Calls for Global Peace
USA – President Joseph N. Boakai has issued a stark warning to African leaders, saying that failing to invest in youth might fuel instability across the continent, even as he called for rapid action to produce a new generation of peace leaders.
At the 34th Africa Peace Awards, which were hosted by the Center for African Peace and Conflict Resolution at California State University, Sacramento, on Saturday, April 25, 2026, President Boakai spoke while accepting a prestigious peace award. He said that Africa is at a critical juncture where its growing youth population has the potential to either spur development or intensify conflict.
Boakai emphasized that peace must be actively maintained through justice, inclusion, and opportunity rather than just the absence of violence, drawing on Liberia’s tragic past, which included a bloody civil war that claimed over 250,000 lives.
“This reality of doom must change, warning that marginalization, unemployment, and inequality continue to expose young Africans to exploitation, crime, and dangerous migration routes.“
In order to incorporate young people into governance and development, the Liberian leader stressed that governments must take “bold and deliberate” actions. He called for funding for leadership development, education reform, and peacebuilding initiatives in all educational institutions.
Boakai also emphasised Liberia’s own post-war recovery, pointing to the 2003 Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement as a pivotal moment that brought about democratic stability and reconciliation.
He mentioned current initiatives to create a court for economic crimes and war crimes as part of national accountability initiatives. The President promised that Liberia will promote cooperation, diplomacy, and avoiding conflicts on the international scene, citing the nation’s present membership in the UN Security Council.
President Boakai described the African diaspora as a vital partner in determining the destiny of the continent and urged them to take a more active part in peacebuilding and development. “Peace leadership is not reserved for presidents. It belongs to every citizen who refuses to allow hatred to define their future,” he added.
The Liberian leader, however, urged young people to take charge of peace initiatives and to reject separation in favor of justice, unity, and purpose.
Photo credit: Executive Mansion Media
