Monrovia – A delegation from the Economic Community of West African States Parliament has ended a four-day oversight mission to Liberia with a call for the expansion of the Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT) across West Africa.

By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway

Members of ECOWAS parliamentary delegation described the digital customs platform as a critical tool for facilitating trade, improving transparency, and reducing delays in the movement of goods.

During their visit here, the delegation assessed the implementation of SIGMAT, examined its benefits, and identified challenges affecting its operations, including poor road infrastructure, limited connectivity, and the need for additional training.

Speaking during a media stakeout on Thursday, October 29, at the Liberia Revenue Authority’s (LRA) designated inspection site at the National Port Authority, Amdiatta Diaby of Senegal, head of the delegation and chair of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Committee on Trade, Customs and Free Movement, explained that the mission had provided valuable insights into the system’s performance in Liberia.

Diaby asserted that the delegation had observed the advantages of SIGMAT over the traditional manual customs system and believed the platform should be extended throughout the ECOWAS region.

“We have seen that SIGMAT has really excelled in the sector of customs,” Diaby said, adding that the mission also helped the delegation identify challenges confronting the system on the ground.

According to him, SIGMAT accelerates customs operations, improves the tracking of goods, and provides better access to information about shipments in transit. However, he stressed that road infrastructure, connectivity, and training remain key obstacles that must be addressed to ensure the system operates efficiently across the region.

Delegation Commends Liberia’s Progress

Seno Soklingi of Togo, vice chair of the delegation, also commended Liberia for progressively implementing the digital platform, noting that the country could benefit from the experiences of other ECOWAS member states where the system is more fully integrated.

Soklingi said the delegation’s discussions with Liberian authorities had been productive and emphasized the need for countries across the subregion to move away from manual customs procedures.

He cited Togo and Benin as examples of countries where SIGMAT has been integrated into customs operations, saying their experiences could help Liberia strengthen its implementation.

“We congratulate the authorities of Liberia to continue in this line to improve the system,” Soklingi said, encouraging other countries, including Sierra Leone and Guinea, to advance implementation.

He further urged the ECOWAS Parliament to consider the delegation’s recommendations and support efforts to extend the system to more member states.

Gambian Lawmaker Calls for Broader Regional Coverage

Maimuna Cessay of The Gambia, a member of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Committee on Social Affairs, Gender, Women Empowerment and Persons with Disabilities, called for the system to be expanded beyond the countries currently implementing it.

Cessay explained that the oversight mission had exposed the delegation to practical experiences and challenges that were not fully understood before the visit. She stressed that stronger regional cooperation and effective monitoring were necessary to improve customs operations and address potential revenue leakages.

She also highlighted the importance of inspection scanners and other technological tools in strengthening oversight and preventing individuals from exploiting weaknesses in customs procedures.

Cessay expressed concern that SIGMAT’s implementation remained limited to a number of countries, including Liberia, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Guinea, and called for its expansion to The Gambia, Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Guinea-Bissau.

She further urged ECOWAS to consider air freight as part of broader efforts to improve the movement of goods and people across West Africa.

According to Cessay, expanding the system would strengthen regional trade, improve customs efficiency, and support the broader goal of economic integration.

LRA Identifies Digitalization as Tool Against Corruption

For his part, Atty. William L. Buku, Assistant Commissioner for Customs Policy at the Liberia Revenue Authority, said the ECOWAS Parliament’s visit was part of its oversight responsibility to assess the implementation of regional programs developed by the ECOWAS Commission.

Buku explained that SIGMAT was designed to harmonize customs and transit procedures among member states, allowing authorities in different countries to exchange information and coordinate the movement of goods across borders.

He described the platform as an important component of regional economic integration, noting that international transit operations require cooperation among multiple countries rather than isolated national systems.

“Digitalization is an enemy of corruption,” Buku told reporters, arguing that the system promotes transparency, improves the accuracy of data sharing, and reduces unnecessary human intervention in customs procedures.

He added that faster processing and clearance of goods could help reduce transportation costs for traders, as prolonged delays often increase the cost of moving goods across borders.

Buku said the system was intended to make transit operations more efficient by reducing delays and strengthening coordination among customs authorities.

Poor Roads Remain a Major Challenge

Despite the progress reported by the delegation, Buku acknowledged that inadequate road infrastructure and weak connectivity remain significant challenges to the efficient movement of goods across the subregion.

He noted the delegation had heard from operators who reported that journeys that should take less than two days between Abidjan and Danané, Côte d’Ivoire, sometimes take three days or as long as two weeks because of transportation difficulties.

Buku also referenced complaints about goods remaining in Abidjan for extended periods, with some operators reportedly saying shipments could be delayed for as long as a month.

He maintained that improved road connectivity would complement the digital customs platform by enabling goods to move more quickly after clearance and transit processing.

On the overall, delegation expressed appreciation to the Liberian government and the LRA for their cooperation during the mission, while encouraging continued investment in digital customs systems and stronger regional coordination to facilitate trade and advance economic integration across West Africa.

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, October 21, 2026 – Hon. Amara Kamara, Commissioner of the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC), paid a courtesy visit to TRANSCO CLSG headquarters in Abidjan on Wednesday, underscoring the two institutions’ commitment to regional power cooperation.

Commissioner Kamara was received by General Manager Etienne Bailly; Director of Finance and Administration Josephus Jigba Yilla; Acting Technical Director Erick Achi; Procurement Specialist and Contract Manager Mohamed Keita; and Communications Officer Sidiki Trawally.

On behalf of LERC Chairman Claude Katta and the Board of Commissioners, Commissioner Kamara congratulated Mr. Bailly on his appointment as General Manager of TRANSCO CLSG. He pledged LERC’s full support for the organization’s work. “We admire the work being done here at TRANSCO CLSG,” Commissioner Kamara said.

The discussions centered on the performance and long-term sustainability of the regional power system. Both sides emphasized the importance of regular institutional dialogue as West Africa works toward a more reliable and interconnected electricity market.

TRANSCO CLSG operates the Côte d’Ivoire–Liberia–Sierra Leone–Guinea interconnection, which facilitates cross-border electricity exchange. As Liberia’s electricity regulator, LERC plays a key role in promoting reliable supply, effective oversight and sustainable regional power trade.

During the meeting in the Main Conference Room, LERC and TRANSCO CLSG reaffirmed their commitment to expanding electricity trade and strengthening the reliability of the CLSG transmission network.

Participants reviewed system performance, commercial sustainability and deeper market integration. They noted that closer coordination among regulators, utilities and transmission operators is essential to address operational requirements and support future growth.

