Liberia: Boakai Launches New National Security Strategy, Shifts Focus to Human Security, Emerging Threats

Monrovia – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai on Wednesday officially launched Liberia’s National Security Strategy (2026-2036), unveiling a new people-centered approach to national security that places human welfare, social stability, and emerging threats at the heart of the country’s security agenda.

By J.H. Webster Clayeh | [email protected]

The strategy, launched at the Tea House of the Executive Mansion, marks Liberia’s second National Security Strategy since the end of the civil war and replaces the previous framework adopted in 2008.

President Boakai described the strategy as a roadmap for protecting Liberia’s sovereignty while addressing a rapidly changing security landscape shaped by cybercrime, transnational organized crime, climate change, economic vulnerabilities, and public health emergencies.

“The critical importance of security in a world fraught with global challenges cannot be overemphasized. Security is foundational—it is both a prerequisite and a catalyst for development,” President Boakai said.

He added: “This Strategy is not merely a document; it is a reflection of our shared aspirations as a people and a clear roadmap for safeguarding Liberia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, national stability, and democratic progress.”

Unlike traditional security frameworks that focus primarily on military and law enforcement responses, the new strategy adopts a broader definition of security that links peace and stability to governance, justice, economic opportunity, and social cohesion.

According to President Boakai, ensuring citizens have access to opportunities and confidence in public institutions is critical to sustaining national security.

“National security is not the sole responsibility of the traditional security sector, but a shared duty that encompasses good governance, justice, economic opportunity, and social cohesion,” he said.

The President emphasized that security and development are interconnected, arguing that the benefits of peace and economic growth must reach ordinary Liberians.

“Our true security rests upon how well we fulfill our democratic promise. The dividends of peace and security must trickle down to ordinary Liberians,” Boakai stated. “As to how we manage the resources of the country so that no one is left behind. When this happens, security will be assured.”

The President pledged continued investment in intelligence gathering, border protection, and community-based security initiatives aimed at strengthening trust between citizens and the state.

He also praised chiefs, elders, local government officials, civil society organizations, and religious leaders for their role in maintaining peace and supporting Liberia’s security architecture.

The strategy further highlights the importance of regional and international cooperation. President Boakai reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to working closely with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Mano River Union (MRU), the African Union (AU), and the United Nations to address cross-border security threats and promote regional stability.

Human Security at the Center

National Security Advisor Samuel Kofi Woods II said the strategy represents a major shift in Liberia’s approach to national security, moving from reactive responses to a preventive and people-focused model.

“Our last National Security Strategy became operational in 2008. It has been more than a decade; much has changed,” Woods said.

According to him, the strategy is the result of a two-year nationwide consultation process involving government institutions, security agencies, civil society organizations, development partners, traditional leaders, youth groups, women’s organizations, and citizens across Liberia’s fifteen counties.

The review examined a broad range of threats, including border and maritime vulnerabilities, cybercrime, climate-related risks, transnational criminal networks, and the social and economic conditions that contribute to instability.

At the center of the new framework, Woods said, is the belief that security must directly benefit citizens.

“Security must serve the people, and the people must be an active part of delivering security,” he said.

He explained that the strategy embraces a “whole-of-society” approach that prioritizes prevention, early warning systems, community engagement, human rights protection, youth empowerment, and stronger coordination between security institutions and civilian agencies.

The strategy also calls for greater accountability within the security sector, enhanced public participation in security planning, and expanded programs aimed at addressing the root causes of crime and conflict.

A New Era for National Security

Also speaking at the launch, Military Advisor to the President, Major General Daniel D. Ziankahn (Retired), described the strategy as a critical framework for addressing both traditional and non-traditional security challenges facing Liberia.

“This strategy will address both hard and soft security issues and will serve the purpose of safeguarding our nation’s sovereignty, stability, and development objectives,” Ziankahn said.

Officials say implementation of the National Security Strategy will include institutional reforms, improved coordination among security agencies, expanded community participation, and stronger partnerships with regional and international allies.

For the Boakai administration, the strategy represents an effort to redefine national security beyond the use of force and place greater emphasis on human dignity, economic opportunity, and citizen well-being.

As Liberia confronts a new generation of security threats, officials believe the success of the strategy will ultimately depend on how effectively government institutions, communities, and citizens work together to build a safer and more resilient nation.