Emphasizes Integration To ARREST Agenda.
Monrovia, Liberia – President Joseph Boakai, has discussed his vision for the country’s foreign policy, highlighting the incorporation of the government’s ARREST Agenda into the diplomatic approach, which he claims would direct the nation’s interactions with the international community.
President Boakai gave a policy-driven speech at the Gabriel L. Dennis Foreign Service Institute’s relaunch of the Ambassadorial Lecture and Seminar Series on Friday, May 2, 2025, calling for creativity, skill, and purpose in Liberia’s diplomatic strategy.
He asserted that Liberia’s diplomatic missions abroad need to transform from ceremonial outposts to powerful political and economic forces.
Amb. Boakai, who spoke on the topic “The ARREST Agenda and Liberia’s Foreign Policy Initiatives,” said, by coordinating diplomacy with national development goals, Liberia has to strategically position itself in a world that is changing rapidly.
According to the Liberian leader, the Foreign Service of Liberia has to be manned by qualified experts who can recognize and take advantage of international commerce, tourism, education, and technological possibilities.
“Our diplomats must be more than messengers; they must be economic architects,” he added, urging Foreign Service students to take on the job of serving Liberia with diligence, creativity, and strategic vision.
In order to promote trade growth, lower obstacles to regional trade, and promote economic integration through focused export plans, President Boakai asked for the relocation of Liberia’s diplomatic posts.
He stressed that agriculture, infrastructure, and education are national priorities that must be pursued abroad through investment diplomacy and strategic partnerships. He said his administration is working to make Liberia food-secure by engaging with advanced farming nations for knowledge and technology transfer.
Speaking on economic diplomacy, Boakai emphasized the importance of shifting focus from aid dependency to investment attraction. He said Liberia must become a destination for credible investors by creating a friendly investment climate and strengthening public-private partnership frameworks.
He also emphasized the role of diplomacy in infrastructure development, particularly in regional transport corridors and maritime trade. “We cannot build a prosperous Liberia without connecting to the sub-region,” Boakai said, urging collaboration through ECOWAS and the Mano River Union.
For her part, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sara Beysolow Nyanti called for a transformative shift in the country’s diplomatic approach, emphasizing culture, identity, and gender inclusion as integral elements of Liberia’s foreign policy.
She challenged archaic customs that frequently rule diplomatic circles, such the requirement to dress in neutral or dark attire. “I wear my clothes as part of cultural diplomacy,” she said, advocating for Liberia’s distinct culture to be embraced rather than repressed in international settings.
In order to establish Liberia’s position on the international scene, Minister Nyanti emphasized the need of cultural and heritage diplomacy.
“These are essential to defining who we are in the current global situation so that they respect our culture, we respect theirs, and they respect who we are,” she said.
Minister Nyanti recognized that identity is flexible in the modern world and that individuals may now make significant contributions to international affairs without having to defend or explain their origins.
She made a direct plea to President Boakai, asking for more authority to advance Liberia’s foreign policy. Will you allow us to take the lead, Mr. President? She reaffirmed her team’s dedication to improving Liberia’s reputation internationally by saying, “Our team has been producing your vision as a key architect of our foreign policy.”
She underlined that Liberia’s diplomatic strategy must be in line with national interests and that inclusion should not be viewed as a gender-based competition but rather as a means of guaranteeing that all Liberians, including women, are properly represented.
