By: G. Bennie Bravo Johnson, I
The Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs, through its Diaspora Office at the Executive Mansion, has announced the establishment of a National Steering Committee to organize and coordinate the Diaspora Annual Return 2026. The announcement, dated February 19, 2026, forms part of the government’s broader Diaspora Strategic Plan (2024–2027), which was presented during the first cabinet retreat presided over by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr..
According to the Diaspora Office, the 2024–2027 Diaspora Strategy aligns with the President’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) and underscores the administration’s commitment to strengthening engagement with Liberians abroad. The Diaspora Office is mandated to coordinate, follow up, and implement the President’s commitments to diaspora communities, with the Annual Return 2026 serving as a flagship initiative to deepen national development partnerships.
The newly established Steering Committee will be chaired by the Ministry of State Diaspora Office and co-chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diaspora Office.
Membership comprises representatives from key government institutions, including the Ministries of Finance, Information, Commerce, Health, and Internal Affairs; the National Investment Commission; Liberia National Police; Liberia Immigration Service; the Senate and House Diaspora Caucuses; and the University of Liberia Diaspora Center, among others. The Liberia Chamber of Commerce and the Liberia Business Association are also represented.
International partners and diplomatic missions are expected to play a supporting role. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) will serve as the Diaspora Office’s physical agent, while the United Nations Peacebuilding Office (UNPBO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are listed as members. All foreign embassies accredited to Liberia have also been invited to participate in the process.
Diaspora organizations from across the globe are included in the planning framework. These include the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA) in the United States; the Federation of Liberian Communities in Australia (FOLICA); the Liberian Association of Canada (LAC); the United Liberian Association of Ghana (ULAG); and the European Federation of Liberian Associations (EFLA), along with other diaspora networks worldwide.
Prominent public and private sector stakeholders have also joined the initiative. Dr. Clarice Ford Kulah will chair the planning subcommittees, with Mrs. Tianna Sherman Kesselly serving as co-chair. Other stakeholders include Ambassador Edwin Yarngo; Special Envoy for National Branding and Cultural Diplomacy Barkue Tubman Zawolo; UK-based entrepreneur Anthony Kollie; and internationally recognized entertainer Michael Blackson, among others.
The committee will operate through various subcommittees tasked with organizing and executing activities for the Diaspora Annual Return 2026. Organizers emphasized that the initiative is a public-private partnership involving Liberians at home and abroad and clarified that participation on the committee is strictly voluntary and does not constitute employment with the Government of Liberia.