Both institutions identified reinforcement of the CLSG corridor as a priority as new generation projects emerge across the region. Commissioner Kamara encouraged greater knowledge sharing, targeted training, staff secondments and cooperation agreements with neighboring utilities to improve maintenance response and strengthen national capacity.

The parties also called for sustained capacity building, stronger donor coordination and accelerated studies and investment to reinforce the corridor. The visit reaffirmed their shared commitment to practical cooperation and dependable regional electricity trade.

Commissioner Kamara further emphasized the need for continued coordination between the two institutions to advance integration under the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Market.

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA — Liberia’s social security sector is set to feature in a major continental dialogue as Moiffie Kanneh, Deputy Director General of the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP), participates as an invited panelist at the inaugural African Social Security Summit on Infrastructure, scheduled for October 29–30, 2026, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

By Augustus D.R Bortue-augustusd.rbortue@frontpageafricaonline.com

The invitation, issued by the Africa Social Security Association (ASSA), places Kanneh among professionals expected to contribute to discussions on the future of social protection, digital innovation, pension investment and sustainable infrastructure financing in Africa.

The summit is being convened under the theme “Harmonization of Social Security Systems for Infrastructure and Economic Transformation in Africa.”

It will bring together senior government officials, social security administrators, regulators, pension fund managers, development partners, and financial institutions to explore strategies for strengthening social security systems and supporting Africa’s long-term economic transformation.

Moiffie Kanneh to Speak on Digital Innovation and Social Protection

A key highlight of Kanneh’s participation will be his role as a panelist on the topic: “Digital Innovation and the Future of Social Protection: Balancing Administrative Efficiency with Digital Inclusion for Service Delivery in Social Security Systems.” The discussion will focus on how technology can improve the administration and delivery of social security services while ensuring that workers and beneficiaries are not left behind because of limited digital access.

Digital innovation has become increasingly important to modern social security institutions. Properly designed systems can improve contributor registration, contribution tracking, benefit processing, record management  and communication with members.

They can also help institutions reduce administrative delays, strengthen accountability and improve the overall experience of beneficiaries.

However, effective digital transformation requires more than adopting new technology. It demands systems that are accessible, reliable, secure and responsive to the needs of people across different economic and social backgrounds.

This is particularly relevant for African countries, including Liberia, where many workers operate in the informal economy and may face barriers to formal social security participation.

Kanneh’s panel will provide an opportunity to discuss practical approaches to expanding coverage, improving service delivery and balancing administrative efficiency with the need for inclusive social protection.

Unlocking Africa’s US$800 Billion Pension Assets

One of the most significant issues on the summit’s agenda is the potential role of African pension funds in financing sustainable infrastructure development.

According to ASSA’s invitation, social security funds across Africa collectively represent more than US$800 billion in pension assets. These resources constitute a significant pool of long-term capital that, if responsibly managed and appropriately invested, could contribute to addressing infrastructure financing gaps across the continent.

The summit will examine how harmonized regulatory and investment frameworks can help position pension institutions to support viable infrastructure projects while protecting the interests of contributors and beneficiaries.

Potential areas of investment include transportation, energy, housing, water systems and other essential infrastructure that can stimulate economic activity, create employment opportunities and improve living standards.

The objective is to explore investment approaches that deliver sustainable returns to pension funds while supporting broader development priorities.

Such investments must be guided by sound financial analysis, transparent governance, appropriate risk management and a clear commitment to protecting pension obligations.

Proposed African Infrastructure Fund

The summit is also expected to feature the announcement of a proposed infrastructure fund to be established with the participation of African pension funds.

ASSA’s invitation states that the initiative received support through a declaration adopted at the African Union’s Ministerial Specialized Technical Committee meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, on April 30, 2026. The proposed fund is intended to explore ways of mobilizing long-term pension capital for transformative infrastructure projects across Africa.

If effectively structured and governed, the initiative could help connect institutional investors with carefully selected development projects, creating opportunities for sustainable returns while contributing to economic growth.

Its implementation will require strong institutional coordination, transparent investment decisions, credible project assessments and safeguards to ensure that pension funds are not exposed to unacceptable risks.

The proposed initiative reflects the growing importance of domestic resource mobilization and innovative financing mechanisms in advancing Africa’s development agenda.

Addressing Africa’s Social Security Challenges

Beyond infrastructure financing, the summit will address several challenges affecting social security systems across the continent.

These include limited social security coverage, high levels of informal employment, administrative inefficiencies, weak digital interoperability, difficulties in ensuring timely contribution remittances  and challenges associated with benefit portability for migrant workers.

Expanding social security coverage remains a major priority for African countries. Millions of workers lack consistent access to formal social protection arrangements, leaving them vulnerable to economic hardship and uncertainty in retirement.

Addressing these challenges requires flexible contribution mechanisms, improved public awareness, accessible registration systems, stronger compliance measures and modern administrative processes.

Digital technology can support these efforts by improving the accuracy of records, facilitating contributions, strengthening communication and making services more accessible.

The summit will also explore opportunities to improve coordination between national social security systems, particularly for migrant workers who move between countries during their working lives.

Through high-level dialogue and professional collaboration, participants will seek practical approaches to building more inclusive, efficient and sustainable social security institutions.

A High-Level Gathering of African and International Institutions

The summit is expected to attract ministers, permanent secretaries, ambassadors, diplomats, social security regulators, pension administrators, trustees, board members, chief executives of social security institutions, representatives of the African Union Commission, regional economic communities, development partners and financial institutions.

Organizations identified by ASSA as partners include the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), African Development Bank Group (AfDB), Trade and Development Bank (TDB), Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), National Bank of Ethiopia, African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), Public Servants Social Security Administration of Ethiopia (PSSSA), and CRDB Bank of Tanzania.

Their involvement underscores the importance of collaboration among governments, financial institutions, social security administrators, and development partners in shaping the future of social protection and infrastructure investment.

For participants, the gathering offers an opportunity to exchange experiences, build professional relationships and identify areas for cooperation in addressing shared challenges.

Significance for Liberia and NASSCORP

Kanneh’s participation provides an opportunity for Liberia to contribute to a continental discussion about the future of social security administration and the responsible mobilization of pension resources.

The issues on the summit’s agenda are relevant to the continued development of Liberia’s social security sector, particularly efforts to improve service delivery, strengthen administrative systems, expand coverage and ensure that eligible contributors and beneficiaries receive the services and benefits to which they are entitled.

Engagement with other African institutions can also provide opportunities to learn from different approaches to digital transformation, contribution compliance, investment governance and social protection.

As social security institutions adapt to changing economic conditions and technological developments, knowledge-sharing and regional cooperation will remain important to building systems that are more responsive to the needs of workers and retirees.

Kanneh’s role as an invited panelist will contribute to these discussions and provide a platform for Liberia’s institutional perspective to be heard among professionals working to strengthen social security systems across Africa.

