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The Sawyer Foundation
The “AMOS CLAUDIUS SAWYER FOUNDATION LIBERIA” referenced by way of trade name as the SAWYER FOUNDATION LIBERIA is an independent and non-partisan public policy and governance Foundation incorporated in honor of Dr. Amos Sawyer, the former president oof the Republic of Liberia. The overall objective of the foundation is to honor the legacy of Dr. Amos Claudius Sawyer by creating and establishing a non-profit organization for the purpose of addressing the multiple issues of Democratic Governance, Rule of Law and Peace building to address local, national, and geo-political issues in the body polity and general governance structure of Liberia and other societies where and when legally applicable.
About us
The Amos Claudius Sawyer Foundation was established in honor of Dr. Amos C.
Sawyer, former Interim President of the Republic of Liberia who served from 1990-1994.
Dr. Sawyer died in February 2022. He was highly respected and regarded throughout
Africa and played significant roles in ushering in the peace in Liberia, and served in
multiple capacities in supporting Good Governance, Rule of Law, and Peacebuilding
initiatives across Africa, especially within the West Africa region. Dr. Sawyer was an
astute political scientist and academic who taught at the University of Liberia and the
University of Indiana in the United States. He was author and co-author of several
scholarly works and books including, “The Emergence of Autocracy in Liberia: Tragedy
and Challenge,” (1992) and “Beyond Plunder: Toward Democratic Governance in
Liberia” (2005). In recent years, after the election of former President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf of Liberia, Dr. Sawyer was called into service to lead the Governance
Commission, one of Liberia’s integrity institutions as its Chair.
There can be no debate that Dr. Sawyer lived an impactful life of public service, and his
legacy is one of immense consequence in Liberia and across Africa. The Sawyer
Foundation is aiming to continue that legacy of service by working as a non-partisan
independent non-government organization (NGO) that focuses on many of the issues
most important to Dr. Sawyer. The Foundation will operate and implement programs in
the areas of Democratic Governance, Rule of Law, and Peacebuilding. The Foundation
will work closely with local implementing partners and other NGOs to develop and
implement its programs. In addition, the Foundation will conduct or oversee analysis
and critical thinking that is required to address many of the challenges confronting post-
conflict countries such as Liberia, or countries at-risk of falling into conflict.
Democratic Governance
The Amos Claudius Sawyer Foundation will be dedicated to promoting democratic
governance in Liberia. The Foundation seeks to advance the ideals of good
governance, transparency, and accountability by promoting political education, civic
engagement, and leadership development. Through its various programs and initiatives,
the Foundation aims to strengthen democratic institutions, foster civic participation, and
promote sustainable development in Liberia an the sub-region. The Foundation’s work
is crucial in promoting the values of democracy and promoting the well-being of citizens.
Rule of Law
“The Amos Claudius Sawyer Foundation’s commitment to the rule of law is a testament to its dedication to promoting democratic values and principles in Liberia.” Floater
The Amos Claudius Sawyer Foundation recognizes the importance of the rule of law in
promoting democratic governance and sustainable development in Liberia. The
Foundation is committed to promoting the principles of justice, fairness, and
accountability by strengthening the country’s legal system and promoting respect for the
rule of law. Through its various programs and initiatives, the Foundation works to
promote legal education, support the development of legal institutions, and promote
human rights in Liberia. The Foundation recognizes that the rule of law is essential for
promoting peace and stability, protecting individual freedoms, and ensuring equal
access to justice for all citizens.
Peace building
The Amos Claudius Sawyer Foundation is deeply committed to promoting
peacebuilding efforts in Liberia. The Foundation recognizes that sustainable peace is
essential for promoting democratic governance and fostering social and economic
development. Through its various programs and initiatives, the foundation works to
promote reconciliation, foster dialogue, and build trust among different communities in
Liberia. The Foundation also supports efforts to address the root causes of conflict,
such as poverty, inequality, and political exclusion. The Amos Claudius Sawyer
Foundation recognizes that sustainable peace requires the participation of all
stakeholders, including civil society organizations, government institutions, and the
private sector.
“The Amos Claudius Sawyer Foundation’s commitment to peacebuilding is a testament to its dedication to promoting the well-being of Liberian citizens and fostering a culture of peace and prosperity in the country.” Floater
Background
Liberia’s return to democratic rule through a long and delicate transition period during
which Professor Amos Sawyer served as the Interim President of Liberia (1990 – 1994)
was a post war period of immense recovery and national rebuilding – institutional,
political, social.
This period would not have been possible without the diligent service of Professor Amos
Sawyer, and though progress was recorded and evidenced by two (2) peaceful
democratic transitions of power, it has not been without its challenges and setbacks.
Some of these include the widened space for civil society organizations to operate and
contribute to national development, the need for intercommunity peace and trust
rebuilding, the dearth of capacity for public service and the need for a functioning 21st
century government. It immediately became clear that there were governance gaps in
Liberia, especially of a democratic hue, owing to the Liberian history of governance and
to the long period of civil war in the country. Such gaps cannot be filled by the
government alone but through a coordinated effort involving the public sector-
comprising the elected politicians and bureaucracy, private sector, and civil society
organizations.
