Monrovia, Liberia – A high-level delegation led by former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is traveling to Namibia, where she will advocate for Liberia’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in addition to representing President Joseph Nyuma Boakai at the nation’s inauguration.
Madam Sirleaf’s assignment as President Boakai’s Special Envoy is viewed as a calculated step to improve Liberia’s reputation abroad before the June UN vote. Former President Sirleaf is anticipated to meet with regional and international officials to mobilize support for Liberia’s candidacy while attending the swearing-in of Namibia’s president-elect, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, on March 21, 2025.
Joyce Mendscole, Charles Snetter, the ambassador of Liberia at Large, and other officials are traveling with Sirleaf. As Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, is ready to become Namibia’s first female president and the second woman to head an African country, the visit also represents a significant turning point in African politics.
With 57.31% of the vote, Nandi-Ndaitwah won the election in November, preventing a rerun and prolonging the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO)’s control, which has been in place since Namibia gained its independence from Germany in 1990. SWAPO currently only has a narrow majority of 51 MPs in the National Assembly, indicating that its grasp on power has diminished.
She succeeds Nangolo Mbumba, who served as acting president after President Hage Geingob passed away in February of last year. Namibia is celebrating its 35th Independence Day at the same time as the inauguration.