Supporting Africa’s Agenda 2063

The summit’s objectives are aligned with the broader aspirations of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which envisions an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa.

Achieving this vision requires strong institutions, sustainable financing, inclusive economic growth and social protection systems capable of responding to the needs of present and future generations.

By examining how pension funds can support infrastructure development while maintaining their core obligations, the summit seeks to bridge the relationship between social security and economic transformation.

Likewise, discussions on digital inclusion and administrative efficiency will help highlight the importance of ensuring that the benefits of technological progress extend to all segments of society.

The success of these efforts will depend on responsible leadership, sound policies, institutional accountability and sustained cooperation among African countries.

Looking Ahead

As the inaugural African Social Security Summit on Infrastructure convenes in Addis Ababa on October 29–30, 2026, the gathering represents an important opportunity to advance conversations about the future of social security, pension investment, and sustainable development.

For Moiffie Kanneh and NASSCORP, participation in the summit offers a platform to engage with continental stakeholders on strategies for modernizing social protection and exploring responsible approaches to infrastructure financing.

The discussions will seek to strengthen cooperation, encourage practical solutions and identify opportunities to make social security systems more inclusive, efficient and financially sustainable.

Ultimately, Africa’s social security institutions face a dual responsibility: safeguarding the future of contributors and beneficiaries while exploring responsible ways to support the continent’s long-term development.

Monrovia’s participation in the three-day meeting focuses on boundary management, peaceful coexistence, cross-border development and regional integration.

By Gerald C. Koinyeneh

MONROVIA — Liberia is participating in the Third Annual Meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of National Boundary Commissions in Banjul, The Gambia, as regional governments seek to strengthen border management, deepen cooperation and promote peaceful coexistence across West Africa.

The meeting, which runs from October 6 to 8, 2026, brings together heads of national boundary commissions and representatives of border governance institutions from ECOWAS member states to discuss shared boundary issues and strategies for improving regional coordination.

According to a press release from Liberia’s Ministry of Local Government, the country is represented by D. Emmanuel Wheinyue, Assistant Minister for Research, Policy and Planning and Chair of the Liberia Technical Border Committee.

The committee is a multisectoral body comprising 15 government institutions responsible for addressing border management, boundary governance and cross-border cooperation. It serves as Liberia’s principal technical platform for coordinating border-related policies and engagements with neighboring countries.

Regional Cooperation on Border Governance

The annual meeting was institutionalized in 2024 under the African Union–ECOWAS–West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) coordination framework to strengthen collaboration among national and regional institutions responsible for border governance.

The gathering provides a platform for member states to exchange experiences, assess progress on existing initiatives and identify practical responses to emerging challenges affecting border communities and regional integration.

During the three-day meeting, participants are expected to review recommendations adopted at the Second Meeting of ECOWAS Heads of National Boundary Commissions, held in Cotonou, Benin, in 2025.

They will also assess ongoing national, bilateral and regional border governance programs and explore approaches to boundary delimitation, demarcation and reaffirmation, as well as development initiatives in communities along shared borders.

Discussions are further expected to address mechanisms for strengthening cooperation among ECOWAS member states and regional institutions.

Liberia Highlights Border Management Priorities

Liberia’s participation comes as the country engages in regional efforts to improve the coordination of border policies and cooperation with neighboring states.

Through the Liberia Technical Border Committee, the government coordinates the work of relevant institutions on boundary governance and cross-border issues.

The Ministry of Local Government said Liberia’s participation reflects the government’s commitment to effective border management, regional peace and security, and sustainable development in border communities.

Effective border governance can support peaceful relations between neighboring countries, facilitate cross-border movement and cooperation, and help communities address issues arising from shared boundaries.

The meeting also offers Liberia an opportunity to exchange experiences with other ECOWAS member states and contribute to regional discussions on boundary management and development.

ECOWAS, AU and WAEMU Institutions Participate

The meeting is organized by the ECOWAS Commission through its Directorate of Free Movement of Persons, Migration and Tourism.

Participants include representatives of the ECOWAS Commission, the WAEMU Commission, the African Union Border Programme and development partners supporting border governance initiatives across West Africa.

Their participation is intended to strengthen coordination between national authorities and regional institutions working to improve border management and advance regional integration.

The Ministry of Local Government said Liberia would continue to support ECOWAS initiatives aimed at strengthening cross-border cooperation, improving the management of shared boundaries and promoting sustainable development in border communities.

ABUJA, Nigeria — Liberian lawyer and law professor Charlyne M. Brumskine was elected president of the Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Tuesday, a week after she was sworn in as one of five new judges on the regional bench.

By Rodney D. Sieh

Her fellow judges chose her on 13 October 2026 to lead the Abuja-based court, the judicial arm of the West African bloc, for a two-year term. The election makes Justice Brumskine, the first Liberian woman to sit on the court, the head of an institution that rules on disputes between member states, ECOWAS institutions and individuals, including human rights complaints brought by ordinary citizens of the region.

“With profound humility and a deep sense of duty, I address you as the newly elected President of this distinguished judicial institution,” she said in her acceptance address.

“I am sincerely grateful to my esteemed colleagues for the confidence they have each reposed in me. I accept this responsibility fully conscious of the obligations it entails and the expectations that accompany leading a regional judicial institution entrusted with interpreting and applying community law and protecting human rights.”

She said she saw the presidency as a duty rather than an honour. “I regard this office not as a personal distinction, but as an opportunity to serve the courts, the ECOWAS community, and ultimately the people of West Africa,” she said.

What the president does

As president, Justice Brumskine presides over the court’s hearings and deliberations and directs its judicial business, including assigning cases and scheduling proceedings.

She also chairs the Bureau of the Court, which sets its strategic direction, work programme and budget priorities, and she oversees the Registry and the court’s administration.

Beyond the courtroom, she is the court’s public face. She represents it externally, presents its activity report and budget to the statutory bodies of ECOWAS, and works with national judiciaries, other regional and continental courts, bar associations and civil society groups to widen access to justice.

A central part of that role is persuading member states to comply with and enforce the court’s judgments, a long-standing challenge for the institution, which has no enforcement arm of its own and depends on national governments to carry out its rulings.

A court open to citizens

Established under ECOWAS treaty provisions and operational since 2001, the court interprets and applies the bloc’s laws and settles disputes over them. Its reach widened significantly in 2005, when a supplementary protocol allowed individuals to bring human rights cases directly before it without first exhausting remedies in their national courts.

That feature has made the court one of the most accessible regional human rights forums in Africa. Citizens, journalists and civil society groups have used it to challenge arbitrary detention, restrictions on free expression and other alleged abuses by their own  governments.

