Liberia Prepares for Historic UN Security Council Presidency in December

President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has declared that Liberia is poised to assume a greater role in global peace and security as the nation approaches its December presidency of the United Nations Security Council, characterizing the responsibility as a defining moment in the country’s diplomatic history.

Speaking at the United Nations Day 2026 commemoration on Monday, President Boakai reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to multilateral cooperation, recalling its status as a founding member of the world body in 1945. He expressed pride in Liberia’s contribution to the UN’s establishment 81 years ago, when nations pledged to spare future generations the devastation of war.

“After 81 years, the United Nations continues to prevent conflict, promote dialogue, empower communities, serve humanity, and advance peace. For Liberia, its contribution to our contemporary history is immeasurable,” Boakai stated.

The President highlighted the UN’s critical intervention during Liberia’s 14-year civil conflict, when the organization collaborated with ECOWAS, the African Union, and international partners to facilitate peace negotiations and deliver humanitarian aid. Following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement on August 18, 2003, the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) deployed approximately 15,000 peacekeepers, more than 1,000 police officers, and civilian personnel to help stabilize the country. From 2003 to 2018, the mission contributed significantly to restoring peace and rebuilding national institutions.

“Liberia has witnessed firsthand the fulfillment of the principles and purposes we helped establish in 1945,” Boakai affirmed. He said that experience shaped his administration’s decision to pursue a more active role in the UN and its affiliated institutions.

Reflecting on Liberia’s 2025 election to the Security Council, Boakai described the achievement as historic, marking the country’s first election to a full two-year term as a non-permanent member. He recalled that in 1960, Liberia and Ireland reached a negotiated arrangement to share a contested seat after six weeks and 13 inconclusive rounds of voting, with each country serving one year. However, he emphasized that the 2025 election represented a significant diplomatic milestone because Liberia secured sufficient votes in the General Assembly for a full two-year term.

“Of the four African nations that signed the UN Charter in 1945, Liberia is the last to be elected to the Council. The honor has come late, but at a defining moment for the Organization,” he said.

President Boakai announced that Liberia will assume the rotating presidency of the Security Council in December, when he expects to become the first sitting Liberian president to preside over a Council session. “We will undertake this responsibility with humility, drawing on our nation’s lived experience of war, reconciliation, and the difficult work of building peace,” he emphasized.

The responsibility arrives as the United Nations prepares for the selection of a new Secretary-General amid growing international challenges. According to Boakai, the UN faces increasing pressure to adapt to emerging global realities, including artificial intelligence, climate change, irregular migration, inequality, and shifting geopolitical relations. He stressed that developing countries such as Liberia need a stronger international institution capable of addressing poverty, advancing women’s rights, promoting sustainable development, and ensuring vulnerable nations are represented in global decision-making.

“That international order is being shaped now, and Liberia is at the table,” he declared.

The President also commended the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for incorporating Liberia’s diplomatic history into this year’s UN Day celebration and recognizing his administration’s foreign policy achievements. He praised Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti, members of the Ministry’s leadership, the Policy Advisory Council, and Liberian diplomats serving abroad for their contributions to the country’s international engagement. “Your commitment and patriotism have elevated Liberia’s international standing,” he said.

President Boakai reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to international cooperation, peacebuilding, and sustainable development, pledging that the country would continue working with other nations to promote global stability and prosperity.

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