Liberia to make history today

Liberia is on the global stage, as the West African nation contests for a Non-permanent seat today, on the Security Council at the UN.

Monrovia, Liberia, June 3, 2025 – Liberia is taking a giant step today, Tuesday, at the United Nations, as it vies for a Non-Permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Liberia’s Foreign Minister, Sara Beyslow Nyanti, has been on the frontline, engaging friendly governments and galvanizing regional and continental support for the country’s bid for a Non-permanent seat to lift Africa’s voice higher in global affairs.

With support from President Joseph Boakai, Minister Nyanti succeeded in getting the support of the African Union and ECOWAS in its campaign for this important seat that would allow the post-conflict nation to share its experiences on the global stage, amid aid cut by the United States, the Israeli-Palestinian war on one hand, and Ukraine and Russian on the other.

Liberia deserves a seat on the Council, especially so after two other smaller countries in West Africa, The Gambia and Sierra Leone, have served their terms there.

All eyes are set from Liberia today on the UN Headquarters in New York, where foreign ministers from Africa are voting to elect two Non-permanent members from the continent to sit on the Security Council.

From all indications, this is Liberia’s time, and there is no turning back, as the country is determined to make history, being a founding member of the United Nations. 

Liberia’s candidacy comes at a time when the country is increasingly recognized as a symbol of post-conflict transformation, democratic governance, and regional leadership. Once a recipient of UN peacekeeping missions, Liberia is now a contributor, having deployed personnel to regional and UN operations in Mali and Darfur.

The country has experienced four peaceful democratic transitions (2005, 2011, 2017, and 2023), reinforcing its image as a stable and constitutionally governed nation. Its consistent advocacy for regional peace, mediation in West African conflicts, and defense of democratic norms further bolsters its credentials for a UNSC seat.

As a Least Developed Country (LDC), Liberia brings a critical and authentic perspective to the Security Council, especially on the link between development and security. If elected, Liberia plans to champion equitable access to development financing

Sustainable debt relief for vulnerable states, as well as fairer trade regimes for African economies

These priorities reflect Liberia’s firsthand understanding of how poverty, inequality, and governance deficits drive instability, and affirm its commitment to multilateral cooperation for sustainable peace.

Liberia’s progressive record on gender equality and human rights further strengthens its candidacy. As the first African nation to elect a female president, Nobel Laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia has become a global reference point for women’s political empowerment and post-conflict reconciliation.

The country has ratified key international treaties on human rights, transitional justice, and child protection. Its Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) remains one of Africa’s earliest and most notable efforts at post-conflict justice and national healing.

Liberia has also emerged as a regional leader in climate and environmental governance. With one of the largest remaining stretches of the Upper Guinean Forest ecosystem, a biodiversity hotspot—Liberia has partnered with nations like Norway to preserve forest cover, advance carbon credit systems, and promote climate resilience. These efforts underscore the country’s commitment to elevating climate security as a pillar of global peace.