Justice Brumskine takes office at a delicate moment for the bloc. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, all under military rule, formally withdrew from ECOWAS in January 2025, placing their citizens outside the court’s jurisdiction and testing the community’s cohesion.

Five new judges sworn in

Justice Brumskine was among five judges inducted on Tuesday, 6 October, at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters in Abuja for the 2026–2030 term. Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, administered the oath of office.

The other new judges are Désiré Henri Aihou of Benin, Awa Bah of The Gambia, Henrietta Uzoamaka Didigu of Nigeria and Yaouza Ouro-Sama of Togo.

They replace five judges whose four-year mandates have ended: Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves of Cape Verde, Sengu Mohamed Koroma of Sierra Leone, Dupe Atoki of Nigeria, Gberi-Bè Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire and Edward Amoako Asante of Ghana.

The judges elect a president and a vice-president from among themselves, each serving a two-year term.

‘Institutions endure’

In her address, Justice Brumskine described the handover from the outgoing to the incoming judges as a moment of “continuity, renewal and collective responsibility.” She said the new leadership must build on the foundations laid by its predecessors rather than start afresh.

“Today’s transition reminds us that the institutions endure beyond the individuals who serve them,” she said.

She paid tribute to past presidents and outgoing judges, saying their experience and contribution to the court’s case law would underpin the work ahead.

The incoming judges have received handover notes, reports on the state of the court and legal and administrative records, which she said would be reviewed carefully to ensure continuity in governance and operations.

“These documents represent more than formal records. They provide a basis of understanding the institution’s current position, ongoing responsibilities, operational challenges, and priorities requiring our attention,” she said.

She pledged to lead with “seriousness, openness and a commitment to responsible institutional stewardship.”

‘Liberia can reciprocate’

For Liberians, the appointment carries particular weight. ECOWAS sent its ECOMOG peacekeeping force into Liberia in 1990, during the country’s civil war, and helped broker the 2003 Accra peace agreement that ended 14 years of conflict.

Justice Brumskine drew on that history in her remarks.

“The concept of regional justice and rule of law is not new to Liberia. ECOWAS played a role in Liberia’s recovery to peace. Now Liberia has the opportunity to reciprocate justice by sending one of its own to the Court,” she said.

“This distinction is not about me but the collective good of the region. I am proud that Liberia has been given the opportunity to lead this regional judicial institution. I will serve with excellence.”

Lawyer, teacher, politician

Justice Brumskine brings more than two decades of legal experience to the post. She founded the Monrovia-based CMB Law Group, is licensed to practise in Liberia, New York and Washington, D.C., and has taught at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law at the University of Liberia.

She has also worked on public policy, including an anti-human trafficking framework with Liberia’s Ministry of Justice and the country’s accession to the World Trade Organization.

In 2023, she was the vice-presidential running mate of opposition leader Alexander Cummings of the Collaborating Political Parties. She is the daughter of the late Charles Walker Brumskine, a prominent lawyer and four-time presidential candidate who died in 2019.

Two Liberian men, Micah Wilkins Wright and Yussif D. Kaba, have previously served on the ECOWAS Court.

For Liberia, her election places the country at the head of a regional institution whose credibility rests on its independence, the quality of its judgments and, above all, on whether member states respect them.

MONROVIA — For decades, Liberia’s economy has leaned on the same narrow pillars: iron ore, rubber, timber and, more recently, gold. Raw materials leave the country, and finished goods come back in.

By Rodney D. Sieh

Policymakers have long argued that breaking this cycle requires places where investors can set up quickly, operate under predictable rules and export at scale.

That argument has now gained a continental platform. The Liberia Special Economic Zones Authority (LSEZA) has secured membership in the Africa Economic Zones Organization (AEZO), the continent’s main network for the institutions that build and run economic zones. Authority officials say the move is designed to make Liberia West Africa’s leading destination for special economic zone (SEZ) investment.

A club of zone builders

AEZO is not a lender or a regulator. It is a peer network. The body was founded in November 2015 by Tanger Med, the Moroccan port and logistics complex that is itself one of Africa’s best-known economic zone success stories. It brings together the agencies and operators responsible for developing, managing and promoting economic zones across Africa, and it now counts roughly 80 members from more than 40 countries.

What members get is practical: a one-stop shop for information on partners and regulations, capacity-building, regional workshops and training.

Authorities that regulate and manage zones join as active members, with access to the full range of services and voting rights at AEZO’s annual General Assembly.

The scale of the network matters. AEZO has reported that Africa has about 203 active SEZs, with 73 more in development, spread across 47 of the continent’s 54 countries. Morocco, Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia and Kenya host the most. Liberia, a latecomer, now sits in the same room as the operators of those zones.

A long road to the starting line

Liberia’s zone ambitions are not new. The Liberia Free Zone Authority was created by an Act approved in July 1975, but it never transformed the economy. The modern framework came with the Special Economic Zones Act, adopted on October 9, 2017, which created LSEZA to oversee and regulate SEZs nationwide.

The law offers investors a defined package: special tax incentives, clear rights and obligations for licensees, developers and operators, the free transfer of funds from zone activities, and a one-stop shop in each zone for registrations, licences, permits and tax collection.

Yet for years, the Authority existed mostly on paper. Executive Chairman Prince Wreh has said that although LSEZA was established in 2017, it only became operational under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai. Wreh was appointed its first Executive Chairman in April 2024, followed by a Board of Directors. Since then, the Governance Commission has led a reform of the Authority’s internal structure aimed at efficiency, fiscal accountability and investor confidence.

Where the zones will rise

LSEZA says it is developing five potential zones, supported by land secured in six counties: Montserrado, Margibi, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Bong and Nimba.

The most advanced concept is in Grand Bassa, where about 500 acres near the Port of Buchanan have been designated for export-oriented manufacturing, logistics and value-added industry. In Margibi, the Authority is pitching an “airport city” beside Roberts International Airport, combining residential, commercial, industrial, hospitality and recreational facilities.

The government frames the programme as part of Pillar 1, Economic Transformation, of its ARREST Agenda. The administration recently renewed its push to position the zones as platforms for investment, industrial expansion and employment, following a high-level engagement between LSEZA and the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs.

What membership could change for LSEZA

For a young authority with a limited track record, AEZO offers three things it cannot easily build alone.

The first is know-how. Morocco, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Ghana have each learned costly lessons about zone design, incentive structures and infrastructure sequencing. Peer exchange can help Liberia avoid repeating them.

The second is visibility. Investors scanning the continent for manufacturing sites tend to look first at countries already on the circuit. Membership places Liberia on that map.

The third is positioning under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). AEZO’s leadership has argued that African zones must connect quickly to global value chains as the AfCFTA takes hold. A Liberian zone that can export across the continent on preferential terms is a far more attractive proposition than one serving a domestic market of just over five million people.

