Monrovia – The Government of Liberia has officially announced the formation of a National Steering Committee to spearhead the planning and organization of the 2025 Annual Liberia Diaspora National Conference, which will be held for the first time in Washington, DC, USA.
By Sylvester Choloplay, Contributing Writer
The landmark event aligns with President Joseph N. Boakai’s vision to strengthen ties between Liberia and its diaspora, and is a major component of the Diaspora Strategic Plan (2024–2027) under the government’s “Arrest Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID).”
The announcement was made through the Office of Diaspora Affairs at the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs. Mr. Erasmus T. Williams, Coordinator of the Diaspora Office in the Executive Mansion, emphasized that the Strategic Plan was introduced during President Boakai’s first Cabinet Retreat and aims to harness the potential of Liberians living abroad for national development.
According to a statement issued recently, the Steering Committee will be chaired by the Office of Diaspora Affairs at the Ministry of State, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Diaspora Affairs Office serving as co-chair. The committee includes representatives from key government institutions, civil society, diaspora organizations, and international partners.
Notable Members of the Planning Committee:
• Ambassador Emmett L. Dunn – Chairman
• Madam Macdella Cooper – Co-Chair
• Hon. Paul T. Lamin – Chair, Finance
• Mrs. Robena Vincent – Chair, Fundraising
• Eminent Emmanuel S. Wettee – Chair, Diaspora Engagement
• Rep. Naquetta Ricks – Member
• Hon. O. Natty B. Davies – Member
• Mrs. Louise K. Tamba – Advisor, Diaspora Office
• Mrs. Georgietta Gray – Member
• Hon. Nathaniel T. Kwabo – Advisor, Planning Team
• Mr. Anthony V. Kesselly – Advisor on Diaspora Affairs
• Mr. Ivan J.M. Grigsby – Member
• Madam Cynthia Blandford – Member
• Madam Lisa White – Member
Members of the Secretariat:
• Director General, Cabinet Office
• Ministry of Finance
• Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism
• Ministry of Internal Affairs/Peacebuilding Office (PBO)
Additional Member Institutions:
• National Investment Commission
• Ministry of Commerce
• Liberia Chamber of Commerce
• Liberia National Police
• Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC)
• Ministry of Health
• House of Senate (Representative Senator)
• House of Representatives (Representative)
• Liberia Immigration Service
• Liberia Business Association (LIBA)
• University of Liberia Diaspora Center
• Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR)
• All Registered Diaspora Organizations
International Partners:
• International Organization for Migration (IOM)
• United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office (UNRCO) – Peacebuilding Fund Secretariat
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• United Nations Women (UN Women)
• United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
A Public-Private Partnership
The Steering Committee represents a broad-based public-private partnership initiative aimed at leveraging the skills, resources, and expertise of Liberians at home and abroad.
“This conference reflects President Boakai’s deep commitment to engaging Liberians in the diaspora and making them central partners in national development,” said Mr. Erasmus T. Williams, Deputy Minister and Coordinator of the Diaspora Affairs Office.
The Committee, under the leadership of Ambassador Emmett Dunn as Chair and Hon. Macdella Cooper as Co-Chair, is tasked with the full planning and execution of the Annual Liberia Diaspora National Conference 2025.
