--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why are some countries able, despite…" description: "\"“Why are some countries able, despite their very real and serious problems, to press ahead along the road to reconciliation, recovery, and redevelopmen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/ellen-johnson-sirleaf-13797_better-life_why-are-some-countries-able-despite-thei_1093373.jpg" --- # Why are some countries able, despite their very real and… ![“Why are some countries able, despite their very real and serious problems, to press ahead along the road to reconciliation, recovery, and redevelopment while others cannot? These are critical questions for Africa, and their answers are complex and not always clear. Leadership is crucial, of…” quote by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/ellen-johnson-sirleaf-13797_better-life_why-are-some-countries-able-despite-thei_1093373.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/ellen-johnson-sirleaf-13797_better-life_why-are-some-countries-able-despite-thei_1093373.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/ellen-johnson-sirleaf-13797_better-life_why-are-some-countries-able-despite-thei_1093373.jpg) > ““Why are some countries able, despite their very real and serious problems, to press ahead along the road to reconciliation, recovery, and redevelopment while others cannot? These are critical questions for Africa, and their answers are complex and not always clear. Leadership is crucial, of course. Kagame was a strong leader–decisive, focused, disciplined, and honest–and he remains so today. I believe that sometimes people's characters are molded by their environment. Angola, like Liberia, like Sierra Leone, is resource-rich, a natural blessing that sometimes has the sad effect of diminishing the human drive for self-sufficiency, the ability and determination to maximize that which one has. Kagame had nothing. He grew up in a refugee camp, equipped with only his own strength of will and determination to create a better life for himself and his countrymen. ”” [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leadership, personal resilience, and resource context shape a nation's ability to recover and develop. **In simple terms:** Strong leaders and self‑reliance drive progress despite challenges. Key Takeaway Cultivate decisive, disciplined leadership and personal drive. Themes leadership resilience development resource management Mood determined reflective Type political motivational When to use this quote - post‑conflict reconstruction - economic planning - governance reform - community empowerment Key Concepts human agency environmental influence nation building Questions to Reflect On - How does personal will overcome structural deficits? - What policies can balance resource wealth with self‑sufficiency? A Different Perspective Strong leadership alone cannot fix systemic corruption or external pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-life/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Kagame Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kagame-strong-2838803/) [Leader Decisive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader-decisive-1397038/) [Leadership Crucial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership-crucial-2838802/) [Like Liberia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-liberia-2838804/) [Sierra leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sierra-leone/) [Strong Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-leader/) ## Related quotes > [Trump was elected in part because enough Americans viewed him as a capable and strong leader, someone who is 'decisive' and 'competent.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-soltis-anderson/trump-was-elected-in-part-because-enough-americans-viewed-him-as-a/) [Kristen Soltis Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-soltis-anderson/) > [Women are part of peace keeping troops in countries like Liberia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zainab-salbi/women-are-part-of-peace-keeping-troops-in-countries-like-liberia/) [Zainab Salbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zainab-salbi/) > [In politics, as in business, leadership is crucial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-bronfman-sr/in-politics-as-in-business-leadership-is-crucial/) [Edgar Bronfman, Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-bronfman-sr/) > [You were born to lead as mothers and fathers, because nowhere is righteous leadership more crucial than in the family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-l-dew/you-were-born-to-lead-as-mothers-and-fathers-because-nowhere-is-2/) [Sheri L. 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Extractive political institutions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/nations-fail-today-because-their-extractive-economic-institutions-do/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [I've always wanted to prove people wrong, and that's what drives me. I've been like that since Sierra Leone, when everyone said, 'Nobody is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-deprince/i-ve-always-wanted-to-prove-people-wrong-and-that-s-what-drives-me-i/) [Michaela DePrince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-deprince/) > [“Sociobiologist Edward O. Wilson later said that there should be a “consilience” between art and science. 79 Former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison took selected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lewis/sociobiologist-edward-o-wilson-later-said-that-there-should-be-a/) [Sarah Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lewis/) > ['Beasts of No Nation' began when I read an article about child soldiers in Sierra Leone during my final year of high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uzodinma-iweala/beasts-of-no-nation-began-when-i-read-an-article-about-child-soldiers/) [Uzodinma Iweala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uzodinma-iweala/) > [I was born in 1995 in Sierra Leone, in the middle of a war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-deprince/i-was-born-in-1995-in-sierra-leone-in-the-middle-of-a-war/) [Michaela DePrince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-deprince/) ## More by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf > [The people of Liberia know what it means to be deprived of clean water, but we also know what it means to see our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/the-people-of-liberia-know-what-it-means-to-be-deprived-of-clean/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) > [I don't run a woman government. I run a government of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/i-don-t-run-a-woman-government-i-run-a-government-of-people/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) > [If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/if-your-dreams-do-not-scare-you-they-are-not-big-enough/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) > [I don't face any particular problems as a woman president because I have been a professional for a long time. I keep telling people:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/i-don-t-face-any-particular-problems-as-a-woman-president-because-i/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) > [I've been involved in politics for quite some time. I've held positions, and my experiences are very deep, and I think I have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/i-ve-been-involved-in-politics-for-quite-some-time-i-ve-held/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) > [If your dreams don't scare you, you aren't dreaming big enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/if-your-dreams-don-t-scare-you-you-aren-t-dreaming-big-enough/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) > [In Liberia, the big challenge that remains for us is job creation. We want young people to work or go to school. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/in-liberia-the-big-challenge-that-remains-for-us-is-job-creation-we/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) > [I work hard, I work late, I have nothing on my conscience. When I go to bed, I sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/i-work-hard-i-work-late-i-have-nothing-on-my-conscience-when-i-go-to/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) > [Women work harder. And women are more honest; they have less reasons to be corrupt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/women-work-harder-and-women-are-more-honest-they-have-less-reasons-to/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) > [To girls and women everywhere, I issue a simple invitation. My sisters, my daughters, my friends; find your voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/to-girls-and-women-everywhere-i-issue-a-simple-invitation-my-sisters/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) > [Future generations will judge us not by what we say, but what we do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/future-generations-will-judge-us-not-by-what-we-say-but-what-we-do/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) > [When I took office, Liberia began to recover from years of neglect. Our people have brought clean water into the heart of Monrovia to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/when-i-took-office-liberia-began-to-recover-from-years-of-neglect-our/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) > [Ebola is not just a health crisis. Across West Africa, a generation of young people risks being lost to an economic catastrophe,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/ebola-is-not-just-a-health-crisis-across-west-africa-a-generation-of/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) > [I think the majority of the Liberian people want peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/i-think-the-majority-of-the-liberian-people-want-peace/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) > [Our entire judicial system in Liberia has broken down because of the many years of lawlessness, indiscipline and warfare. We need more training to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/our-entire-judicial-system-in-liberia-has-broken-down-because-of-the/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) [Explore all 49 Ellen Johnson Sirleaf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) ## More Better life quotes > [My father longed for a better life for us, and when I was nine he got a job as a heart surgeon in Belfast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/my-father-longed-for-a-better-life-for-us-and-when-i-was-nine-he-got/) [Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/) > [A faithfully kept program of savings and conservative investments can give you more money and a better life than that of your neighbors who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-bryant-quinn/a-faithfully-kept-program-of-savings-and-conservative-investments-can/) [Jane Bryant Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-bryant-quinn/) > [“There is no greater force for change than people inspired to live a better life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/there-is-no-greater-force-for-change-than-people-inspired-to-live-a/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [If you want to live a meaningfully better life, you're going to have to make the dangerous choice to dissent. 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Speak without offending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/tips-for-a-better-life-1-live-without-pretending-2-love-without/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [There is always the possibility of a better life with every change that we face, but sometimes we have to look hard for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowick/there-is-always-the-possibility-of-a-better-life-with-every-change/) [David Bowick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowick/) > [So in the near future, two or three years, people in Kyrgyzstan will experience a better life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurmanbek-bakiyev/so-in-the-near-future-two-or-three-years-people-in-kyrgyzstan-will/) [Kurmanbek Bakiyev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurmanbek-bakiyev/) > [I want to make sure that I fulfill the aspirations of the Gabonese people: to have access to a better life, job opportunities, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-bongo-ondimba/i-want-to-make-sure-that-i-fulfill-the-aspirations-of-the-gabonese/) [Ali Bongo Ondimba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-bongo-ondimba/) > [We will strive to make Taiwan a better place and enable our people to live better lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chen-shui-bian/we-will-strive-to-make-taiwan-a-better-place-and-enable-our-people-to/) [Chen Shui-bian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chen-shui-bian/) > [The slums are not a place of despair. Its inhabitants are all working towards a better life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikas-swarup/the-slums-are-not-a-place-of-despair-its-inhabitants-are-all-working/) [Vikas Swarup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikas-swarup/) > [I see history as really cyclical in terms of the intense idealism, and the desire to create a better life outside of societal norms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/i-see-history-as-really-cyclical-in-terms-of-the-intense-idealism-and/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [If I died Some people will be soo happy and though a party,Other will regret what they had said to me,and people who really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/if-i-died-some-people-will-be-soo-happy-and-though-a-party-other-will/) [Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/) > [There is no more important task in a democracy than resolving the differences among people and finding a course of action that will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/there-is-no-more-important-task-in-a-democracy-than-resolving-the/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [There isn't any wall, however high, however wide or however big, whatever it is made from, that can bar you from achieving a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-luis-rodriguez-zapatero/there-isn-t-any-wall-however-high-however-wide-or-however-big/) [Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-luis-rodriguez-zapatero/) [Browse all 925 Better life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Why are some countries able, despite their very real and serious problems, to press ahead along the road to reconciliation, recovery, and redevelopment while others cannot? 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