Therefore, Amos Claudius Sawyer Foundation aims to contribute to bridging the
governance gaps in the sub-region through fostering a democratic culture, facilitate
debates on public policy issues, and to support policy making as evidence informed. In
addition, the Amos Sawyer Foundation will contribute to deepening and enriching the
sub-regional think tank space by providing evidence- based analysis, advisory and
policy support services that is unique and enables stakeholders to engage and resolve
complex problems.
WHAT WE DO – Focus Areas
The Sawyer Foundation will direct its resources, experience, and capacity to the following
thematic areas:
Democratic Governance:
The AMOS CLAUDIUS SAWYER Foundation is an organization dedicated to promoting democratic governance in Liberia. The foundation was named after Amos Claudius Sawyer, a prominent Liberian politician and scholar who served as the interim President of Liberia during the early 1990s. The foundation seeks to advance the ideals of good governance, transparency, and accountability by promoting political education, civic engagement, and leadership development. Through its various programs and initiatives, the foundation aims to strengthen democratic institutions, foster civic participation, and promote sustainable development in Liberia. The foundation’s work is crucial in promoting the values of democracy and promoting the well-being of Liberian citizens.
Rule of Law:
The AMOS CLAUDIUS SAWYER Foundation is an organization dedicated to promoting democratic governance in Liberia. The foundation was named after Amos Claudius Sawyer, a prominent Liberian politician and scholar who served as the interim President of Liberia during the early 1990s. The foundation seeks to advance the ideals of good governance, transparency, and accountability by promoting political education, civic engagement, and leadership development. Through its various programs and initiatives, the foundation aims to strengthen democratic institutions, foster civic participation, and promote sustainable development in Liberia. The foundation’s work is crucial in promoting the values of democracy and promoting the well-being of Liberian citizens.
Peace building:
The AMOS CLAUDIUS SAWYER Foundation is an organization dedicated to promoting democratic governance in Liberia. The foundation was named after Amos Claudius Sawyer, a prominent Liberian politician and scholar who served as the interim President of Liberia during the early 1990s. The foundation seeks to advance the ideals of good governance, transparency, and accountability by promoting political education, civic engagement, and leadership development. Through its various programs and initiatives, the foundation aims to strengthen democratic institutions, foster civic participation, and promote sustainable development in Liberia. The foundation’s work is crucial in promoting the values of democracy and promoting the well-being of Liberian citizens.
HOW WE DO IT - The “REAL” Approach
Research & Reflect:
The Foundation will host an inhouse think tank. The think tank will be established to conduct research to generate evidence through primary data and knowledge on critical governance issues in its immediate constituency (being Liberia) at a first instance, West Africa and Africa. This will be aimed at addressing the massive knowledge gap in policy making in Liberia (and the continent as a whole) as well as ensuring that all of the Foundation’s priorities, programmes, projects and engagements are informed by evidence regarding the instance of pertinence. We will analyze governance and public policy issues with aspirations of policy relevance and academic excellence. To this end, the Foundation will partner with leading organizations and institutions (universities, research 3 institutions, other think tanks, development agencies, etc.) The Foundation’s research will be informed by questions on the analytical and normative issues that practitioners in governance and public policy face. Building bridges between academia, political leaders, business, and civil society requires effective communication.
Engage & Empower:
We use the insights of our research and policy advice to foster public debate on key issues
in governance and public policy, as well as feed the questions raised in policy debates and
dialogues back into our research and advisory work. In addition, the foundation will bring
people together to exchange ideas and develop common initiatives. Through debate and
dialogue, we aim to support and assemble social and political entrepreneurs, build
strategic communities and nurture thought leadership, applied research at both national
and regional levels. Effective and accountable governance requires individuals who are
creative, thoughtful and unafraid to work across issues and boundaries.
Working separately or in collaboration with governmental, non-governmental, bilateral,
multilateral, political, non-political and other entities, the Foundation will vigorously
pursue avenues for the establishment of strategic partnerships and the strengthening of
existing ones to develop practical operating frameworks for successfully carrying out the
multiple programmes, projects and other activities aimed at promoting the principles of
Good Governance, Local/National/Regional/Continental Peace, and Security across all
landscapes;
How we work:
The “AMOS CLAUDIUS SAWYER FOUNDATION LIBERIA” referenced by way of trade name
as the SAWYER FOUNDATION LIBERIA is an independent and non-partisan public policy
and governance Foundation incorporated in honor of Dr. Amos Sawyer, the former
president oof the Republic of Liberia. The overall objective of the foundation is to honor
the legacy of Dr. Amos Claudius Sawyer by creating and establishing a non-profit
organization for the purpose of addressing the multiple issues of Democratic
Governance, Rule of Law and Peace building to address local, national, and geo-political
issues in the body polity and general governance structure of Liberia and other societies
where and when legally applicable.
John Doe
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John Doe
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John Doe
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