What it could mean for Liberia

The promise is jobs. Liberia’s young, fast-growing workforce faces chronic underemployment, and SEZs are designed to concentrate the infrastructure, services and incentives that labour-intensive industries need. Spreading zones across six counties, rather than clustering them around Monrovia, could carry that opportunity to rural communities and ease pressure on the capital.

There is also the prospect of adding value at home: processing agricultural produce, timber and minerals before export rather than shipping them raw.

The caveats

Membership of a network is a beginning, not an outcome. Across Africa, many zones have underperformed, hampered by unreliable power, poor roads, weak port links and slow land titling. Liberia faces all of these constraints. Its zones will be judged not by declarations or affiliations, but by signed tenants, functioning one-stop shops, reliable electricity and the number of Liberians on factory payrolls.

Land is a particular sensitivity. Securing large tracts in six counties will require transparent engagement with host communities and respect for customary land rights if the zones are to avoid the disputes that have dogged earlier concessions.

For now, LSEZA has secured its seat at the continental table. The harder task, turning designated land into working industry, still lies ahead.

Summary

• A coalition of African civil society leaders are pushing donors to give African organizations and communities more control over development money as traditional foreign aid shrinks. They are also looking to Africans to raise more funds themselves and restrain corrupt money flowing out of the continent.
• A growing number of African organizations are rejecting funding agreements that they say do not match their needs. 
• Leaders say shifting control to African institutions will only work if those institutions are also accountable to the communities the money is meant to help.

By Tetee Gebro, gender and health correspondent with New Narratives

ACCRA, Ghana — When a donor offered money to an organization working in Kenya, it came with an opportunity to expand its work into more communities. For a small organization that needed funding, it might have seemed like an easy decision. It wasn’t.

The donor wanted the organization to expand quickly. The organization said the communities it was already working with needed deeper support before it moved elsewhere. So they made a tough decision.

“They respectfully denied the funding,” said Nafissatou Sene, senior manager of Portfolio Services at African Collaborative, an organization that raises money and funds for African groups working in health, education, gender justice, agriculture and livelihoods.

Sene declined to identify the Kenyan organization because she did not have permission to name it. She said its budget was small and it needed money, making the decision especially difficult, but in the end it decided it had no choice.

“We’re not going to take anything just because it comes our way,” Sene said of the organization’s position.

That kind of decision-making is what Nana Asantewa Afadzinu, executive director of the West Africa Civil Society Institute, said has too often been missing from development in Africa.

“For too long we’ve had development done to us,” Afadzinu said. “We’ve not been in the driving seats of deciding what the solutions should be to our own problems and resourcing them.”

The story has become an example of the kind of power a grouping of African civil society organizations gathered here for the first-ever meeting of African civil society leaders, say they want: the ability to decide what their communities need and insist that donors adjust their requirements to match the communities’ priorities rather than their own.

The three-day conference “Africa at the Centre: Leading Change, Shifting Power” brought together more than 200 civil society leaders, funders, policymakers and development experts from 30 countries, including Liberia. Organizers said decades of development assistance have left foreign donors with too much control over which African problems receive money, how projects are designed and how success is measured. They say this has led to failed projects, lack of accountability, talent diverted from entrepreneurship and job creation, dependency and corruption.  

Now, as traditional foreign aid from rich countries shrinks, they are pushing for African organizations and communities to have greater control over development spending by demanding donors listen. But they are also looking to raise more funds from Africans and African governments, and to limit the amount of money that flows out of the continent in corruption and debt payments.

But some at the conference said their proposed solution raises another difficult question: if foreign donors give up power, who in Africa gets it? African governments and civil society organizations have their own problems with corruption, weak accountability and failure to listen to communities. Moving control of development money from foreign institutions to African ones will not necessarily put that power in the hands of the people the money is supposed to help.

One Liberian at the conference, Edwin Mends-Cole, said he knows how difficult the first part of that equation can be. Mends-Cole, executive director of Youth Climate Change Initiative Liberia, said small civil society organizations often depend on donor projects to survive. Funding opportunities can be so scarce that organizations adapt what they do to what donors are willing to finance.

“It is hard to say realistically ‘I will not accept,’” Mends-Cole said.

Liberia’s dependence on foreign assistance extends far beyond civil society. World Bank data shows the country received about $563 million in net official development assistance and official aid in 2023, equivalent to two thirds of the national budget. A separate World Bank assessment found official development assistance averaged about 12 percent of Liberia’s gross domestic product between 2022 and 2024.

The limited income of the national government has meant major public services have been left to donors. Donor aid funds at least 50 percent of Liberia’s health sector, for example. But stories of corruption and mismanagement abound, and the government is no closer to standing on its own.

Mends-Cole agrees that donors need to better listen. He said he has seen what can happen when a local organization is able to challenge the way a donor wants to solve a problem.

In 2023, his organization worked on a project under the United Nations Development Programme’s Small Grants Programme to protect biodiversity and mangroves in the Mesurado wetlands. Mends-Cole said the proposed approach focused on educating communities about the need to stop destroying mangroves.

But some people were cutting the mangroves because they depended on them to make a living. Telling them about environmental protection without giving them another way to earn money would not stop the cutting, Mends-Cole said.

“We are on the ground,” he recalled telling the funder. “This approach will not work.” After discussions, he said, the project was changed to include alternative livelihoods.

Mends-Cole said local organizations demanding more power from donors must therefore be prepared to give communities more power too. Before designing a project, he said, organizations should first ask people what problem they need solved. They must be transparent and report to communities on how the funds are spent and results obtained, as well as donors. 

West African Civil Society Institute’s Afadzinu said changing the system does not mean simply replacing foreign money. It also means changing who decides how that money is used. She said she wanted to see donors provide more flexible and core funding that allows African organizations to strengthen themselves instead of moving from one donor-designed project to another.

“Don’t help us to continuously depend on you,” Afadzinu said. “Help us to become stronger.”

African countries and organizations must also raise more of their own money, she said, including through local philanthropy, diaspora support, businesses and social enterprises.

Sene said African organizations may already have more power in their relationship with donors than they realize. One organization refusing money may have little influence, she said. Many organizations taking the same position could force donors to listen.

“We cannot give grants or funds to people who refuse to take it from us,” Sene said. “If everybody said no, what are we going to do with the money?”

She acknowledged that completely ending African civil society’s dependence on foreign funding is not realistic in the near future. The immediate goal, she said, should be changing the relationship.

At least one international funder at the Accra gathering is already onboard.  

