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Monrovia, Liberia, June 5, 2026 – Liberia’s National Security Advisor, Samuel Kofi Woods II, has praised the country’s new National Security Strategy, stressing that more than a decade has passed since the last strategy took effect and that significant changes have since transformed the national and global security landscape.
He described the policy document as a major turning point in national security planning, emphasizing that the document was developed through an inclusive process that brought together government institutions, security agencies, lawmakers, international partners, civil society organizations, and ordinary Liberians.
The strategy, officially launched on Wednesday at the Executive Mansion on June 3, 2026, marks the first comprehensive review of Liberia’s security framework since the previous National Security Strategy became operational in 2008.
Addressing the ceremony, Woods said the policy document seeks to redefine the country’s approach to security by placing citizens, human rights, and prevention at the center of national security planning.
He explained that the strategy emerged from a two-year process aimed at reassessing Liberia’s security environment in response to evolving domestic, regional, and global challenges.
Woods noted that the review examined a broad range of issues, including community-level security concerns across Liberia’s fifteen counties, border management, maritime security, cyber threats, transnational crime, climate-related risks, and socioeconomic factors that contribute to instability.
The National Security Advisor further disclosed that technical working groups comprising security experts, legal practitioners, and civil servants were established to identify threats and assess the country’s preparedness and response capacities.
In addition, consultations were conducted with regional organizations and international development partners to ensure that Liberia’s security posture aligns with evolving security dynamics in West Africa and beyond.
“Crucially, we held widespread national consultations, town halls, focus groups, and listening sessions in Monrovia and across our counties,” Woods said. He added that youth groups, women’s organizations, community leaders, and private sector actors were all given opportunities to contribute to the process.
He emphasized that the final document reflects a collective national vision rather than the work of a single institution.
The strategy outlines several reforms intended to translate that vision into action, including strengthening county and district security committees, expanding community engagement mechanisms, and ensuring that local concerns help shape national security priorities.
Other initiatives include integrating human rights training across security services, establishing community complaint mechanisms, supporting youth employment and reintegration programs, and mainstreaming gender considerations in security planning and response efforts.
He called on all sectors of Liberian society to embrace and support the implementation of the new security framework.
The National Security Advisor urged government agencies, traditional leaders, civil society organizations, businesses, and citizens to work collaboratively to achieve the strategy’s objectives and strengthen national resilience.
