Nathaniel Barnes
{{Short description|Liberian diplomat (born 1954)}}
{{Distinguish|Nathanael Barnes}}
{{for|the fictional character of the same name|Nathaniel Barnes (Gotham character)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Nathaniel Barnes
|image = Nathaniel Barnes 2021.jpg
|caption = Barnes in 2021
|office1 = Minister of Finance
|term_start1 = 1999
|term_end1 = 2002
|president1 = Charles Taylor
|predecessor1 = John G. Bestman
|successor1 = Charles R. G. Bright
|office2 = Liberian Ambassador to the United States
|president2 = Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
|term_start2 = 9 September 2008
|term_end2 = 2010
|predecessor2 = Charles A. Minor
|successor2 = Jeremiah Sulunteh
|birth_date = {{birth-date and age|6 April 1954}}
|birth_place = Monrovia, Liberia
|residence =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|otherparty = Liberia Destiny Party
Free Democratic Party
|spouse = Dr. Dawn Cooper Barnes
|children = 6
|profession =
|website = {{URL|nathanielbarnes2023.com|Official website}}
|party = Independent
|alma_mater = Rider University, B.SC., Pace University, MBA
}}
Milton Nathaniel Barnes (born 1954) is a Liberian diplomat, politician and member of the Liberian Destiny Party (LDP). In early 2022, he announced his intention to run as an independent candidate in the 2023 Liberian presidential election.
Early life
Barnes was born in Monrovia, Liberia, to Roland T. and Eudora N. Barnes. He was the second of four children. Barnes spent his formative years in Harper and Monrovia.
He graduated from high school at the College of West Africa before spending a term at the University of Liberia.{{cite web|url=http://www.tlcafrica.com/election_2005.htm|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20051012183826/http://www.tlcafrica.com/election_2005.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=October 12, 2005|title=Candidates for President in Election 2005|publisher=TLC Africa|access-date=2008-09-02}} He worked as an intern in Liberia's banking system before eventually going to the United States for college.
Barnes attended Rider University (then Rider College) in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, in 1975 where in majored in Finance and graduated in 1978 with a B.Sc. degree. In 1979, Barnes graduated with an MBA in Finance and Banking from Pace University in New York City.{{cite web |title=Ambassador Barnes Goes to U.S. As Liberia's New Ambassador, Replaces Ambassador Minor |url=https://www.mofa.gov.lr/public2/2press.php?news_id=46&related=7&pg=sp |website=www.mofa.gov.lr |access-date=19 June 2021}}
Political career
In September 1999, Barnes was appointed to the position of Minister of Finance, Republic of Liberia. In that capacity, he became the chief architect of Liberia's fiscal program and oversaw and implemented a new national tax code in consultation with the Fiscal Affairs Department of the International Monetary Fund. He held this position until mid-2002.
In January 2004, Barnes founded a new political party, the Liberia Destiny Party (LDP).{{cite web|url=https://thenewdawnliberia.com/what-if/|title=What if|publisher=The New Dawn Liberia|date=April 11, 2019|accessdate=September 20, 2024}} Running as the LDP presidential candidate in the 2005 Liberian presidential general election, Barnes placed 12th out of 22 candidates, receiving 1.0% of the vote.[http://africanelections.tripod.com/lr.html Elections in Liberia], African Elections Database. He eventually supported Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who would become the first democratically elected female president of an African nation, during the subsequent runoff election.{{cite web |title=American University Confers Honorary Doctorate Degree on Ambassador Barnes |url=https://www.mofa.gov.lr/public2/2press.php?news_id=210&related=7&pg=sp |website=www.mofa.gov.lr |access-date=19 June 2021}}{{cite web |title=GNN Weekly Profile: The Man Milton Nathaniel Barnes, His Quest For Liberia – Global News Network |url=http://gnnliberia.com/2015/10/20/gnn-weekly-profile-the-man-milton-nathaniel-barnes-his-quest-for-liberia/ |access-date=19 June 2021}}
From May 2006 to 2008, Barnes was appointed Permanent Representative to the United Nations from the Republic of Liberia.{{Cite web |url=http://www.libpermission.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PAST-AND-PRESENT1.jpg |title=Former Permanent Representatives of Libera to the United Nations |access-date=2013-02-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422053746/http://www.libpermission.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PAST-AND-PRESENT1.jpg |archive-date=2016-04-22 |url-status=dead }}
Barnes served as Ambassador from the Republic of Liberia to the Republic of Cuba from 2006 -2008 while also serving as Ambassador to the United Nations. He was instrumental in re-establishing and solidifying diplomatic relations with Cuba.
In 2008, President Johnson Sirleaf named Ambassador Milton Nathaniel Barnes as Liberia's new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America. He served in this capacity until 2010.
