By: G Bennie Bravo Johnson, ILiberian Leader, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has reaffirmed Liberia’s dedication to peace, dialogue, and collective security as he addressed the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Speaking early Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly – held under the theme: “Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development, and Human Rights” – President Boakai expressed Liberia’s gratitude to the General Assembly for electing Liberia to serve on the United Nations Security Council for the 2026–2027 term.
“This marks Liberia’s first full tenure on the UN Security Council, eighty years after the country signed the charter in the Herbst Theatre auditorium in San Francisco,” the President said.
As Liberia prepares to assume its historic Security Council seat, the President pledged that the country will remain “a bridge to peace, a development partner, and a defender of human rights,” committed to ensuring that regional and global security challenges are addressed through cooperation and dialogue.
The President noted that while the nameplate will read “Liberia,” the seat belongs to Africa, underscoring the country’s commitment to shaping discussions and decisions through its experiences in conflict resolution, peace building, democratic reform, and governance.
“As one of only four African countries to sign the Charter of the United Nations, Liberia feels morally obligated to call for a renewal—rather than a reversal—of multilateralism. Reversal of multilateralism is not an option for a just and peaceful world,” he emphasized.
President Boakai emphasized Liberia’s intention to advocate for Africa’s fair representation on the Security Council, calling permanent representation “a key part of the UN Security Council reform agenda.”
Reflecting on current global conflicts, the President warned that peace remains fragile and must be constantly defended. “Wars in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa remind us that peace is often fragile and must be constantly defended. Therefore, as in 1945, Liberia once again reaffirms its commitment to dialogue, diplomacy, and the peaceful resolution of disputes,” he stated.
He reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to dialogue and diplomacy, citing support for mediation efforts in the conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, as well as between Israel and Palestine. He reiterated Liberia’s alignment with the African common position for a two-state solution in the Middle East.
“We call on the international community to act together and decisively to protect civilians, hold perpetrators of atrocities accountable, and strengthen mediation efforts,” the President added.
The Liberian Leader continued by calling on the international community to act decisively to protect civilians and hold perpetrators accountable. President Boakai drew on Liberia’s history, noting the nation’s painful experience with civil war and its successful transition to stability through multilateral support from ECOWAS, the African Union, and the United Nations.
“Since 2003, Liberia has experienced three peaceful and orderly democratic transitions, each marked by smooth transfers of power, making our nation safer, more stable, and more secure after over thirty years of unrest, instability, and destruction,” he said.
He stressed that Liberia’s recovery over the past two decades has been anchored in reconciliation and peacebuilding, including deliberate steps toward justice and the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court to advance national healing.
“While we recognize that these efforts are complex and challenging, they are essential steps toward achieving lasting peace and genuine national healing,” he explained.
“Rising from the ruins of civil war, Liberia knows all too well the human cost of conflict and the importance of peace,” President Boakai stated, pointing to the country’s three peaceful and orderly democratic transitions since 2003 as evidence of its resilience.