Tendisai Chigwedere of the U.S.-based William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, which was a financial backer of the Convening, said philanthropy has historically held enormous influence because it controlled the money. She said Hewlett is listening to local organizations, giving them more control with long-term partnerships and flexible funding. The Hewlett Foundation said it awarded $631 million in grants in 2024, with nearly three-quarters provided as flexible funding.

“We don’t want you to be boxed into a project,” Chigwedere said. “Allowing you to have general operating support helps you build the institution, build the vision, and work on the agenda… to do the things you need to do.”

Changing how existing donors give money is only one proposal being discussed.

Wanjiru Kanyiha, network coordinator of the Global Public Investment Network, is pushing a model in which African countries would contribute to a common pool according to their ability and participate in deciding how the money is spent. The idea is summed up in three phrases: all contribute, all benefit, all decide.

Under such a system, Kanyiha said, a poorer country such as Liberia would not be expected to contribute as much as a wealthy country but would still have a voice in decisions and could receive more than it contributed based on need.

The model remains a proposal. It has not yet proved that it can replace or significantly reshape the current aid system. Supporters hope to have governments working around one or two pilots by the end of 2028. 

After three days in Accra, the West African Civil Society Institute said it will temporarily steward the work after the meeting, coordinate follow-up and help participants continue developing ideas that emerged from the gathering.

In a post-convening reflection, Charles Vandyck, the Institute’s head of capacity development, acknowledged that transferring power from international organizations to African institutions alone would not transform development.

“Redistributing power is not about reversing hierarchies,” Vandyck wrote. “It is about building systems where power is shared, accountability is mutual, and agency is respected.”

This story was a collaboration with New Narratives.

PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria — Former Liberian President George Manneh Weah has delivered a forceful warning against the erosion of democratic institutions in Africa, cautioning that leaders who come to power through elections can still become authoritarian if they undermine the judiciary, weaken legislatures and suppress institutional checks on executive power.

By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, gerald.koinyeneh@frontpageafricaonline.com

Weah made the remarks Sunday, August 23, while delivering the keynote address at the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, under the theme “Beyond Limits.”

Addressing lawyers, judges, government officials and other dignitaries, the former Liberian leader argued that democracy does not begin and end with elections, stressing that strong institutions are essential to preserving democratic governance.

“Democracy does not survive on the strength of elections alone,” Weah said. “Elections are the doorway into democracy, not the house itself.”

He said independent courts, a principled legal profession and effective legislative oversight are among the institutions that sustain democratic systems after elections have ended.

‘A Tyrant With a Certificate of Return Is Still a Tyrant’

Weah delivered one of the strongest portions of his address when he warned that the threat to democracy does not come only from military coups or defeated candidates refusing to concede elections.

He said democratically elected leaders can gradually undermine the same institutions that brought them to power.

“The danger is not only that soldiers might seize power in the night, or that a defeated candidate might refuse to leave office,” he said.

“It is also that a leader who arrives in office through a free and fair election can, over time and often gradually, begin to govern like the very dictators the ballot was meant to guard against.”

According to Weah, such leaders may attempt to influence the judiciary, pressure legislatures and turn institutions designed to provide checks and balances into instruments of executive power.

“A tyrant with a certificate of return is still a tyrant,” he declared.

He warned that democracy must be tested continuously after elections by examining how political power treats courts, legislatures, journalists and ordinary citizens.

Weah Calls for Strong Institutions

Weah referenced a statement by outgoing NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe that “democracy cannot survive on strong men. It survives on strong institutions.”

He said the principle should be displayed prominently in African parliaments and courtrooms.

“The rule of law is not an abstract phrase for law school lecture halls,” Weah said. “It is the practical guarantee that a citizen’s rights do not depend on who is in office or what favor they can secure.”

He argued that the rule of law must provide equal protection to ordinary citizens, including journalists, traders and students, regardless of their social or political status.

“When that guarantee weakens, everything else in a nation weakens with it: investment, security, public trust, and peace itself,” he said.

Warning Against Judicial Interference

The former Liberian president also cautioned against executive interference in the judiciary, citing what he described as examples across the region involving manipulation of judicial budgets, questionable appointments, pressure on judges and the creation of special courts for political purposes.

He also referenced the wave of military takeovers that has affected several African countries since 2020.

While condemning coups, Weah argued that governments operating under democratic labels must also guard against institutional erosion.

He called on the Nigerian Bar Association to remain vigilant in defending judicial independence and citizens’ rights.

“This is why I say to you: the Nigerian Bar Association is not merely a professional association negotiating welfare for its members,” he said.

“You are a standing sentinel of this Republic’s democracy.”

According to Weah, when the legal profession remains silent, courts become more vulnerable to political capture, while a united and principled Bar can deter executive interference.

Weah Revisits 2023 Concession

The former president also used the address to revisit his decision to concede Liberia’s 2023 presidential runoff election to current President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.

Weah said he congratulated Boakai while the vote count was still underway after preliminary results indicated that his opponent was leading.

He said some people around him had advised waiting until the final results were formally certified before conceding.

“I chose to concede while the counting was still underway, because I have always believed, and still believe, that the will of the people must stand above the ambition of any one man in a democratic setting,” Weah said.

He argued that electoral disputes and the failure to respect democratic principles can have serious consequences for national peace and security.

Weah said the NBA’s recognition of his 2023 concession was particularly meaningful because it demonstrated the importance of placing national peace and the people’s will above personal political ambition.

“If a small nation like mine can insist on that standard for itself, then surely this continent…can insist on standards beyond the limits others have too often assumed for us,” he said.

From Monrovia’s Ghetto to the Presidency

Weah also drew heavily on his personal journey, linking his rise from the Gibraltar community in Monrovia to the broader theme of overcoming limitations.

The former football star recalled growing up largely under the care of his grandmother in circumstances where few people expected him to reach the highest levels of international football or become president of Liberia.

“I did not accept them—not out of arrogance, but because the limits placed on us by man are not the same as the limits placed on us by God,” he said.

Weah became the first and remains the only African male footballer to win the Ballon d’Or, following a celebrated international football career before entering politics.

He later became a senator and was elected president of Liberia in 2017, serving from 2018 to 2024.

Beyond ‘Brain Drain’

Turning to Africa’s development, Weah said the continent’s greatest limitations are not a lack of talent or intelligence, but inadequate infrastructure and insufficient political and institutional organization to harness African expertise.

He called for a shift in thinking about the African diaspora—from viewing migration primarily as “brain drain” to developing systems that encourage “brain circulation.”

Weah argued that African professionals living and working abroad can contribute significantly to national development if governments establish mechanisms that enable them to share their expertise without requiring them to abandon opportunities overseas permanently.

He cited African diaspora remittances as evidence of the enormous economic contribution already being made from abroad.