In December 2010, Barnes expressed interest in contesting the presidency again in the 2011 election.{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-14/liberian-ambassador-to-united-nations-to-run-for-presidency-in-october.html|first=Antony|last=Sguazzin|title=Liberian Ambassador to United Nations to Run for Presidency in October|access-date=September 20, 2024|date=December 14, 2010|work=Bloomberg News}} In July 2011, he explained the LDP would not be contesting the presidency.{{cite news|url=https://allafrica.com/stories/201110181196.html|title=Liberia: Open Statement to the Liberian People from Ambassador M. Nathaniel Barnes|access-date=20 September 2011|date=18 October 2011|work=AllAfrica}}
By May 2014, the National Elections Commission filed a petition to decertify the LDP.{{cite web|first=Ben P.|last=Wesee|url=https://allafrica.com/stories/201412241110.html|title=Liberia: De-Certificated Parties Challenge NEC|publisher=AllAfrica|work=The New Dawn Liberia|date=May 26, 2014|accessdate=September 20, 2024}} Instead of challenging his party's decertification, Barnes joined the Free Democratic Party, a constituent party of the National Democratic Coalition, by October 2015.{{cite web|first=Lewis S.|last=Teh|url=https://thenewdawnliberia.com/nat-gets-ndc-membership/|title=Nat Gets NDC Membership|publisher=The New Dawn Liberia|date=October 6, 2015|accessdate=September 20, 2024}}
In January 2022, Barnes announced his intention to contest the upcoming 2023 Liberian presidential election as an independent candidate on a platform of "Reconciliation, Positive Change, Self-Reliance, and the Emergence of a New Breed of Liberian Leaders who exhibit the key qualities of Character, Competence and Courage."{{cite news |last1=Release |first1=Press |title=Liberia: Call for Amb. Milton Nathaniel Barnes to Contest the 2023 Presidential Elections as an Independent Candidate |url=https://www.liberianobserver.com/liberia-call-amb-milton-nathaniel-barnes-contest-2023-presidential-elections-independent-candidate |access-date=5 March 2022 |work=www.liberianobserver.com |publisher=The Liberian Observer |date=February 4, 2022 |language=en}}
Honors
In May 2009, Dr. Mordechai Rozanski, president of Rider University, conferred on Barnes an honorary Doctorate of Laws degree.
Personal life
Barnes is married to Dawn Cooper Barnes, a daughter of Henry Nehemiah Cooper, M.D. (1927–1984) and Izetta Cooper, co-founders of the former Cooper Clinic in Monrovia. The two grew up in the same Monrovia community where Barnes' mother was a teacher at Dawn's elementary school and Dawn's father was the Barnes' family doctor.{{cite news |last1=Scott |first1=Gail |title=Indefatigable Dawn |url=https://washdiplomat.com/indefatigable-dawn/ |access-date=5 March 2022 |work=Washington Diplomat |date=18 November 2010}} Dawn Barnes has written, directed and produced the films: Cry of the Pepperbird: A Story of Liberia (2000), The Spiritual Nature of African Dance (2001) and Children of Gold (2002). She also produced a Liberian television comedy series entitled WE ON IT! (2001–2003).{{cite web |title=Indefatigable Dawn – Western Africa Magazine |url=https://westernafricamagazine.org/culture/indefatigable-dawn/ |website=westernafricamagazine.org |access-date=5 March 2022 |language=en}} The couple have six children.
In 2010, Barnes founded consulting firm Aurora Solutions, Inc. Since 2010, he has also served regularly as a lecturer at the Graduate Schools of the University of Liberia and African Methodist Episcopal University.{{cite web |last1=Garblah |first1=Othello B. |title=Liberia: Nathaniel Barnes to Contest 2023 |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/202201180191.html |website=allAfrica.com |access-date=5 March 2022 |language=en |date=18 January 2022}}
He enjoys abstract painting. In 2020, his artistic creations were published in Left Brain Right Brain: Thoughts and Musings of a Servant (ISBN 978-0993571039).{{cite web |title=LEFT BRAIN, RIGHT BRAIN: Diplomat & Civil Servant, Nathaniel Barnes offers Thought-Provoking Musings on Liberia's Perennial Problems |url=https://frontpageafricaonline.com/news/left-brain-right-brain-diplomat-civil-servant-nathaniel-barnes-offers-thought-provoking-musings-on-liberias-perennial-problems/ |website=FrontPageAfrica |access-date=5 March 2022 |language=en-us}}
References
{{Portal|Liberia|Biography|Politics}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnes, Nathaniel}}
Category:Ministers of finance of Liberia
Category:University of Liberia alumni
Category:Pace University alumni
Category:Rider University alumni
Category:Politicians from Monrovia
Category:Candidates for President of Liberia
Category:Independent politicians in Liberia
Category:Liberian Destiny Party politicians
Category:Free Democratic Party (Liberia) politicians
Category:Permanent representatives of Liberia to the United Nations
Category:Ambassadors of Liberia to the United States