Monrovia, Liberia – President Boakai has emphasized the serious problems facing the West African region, such as political unrest, security threats, and the anticipated January 2025 exit of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the ECOWAS group at the 66th ECOWAS Ordinary Session in Abuja, Nigeria.
He reiterated Liberia’s unwavering commitment to regional unity, peace, and development and underlined the necessity of swift and concerted action to solve these issues.
The ECOWAS Community’s unity is its greatest asset, President Boakai emphasized as he voiced serious worry about the Sahel Region’s growing instability and the effects of political changes in a number of its member nations.
“No matter how powerful the force, it cannot destroy a unified people. The President declared, “Our region is stronger in unity.”
The Liberian leader also demanded that sanctions on Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger be lifted and that these countries be allowed to rejoin ECOWAS through dialogue and reconciliation. In order to restore stability, he reiterated Liberia’s support for regional initiatives and continuing mediation procedures.
President Boakai outlined urgent socioeconomic issues that he said contribute to regional insecurity, including the drug epidemic, human trafficking, and growing unemployment. He urged ECOWAS leaders to create plans to strengthen resilience, empower youth of the region, and deal with the underlying causes of these crises.
President Boakai highlighted the necessity of improved intelligence sharing and early warning systems throughout the region, acknowledging the significance of collective security. Addressing Liberia’s debt to the Community, President Boakai reaffirmed his Administration’s commitment to paying off the country’s outstanding Group Levy arrears and acknowledged Liberia’s debt to ECOWAS.
“We have made modest efforts to show our commitment to reducing the substantial obligations we inherited since this Administration took office,” he stated.
The Liberian Chief Executive reiterated Liberia’s commitment to ECOWAS programs, citing its active involvement in the ECOWAS Parliamentary Committee on Peace and Security and its leadership positions in the fight against money laundering through GIABA.
In addition, he praised the recent approval of Liberia’s application for a 2026–2027 non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, calling it evidence of the nation’s developing reputation as a reliable regional and international ally.
President Boakai called for a common vision of a peaceful, prosperous, and resilient West Africa and asked his fellow leaders to be guided by the values of peace, diplomacy, and regional collaboration. “By working together, we can address the issues of our day and create a future that benefits all of our peoples.”