“Imagine that same energy formally invited into legal reform and judicial modernization, as a deliberate national strategy,” he said.

Five Values for Breaking Limits

Weah said Africa’s effort to overcome its challenges must be anchored in five values: discipline, hard work, respect, perseverance and spiritual strength.

He drew parallels between football and the legal profession, saying talent without discipline is insufficient for success.

In the legal profession, he said, intellectual brilliance must be matched by discipline, ethics and commitment to justice.

He similarly described hard work as essential to overcoming corruption, weak infrastructure and institutional inertia.

Respect, he said, must extend to the dignity of every human being, national constitutions and independent institutions.

Perseverance, he added, is necessary because individuals and nations will inevitably face setbacks.

“Perseverance is the internal voice that says, ‘I will rise again,’” Weah said.

He also stressed the importance of spiritual strength, arguing that leadership should be viewed as temporary stewardship rather than permanent ownership of power.

‘Africa Must Stand Up for Democracy’

In closing, Weah called on African lawyers and institutions to defend justice, equality, accountability and free elections.

He urged the Nigerian Bar and legal professionals across the continent to remain independent and protect the rights of people regardless of wealth, political influence or social status.

“The law must never be an instrument of chaos. It must never become a weapon of war,” he said.

“It must remain what it was always meant to be: an instrument of remedy, of peace, of unity, and of accountability.”

Weah concluded by calling on Africa to stand for the rule of law, fairness, impartiality, gender equality, human dignity, peace, democracy and free and fair elections.

“Africa must continue in peaceful coexistence, and we must all stand up for the rule of law,” he said.

The address comes as Weah remains active on the African and international stage following his presidency. He has also signaled his intention to seek the Liberian presidency again in 2029, setting the stage for his continued political relevance ahead of Liberia’s next presidential election.

Monrovia— As Ukraine marks its Independence Day on Monday, August 24, the Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Ukraine in Dakar, Senegal, Mr. Oleg Kobzystyi, has outlined what he describes as a growing partnership between Kyiv and Monrovia, while calling for deeper cooperation in education, agriculture, digitalization and trade.

In an exclusive interview with the Liberian media, Kobzystyi also addressed the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, the potential role of African countries in humanitarian efforts, alleged Russian recruitment of African nationals, and Kyiv’s efforts to counter what it describes as Russian disinformation across the continent.

The Ukrainian diplomat described Liberia as a “friend and ally” of Ukraine in West Africa, saying the two countries share common positions on sovereignty, territorial integrity, human dignity and freedom.

He said these shared principles provide a strong foundation for expanding bilateral cooperation beyond the two countries’ engagement within international organizations.

Kyiv Seeks Deeper Economic and Trade Cooperation

Kobzystyi said Ukraine and Liberia are currently working toward establishing a more structured framework for bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

According to him, both sides are working on a draft agreement to establish a Joint Commission on Economic and Trade Cooperation between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of Liberia.

He said the proposed commission could provide a formal mechanism for identifying and advancing areas of mutual economic interest.

Kyiv is also working with Monrovia on a draft Memorandum of Understanding between Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science and Liberia’s Ministry of Education, aimed at strengthening cooperation in education.

“These elements of the contractual and legal framework could form the basis,” Kobzystyi said, “of a new stage on the track of Ukrainian-Liberian relations.”

The Ukrainian Embassy is also pursuing the possibility of an official visit to Ukraine by Liberia’s Foreign Minister, Sara Beysolow Nyanti.

Kobzystyi said such a visit could provide an opportunity for both governments to sign the pending bilateral agreements and identify additional areas of cooperation.

Education Seen as Key Area for Cooperation

Education, he said, remains one of the most promising areas for strengthening relations.

Kobzystyi noted that Ukraine has historically attracted students from African countries, including West Africa, because of what he described as the country’s high-quality education and opportunities for acquiring new skills and competencies.

He said a simplified online system for submitting applications to Ukrainian higher education institutions is currently operational.

According to the diplomat, a significant number of West African students have already received permission to enter Ukraine and are preparing for the new academic year.

“We are convinced that the educational component is a solid foundation for the development of further cooperation,” he said.

Agriculture Offers Untapped Potential

Beyond education, Kobzystyi identified agriculture as another area where Ukraine and Liberia could significantly expand cooperation.

He said Ukraine possesses expertise in crop management systems, GPS monitoring of agricultural equipment and precision agriculture.

Importantly, he argued that these systems continue to function despite the ongoing war on Ukrainian territory, demonstrating what he described as the resilience of Ukraine’s agricultural sector.

Kobzystyi suggested that elements of Ukraine’s agricultural experience could be adapted for countries seeking to modernize their agricultural sectors.

For Liberia, where agricultural modernization and food security remain major national priorities, such cooperation could potentially provide opportunities for technology transfer, technical training and investment.

Digitalization Another Area for Partnership

The Ukrainian diplomat also highlighted digital transformation as a potential area of cooperation.

He pointed to Ukraine’s experience in digitalizing state databases, online public services and government systems as an area where Kyiv could share knowledge with Liberia.

Among the examples cited were automated consular services for millions of Ukrainians living abroad and online access to state registers.

Kobzystyi said Ukraine’s experience could be relevant to Liberia as the country continues efforts to modernize government services and expand digital access.

Ukraine Wants Greater African Role in Humanitarian Efforts

Turning to the war, Kobzystyi said Ukraine believes African countries have an important role to play, particularly on humanitarian issues.

He singled out the return of Ukrainian children who, according to Kyiv, were forcibly taken to Russia during the conflict.

He said African countries could bring valuable experience to the humanitarian process because many have historically dealt with complex issues involving displacement, separation of families and the consequences of conflict.

“The potential for involving African states in the humanitarian track in this regard is more than significant,” he said.

Kobzystyi described the alleged transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia as one of what he called the most serious crimes committed during the war.

Battlefield Remains Uncertain

On the military situation, Kobzystyi said Ukrainian forces continue to defend the country and thwart Russian military objectives.

He rejected what he described as Russian claims of major battlefield advances, saying Russia has failed to completely capture Donbas.

He also accused Moscow of resorting to attacks on civilian areas because of its inability to achieve its objectives on the battlefield.

Russia has repeatedly rejected Ukrainian accusations of deliberately targeting civilians and has presented its military campaign in different terms.

Kobzystyi said it was difficult to predict when the war would end because, in Kyiv’s view, Russia has not demonstrated sufficient willingness to negotiate in good faith.

He said Ukraine has repeatedly proposed negotiations in neutral locations, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

According to Kobzystyi, Kyiv remains prepared for negotiations but believes Moscow continues to create conditions that prevent meaningful talks.

