– Urges Strategic Use of Global Platform
By Jerromie S. Walters
Alexander B. Cummings, Political Leader of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), has hailed Liberia’s election to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as a “proud and historic moment,” while calling for the strategic use of the position to advance national and continental interests.
In a statement released following the UN General Assembly vote, Cummings celebrated the milestone, declaring: “Congratulations, Liberia! Liberia has officially won a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council! This is a proud and historic moment for our nation.”
The two-year term (2025–2026) marks Liberia’s return to the UNSC after a 50-year absence, positioning the West African nation to influence critical global decisions on peace, security, and development.
Cummings acknowledged the roles of successive administrations in securing the seat, stating: “I want to congratulate Pres. Joseph Boakai’s administration for sealing the deal and Pres. George Weah’s administration for starting this process.”
He also praised Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti and her team for their diplomatic efforts, calling their work “incredible” in achieving this long-sought victory.
While celebrating the achievement, the ANC leader urged sustained engagement to maximize the opportunity: *“Now more than ever, we have a platform to champion peace, security, and development not just for Liberia, but for Africa and the world.”
Emphasizing accountability, Cummings added: “Let us also stay engaged and hold hope that this position will be strategically used to create real opportunities for our people and our country. Liberia’s future is bright when we work together.” Liberia’s seat on the UNSC comes at a pivotal time, with the nation expected to advocate for African priorities, including conflict resolution, climate resilience, and equitable global governance. The win also reinforces Liberia’s post-war recovery narrative on the world stage.
The Victory
Liberia was officially elected on June 3, 2025, alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to serve as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), representing Africa for the 2026–2027 term. The process provides that to be elected, a candidate country must receive a two-thirds majority of the votes cast by the Member States present and voting.
With 190 countries voting, Liberia accumulated 181 votes out of the total 188 total votes cast, surpassing the 127 affirmative threshold votes to secure a seat. Liberia declared its candidacy for one of the two available seats allocated to the African Group in September 2023 – during an announcement made during the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, where the first Independent African Nation launched her campaign and began seeking endorsements from regional and international partners.
Liberia’s campaign which emphasized her enduring commitment to peace, security, and development across the African continent, received strong endorsements from both the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU). The election was conducted by established General Assembly procedures and regional rotation practices. It was presided over by H.E. Philemon Yang of Cameroon, President of the 79th UNGA session, which began in September 2024 and will conclude in September 2025.
The process was carried out pursuant to Article 23 of the UN Charter, which states: “The General Assembly shall elect ten other Members of the United Nations to be non-permanent members of the Security Council, due regard being specially paid, in the first instance to the contribution of Members of the United Nations to the maintenance of international peace and security and to the other purposes of the Organization, and also to equitable geographical distribution.”
