Capitol Hill, Monrovia – From September 25–27, 2026, the Government of Liberia will host the 2026 Liberia Diaspora Annual Conference in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. The head of the Diaspora office will aim to turn interactions with Liberians living overseas into tangible investments, collaborations, and quantifiable results for national development.
The three-day conference, which is being organized by the Office of Diaspora Affairs in the Office of the President, will take place under the theme “From Dialog to Delivery”, signifying what organizers describe as a strategic shift from discussions about Liberia’s diaspora to practical actions capable of contributing to the country’s economic transformation, according to Erasmus T. Williams.
He added that in order to support the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) and the Diaspora Strategic Plan 2024–2027, President Joseph N. Boakai’s administration is stepping up efforts to mobilize Liberia’s sizable diaspora community as a source of capital, knowledge, creativity, and strategic alliances.
The head of the Diaspora office clarified that the 2026 meeting will build on the success of the first conference in 2025, which attracted over 1,300 virtual participants and over 700 in-person attendees from 43 nations. “Last year, we proved what’s possible. This year, we deliver, underscoring the conference’s emphasis on turning diaspora engagement into tangible results,” he added.
In contrast to a conference that is primarily focused on dialog, he said, this year’s event is expected to place investment and implementation at the center of its agenda, creating platforms for Liberian entrepreneurs and investors in the diaspora to connect with opportunities that exist at home. He said the September 25–26 sessions will focus on high-impact investment engagements, while the September 27 Presidential Town Hall will give members of the diaspora a chance to interact directly with President Boakai and other senior government officials.
Williams revealed that discussions are expected to cover diaspora capital mobilization, technology and innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment opportunities in critical sectors including agriculture, healthcare, and education. He informed Executive Mansion reporters that proposals for the creation of a Diaspora Investment Fund, Diaspora Engagement Commission, and Diaspora Savings Bonds initiatives aimed at creating organized mechanisms through which Liberians living overseas can take a more active role in the nation’s development are also anticipated to be initiated by organizers.
Williams also revealed that the conference is being coordinated by a National Steering Committee chaired by Ambassador Emmett Dunn, with Ambassador MacDella Cooper serving as Vice Chair and Rev. Dr. Francis O.S. Tabla as Vice Chair for Operations. Also, he said the committee includes representatives from key government ministries and agencies, alongside international development partners, including the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Liberians and their friends in North America, Europe, Africa, and other regions of the world are invited to attend the conference by the Office of Diaspora Affairs. He went on to say that the purpose of the event is to rethink the diaspora’s position in Liberia’s long-term development, from mainly providing remittances to sustain families to becoming active investors, innovators, entrepreneurs, and strategic partners.
The 2026 conference, with the topic “From Dialog to Delivery,” is being positioned as a venue to transform Liberia’s worldwide and financial resources into investment, jobs, innovation, and sustained national growth rather than just another diaspora gathering.
