President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a message of congratulations to the Government and people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on the auspicious occasion marking the country’s 205^th Independence Anniversary.

July 5^th is celebrated annually in observance of the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence marking the birth of the first independent nation of South America. After a series of unsuccessful uprisings, Venezuela – under the leadership of Franciso de Miranda, a Venezuelan marshal involved in the French Revolution – declared independence on July 5, 1811.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, the Liberian leader, in the message to her Venezuelan counterpart, His Excellency Nicolas Maduro, President of the Republic of Venezuela, prayed that the cordial ties of friendship and cooperation subsisting between their two countries continue to be further enhanced through the strengthening of existing partnership and the exploration of new areas of mutual interest as their two countries continue this remarkable relationship.

“The people of Liberia are convinced that the confidence and friendship which so happily exist between our respective countries will continue to deepen under your able leadership,” President Sirleaf told her Venezuelan counterpart. She then wished President Maduro good health, peace, happiness and for the people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, unity and prosperity.

In a related development, President Sirleaf has also sent a message of congratulations to the Government and people of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria on the occasion marking the 54th Independence Anniversary of that country’s liberation.

July 5^th is celebrated annually as the Independence Day of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to commemorate the independence of Algeria from France in 1962. Algeria was conquered and colonized by France in 1830. Algeria became a home for hundreds of thousands of French settlers.

Tensions between the Muslim population and Pied-Noirs (people of European ancestry) eventually led to the Algerian War of Independence. On November 1, 1954, guerrillas of the National Liberation Front launched a series of attacks against military and civilian targets throughout Algeria in what is now known as Touissant Rouge (Red All-Saints' Day). In March 1962, France and the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic signed the Évian Accords that ended the war. Algeria was pronounced an independent country on July 3, but the Algerian government officially recognized independence on July 5, 1962, the 132nd anniversary of the French invasion.

In her message to His Excellency Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, President Sirleaf extended heartfelt congratulations and best wishes and prayed that the Almighty Allah will endow H.E. Bouteflika with abundant wisdom and strength as he leads his people to greater prosperity.

The Liberian leader entertained the hope that the cordial ties of friendship subsisting between their two countries will be further strengthened for the mutual benefit of their two peoples.

Meanwhile, President Sirleaf has sent a message to her Cape Verdean counterpart, His Excellency Mr. Jorge Carlos Fonseca, on the occasion commemorating the 41^st Independence Anniversary on July 5^th.

In the message, the Liberian leader extended warmest congratulations to the Government and people of Cape Verde on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia and in her own name as that country celebrates this auspicious occasion. “It is our fervent prayer that these festivities will cultivate new frontiers in our bilateral ties and promote international peace and security,” she said.

President Sirleaf stressed that consistent with the principles of the African Union and the United Nations it is her hope that the bond of friendship so happily subsisting between their two countries will be further strengthened for the mutual benefit of their two peoples.