Joseph Boakai: How the Liberian President restored his c....

Since taking office in January 2024, Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has pursued an active diplomatic policy aimed at lifting his country from relative isolation and restoring its influential role in regional and international governance structures. In just two years, Liberia has achieved a series of remarkable diplomatic breakthroughs, culminating in its return to the UN Security Council after more than sixty years of absence, as well as an expanded presence within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

A historic return to the UN security council

On June 3, 2025, Liberia was elected a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2026-2027 term, securing 181 votes out of 193 member states of the General Assembly.

It was the sole candidate for the African Group seat. This victory marked Liberia’s return to the Council for the first time since its only previous term in 1961, nearly 64 years earlier.

In a televised address to the nation, President Boakai hailed this achievement as a “new chapter in Liberia’s international engagement,” viewing it as the culmination of 178 years of the Republic’s history.

His Foreign Minister, Sarah Beysolow Nyanti, led a proactive diplomatic campaign throughout 2025, with the support of ECOWAS and the African Union, helping to position Liberia as the consensus candidate within the Africa-Asia-Pacific group.

Liberia began its official observer period at the Security Council in October 2025, ahead of assuming its seat, before officially raising its flag at the United Nations headquarters in New York in January 2026, thus commencing its full term alongside Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Latvia.

President Boakai emphasized that Liberia’s approach at the Council would be guided by the principle that “insecurity, wherever it occurs, threatens stability everywhere,” drawing on Liberia’s own experience in post-conflict peacebuilding.

Progressive gains within ECOWAS

In parallel, President Boakai has strengthened his country’s presence within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). In December 2025, Liberia secured the chairmanship of the ECOWAS Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, Energy, and Agriculture, as well as a seat on the ECOWAS Court of Justice, following intense deliberations and lobbying efforts during ministerial meetings.

Member states also agreed that Liberia would succeed Senegal as Chair of the ECOWAS Commission beginning in 2030. Liberia currently chairs the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), a specialized agency of ECOWAS tasked with protecting member states’ financial systems from proceeds of organized crime and terrorist financing.

69th ECOWAS Summit in Sierra Leone

The 69th Summit of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, held in Lungi, Sierra Leone, on July 19, 2026, alongside the “Summit on the Future of Regional Integration in West Africa,” marked another significant milestone in President Boakai’s diplomatic career.

In his address, the Liberian President warned that the regional bloc was at a decisive turning point, confronted with escalating security threats, democratic challenges, economic pressures, climate change, and the growing aspirations of the region’s youth. He called for reforms to strengthen regional integration and dismantle trade barriers.

President Boakai also highlighted his country’s recent election to the UN Security Council, underscoring his government’s commitment to advancing ECOWAS and African priorities on the international stage.

He reaffirmed Liberia’s unwavering support for the principles of peace, preventive diplomacy, constitutional governance, conflict resolution, and sustainable development.

He also welcomed progress in resolving the long-standing border dispute between Liberia and Guinea, expressing optimism that ongoing dialogue, supported by the ECOWAS Commission, would soon lead to a peaceful settlement acceptable to both parties.

During the summit, President Boakai signed three key regional agreements on behalf of Liberia:

The ECOWAS Gender Parity Agreement, through which member states commit to achieving 40% gender parity by 2028 and 50% by 2035 within regional institutions and decision-making positions.
The Commitment Declaration to the Charter for the Future of Regional Integration, a strategic framework aimed at deepening cooperation among member states and strengthening regional institutions.
The Intergovernmental Agreement on the Africa-Atlantic Gas Pipeline Project, an ambitious infrastructure initiative designed to enhance regional energy security.

President Boakai also participated in the symbolic opening ceremonies of the summit, including the planting of a “Regional Integration Tree.”

He commended the efforts of outgoing ECOWAS Chair, Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio, and congratulated Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on his succession.

Context of challenges

This diplomatic resurgence comes as West Africa navigates a period of realignment, following the formal withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from ECOWAS in January 2025 and the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States. As a result, security and the unity of the bloc have become top priorities at recent summits.

In this context of divisions, President Boakai has sought to position Liberia as a force for regional cohesion, highlighting its journey from prolonged civil war to democratic stability.

On the domestic front, despite these international achievements, the Boakai administration continues to face national challenges related to corruption and public expenditure management.

In May 2026, the President reduced his own salary by 40%, a measure he presented as an example of responsible governance.

With a new seat at the UN Security Council, multiple leadership positions within ECOWAS, and an active role in regional integration, energy, and border issues, President Joseph Boakai appears to have succeeded, in just two years in office, in translating his campaign slogan “Love Liberia…Build Liberia” into tangible diplomatic gains that have restored his country’s presence on the African and international stage to levels not seen in decades.