Africa and Russian Recruitment

The diplomat also raised concerns over what Ukraine says is the recruitment of African nationals by Russia for military service.

He claimed that African students who traveled to Russia for educational purposes have in some cases ended up being recruited into the Russian armed forces and deployed to the battlefield.

He cited alleged recruitment cases involving nationals of Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and Zambia, as well as citizens from Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Ghana.

However, he stressed that Ukraine currently has no information indicating that Liberian nationals have been victims of Russian recruitment.

“We hope that this trend regarding Liberia will continue in the future,” Kobzystyi said, urging African citizens to carefully consider the risks before entering into military contracts with Russia.

The Russian government has not endorsed the characterization that it systematically recruits African students as “cannon fodder,” and allegations concerning individual recruitment cases require independent verification.

Kyiv Accuses Moscow of Disinformation in Africa

Kobzystyi further accused Russia of conducting disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining Ukraine’s diplomatic efforts in Africa.

He said Ukrainian diplomatic missions across the continent have faced allegations ranging from recruiting Africans to assembling drones inside embassies.

He described such claims as part of what he characterized as a broader Russian strategy of manipulation.

The diplomat pointed to cases in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, where he said claims attributed to Russian influence networks were subsequently challenged or debunked.

For Kobzystyi, countering disinformation has become an important component of Ukraine’s engagement with African countries.

A New Chapter for Liberia-Ukraine Relations

Despite the challenges posed by the war, Kobzystyi said Ukraine remains committed to strengthening its relationship with Liberia.

He described the two countries as “partner countries” that value and respect each other and said the relationship should now move toward more concrete bilateral cooperation.

The proposed economic and trade commission, education agreement and potential visit by Foreign Minister Nyanti to Ukraine, he said, could provide the institutional framework for that next phase.

“We are sure that we still have something to offer each other in a significant number of areas,” Kobzystyi said.

For Kyiv, the emerging agenda extends beyond diplomatic solidarity over the war to practical cooperation in education, agriculture, digital transformation, trade and humanitarian affairs.

And for Monrovia, the proposed agreements and a possible ministerial visit could mark the beginning of a more structured relationship with a European country seeking stronger partnerships across Africa.

As Ukraine commemorates another Independence Day amid an unresolved war, its diplomatic message to Liberia is clear: Kyiv wants its relationship with Monrovia to move beyond shared positions at international forums and toward a broader, practical and mutually beneficial partnership.

ACCRA, Ghana – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has called for a coordinated global effort to pursue reparatory justice for the descendants of enslaved Africans, declaring that the recently adopted United Nations resolution on the transatlantic slave trade must become a catalyst for “truth, justice, healing, and institutional repair.”

By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, gerald.koinyeneh@frontpageafricaonline.com

Delivering the keynote address Thursday at a two-day High-Level Consultative Conference on Next Steps for United Nations Resolution A/RES/80/250 in Accra, Ghana, President Boakai said the international community now faces a defining test of whether it will transform historical recognition into meaningful action.

The conference brought together African leaders, representatives of the African Union, CARICOM, the Global African Diaspora, United Nations agencies, civil society organizations, and development partners to chart a path forward following the adoption of the landmark UN resolution on March 26, 2026.

Addressing participants, Boakai praised Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama and the Government of Ghana for convening the gathering on what he described as “historic shores” that remain deeply connected to the painful legacy of the transatlantic slave trade.

“It is fitting that we meet on these historic shores, still marked by the memory of those who were torn from their homes, families, and communities and forced across the Atlantic,” Boakai said. “Their suffering still calls us to confront one of history’s gravest crimes against humanity.”

The Liberian leader emphasized that the UN resolution represents a major moral milestone, formally recognizing the trafficking and racialized enslavement of Africans as among the gravest crimes against humanity.

“More than 500 years after the first victims were taken across the Atlantic, and 200 years after the trade was formally abolished, the adoption of this resolution marks a significant and necessary moral moment,” he said.

Boakai noted that the effects of slavery continue to shape contemporary realities across Africa and the global African diaspora, arguing that the consequences extend far beyond economic losses.

“For Liberia, the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade is woven into the fabric of our national story and continues to shape our understanding of identity, belonging, and nationhood,” he stated.

He stressed that meaningful reparatory justice must include historical truth-telling, reconciliation, cultural restoration, education, institution-building, and social healing in addition to any financial considerations.

Five-Point Roadmap

As discussions turn toward implementation, President Boakai proposed a five-point framework to advance the objectives of the resolution.

His recommendations include developing a common African position and implementation framework in collaboration with CARICOM and diaspora organizations, establishing an African Union–United Nations Expert Commission to design a Global Reparatory Justice Mechanism, and expanding education, research, and historical documentation to combat misinformation and historical erasure. The Liberian leader also called for the facilitation of the restitution of stolen cultural artifacts and heritage objects and promoting development partnerships and global initiatives aimed at addressing inequalities rooted in slavery and its aftermath.

Boakai argued that while the scale of the transatlantic slave trade cannot be fully quantified in financial terms, there is little doubt that slavery, forced labor, and resource extraction generated immense wealth that helped shape global economic systems while contributing to Africa’s underdevelopment.

“The past has helped shape the inequities of the present,” he said.

Call for Understanding, Not Division

In one of the strongest portions of his address, President Boakai sought to frame the reparations debate as a pursuit of justice and reconciliation rather than blame.

“The call for reparatory justice is not an effort to assign personal guilt to the present generation for the sins of the past,” he said. “Rather, it is a call for understanding, empathy, and a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths.”

He urged nations around the world to recognize the enduring consequences of slavery and join a collective effort aimed at healing and repair.

Boakai also called on global leaders to ensure that the horrors of racialized enslavement are never repeated.

“Together, let us forge a solemn pact that the dehumanization, exploitation, and racialized enslavement of any people shall never, ever again find refuge in our institutions, our economies, or our collective conscience,” he declared.

“The World Must Choose Justice”

Concluding his remarks, President Boakai described the UN resolution as a rare opportunity for transformative action and warned against allowing it to become another symbolic declaration without meaningful follow-through.

“History has brought us to a rare and defining moment,” he said. “Future generations will judge us not by the eloquence of our declarations, but by the courage of our actions.”

He urged delegates to leave Accra united in purpose and committed to building a future rooted in dignity, equity, and shared prosperity.

“Let this not be remembered as another conference or another resolution that stirred consciences briefly before fading into history,” Boakai said. “Let it be remembered as the moment when the world chose truth over silence, justice over hesitation, and moral courage over the comfort of the status quo.”

The Liberian President serves on the Global Advisory Panel on Reparatory Justice and has emerged as one of the leading African voices advocating for international recognition of the enduring consequences of the transatlantic slave trade and the need for collective measures to address its legacy.