Chestnut tree, native to Africa, as a symbol of her commitment to protect and restore the continent's environment. She then toured UNEP's sustainable offices, which are powered largely by solar panels and employ energy efficiency measures.

President Johnson-Sirleaf was first elected to office in 2005 and is currently serving her second term as President. She previously worked for the United Nations, serving as Assistant Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Director of its Regional Bureau for Africa, with the rank of Assistant Secretary-General.

In 2011, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, together with Leymah Gbowee of Liberia and Tawakel Karman of Yemen, for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building efforts.

During her visit to Kenya, President Johnson-Sirleaf participated in the celebrations of the country's Independence Day on Saturday and attended the opening of the 10th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Tuesday. Taking place in Nairobi, this conference will see Liberia join the WTO as its newest, 163rd member.