On the occasion of the Nobel Peace Prize award (10th December 2011), ​PRIO Researcher Mark Naftalin has written two articles on the laureate, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia.  

A shorter op-ed is published in Norwegian in Dagbladet:  http://www.dagbladet.no/2011/12/09/kultur/debatt/debattinnlegg/nobels_fredspris/liberia/19349030/ - or read the text here.

And a longer piece is published on The Africa Report web site: http://www.theafricareport.com/index.php/west-africa/liberia-under-a-nobel-peace-laureate-50177158.html.

Mark concludes: "As President Johnson-Sirleaf steps off the stage of the Oslo City Hall on Saturday, she will enjoy the continued international praise she and Liberia have received.  An array of challenges, nevertheless, remain.  One of her campaign slogans during the recent elections was "Don't change the pilots when the plane hasn't landed yet".  For many Liberians, the plane has only just taken off.  How the Nobel peace laureate proceeds into her second term will be an important test".