Sub-Saharan Africa
Sputnik brings you all the most recent information, major events, heroes and views, including breaking news, images, videos, analyses, and features.

Who is Geraldine George, Liberia's First-Ever Female Defense Minister?

On Tuesday, Liberia made history by appointing its first female Minister of Defense, Brigadier General Geraldine Janet George. She was named acting defense minister by President Joseph Boakai following the resignation of Prince Charles Johnson III, who faced protests from soldiers' wives over low pay and poor living conditions in military barracks.
Sputnik
Geraldine George is a retired career soldier who served in various capacities within the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), including acting commander, military police company commander, deputy chief of staff and legal officer.
She has also participated in peacekeeping missions in Mali as part of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).
George holds a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from Webster University in the United States and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from the African Methodist Episcopal Zion University College in Liberia's capital, Monrovia. The retired brigadier-general has also received specialized training in intelligence, counter-terrorism, public sector management and administration of justice from institutions in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Italy.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Liberia's New Leader Joseph Boakai Vows to Combat Corruption as He Assumes Presidency
Brig. Gen. George, who has held the title of Deputy Chief of Staff for the past six years, is one of the pioneers of the restructured AFL, which was rebuilt after the country's second civil war, which ended in 2003. She joined the army in 2006 as part of the first batch of soldiers and rose through the ranks to become a brigadier-general in 2019.
The officer has received several awards, including the Distinguished Graduate Advance Individual Training, the Pistol Classification Sharpshooter, and the United Nations MINUSMA Medal.
Geraldine George's appointment as Acting Minister of Defense is a significant milestone for Liberia and reflects President Boakai's commitment to promoting gender equality and women's empowerment in the public sector since taking office last month after defeating former soccer star and President George Weah in a runoff election.