Weah Sworn In As Liberian President, Completes Historic Transition

Weah takes the oath, becoming Liberia’s next president Image credit: Jennifer O’Mahony

Former international football star George Weah speaks in the Liberian capital Monrovia on December 30, 2017, the day after the country's elections board officially certified Weah as the winner of the presidential election.

George #Weah, football legend, sitting beside #sirleaf about to be sworn in as #Liberia’s new President Image credit: Tamasin Ford

Former international football star George Weah was sworn in as Liberia's new president on Monday, in the country's first transition between democratically-elected leaders since 1944.

Weah, 51, took over from Nobel laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who spent 12 years at the helm, steering the West African nation away from the trauma of a civil war.

He was sworn in as president by the chief justice of the Supreme Court, Francis Korkpor.

The ceremony took place at a packed sports stadium near the capital, Monrovia, with several African heads of state in attendance, along with friends and former colleagues from Weah's football years.

Crowds queued for kilometres (miles) to reach the stadium, singing, dancing and waving the Liberian flag as they waited.

Weah has vowed to make prosperity and job creation the hallmarks of his presidency.

Liberia is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking a mere 177th on the 188 countries in the Human Development Index compiled by the UN Development Programme.