Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. used his address at the 2025 West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) in Abuja to call for renewed regional cooperation, economic transformation, and diplomatic engagement, as the sub-region navigates overlapping challenges of conflict, economic disparity, and political division.

Speaking before ECOWAS leaders, trade representatives, and development partners, President Boakai praised the summit’s timing amid ECOWAS’ 50th anniversary, describing it as a necessary moment of reflection and recalibration. He commended Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for hosting the summit and chairing the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government with what he termed “visionary leadership.”

Boakai used the occasion to officially announce Liberia’s election to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2026–2027 term. He thanked fellow African states for their endorsement, describing it as a vote of confidence not just in Liberia, but in its post-conflict journey and commitment to multilateral diplomacy.

“We view this not only as a national honor but as a reflection of our collective aspiration to contribute meaningfully to global peace, dialogue, and multilateralism,” he said, pledging Liberia’s principled voice on regional peace and justice during its term.

On the economic front, Boakai endorsed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a transformative opportunity for regional integration. He noted Liberia’s efforts to align national priorities with AfCFTA objectives through investment in agriculture, energy, digital infrastructure, and modernization of the Free Port of Monrovia. He also emphasized road networks and cross-border transport systems as critical to unlocking intra-African trade.

Through Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, Boakai said the country is pursuing broad reforms aimed at institutional strengthening, public service delivery, and private sector investment. He reiterated Liberia’s ambition to become a stable, transparent, and competitive hub for regional trade and enterprise.

Boakai also stressed the inseparability of economic progress and peace. He reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to ECOWAS-led conflict resolution, mediation, and peacebuilding, citing Liberia’s own history of post-war recovery as a foundation for regional support.

He renewed calls for dialogue with ECOWAS states that have exited the bloc in recent years due to political upheaval, urging unity through engagement rather than exclusion.

“We must keep the door open for engagement and reconciliation,” Boakai told regional leaders. “With Liberia’s ascension to the Security Council, we are determined to be a principled voice for the region, advocating for just solutions to global and regional challenges.”

Boakai concluded by urging West African nations to “mobilize collective resources, deepen collaboration, and turn the region’s potential into tangible progress for all its people.”

By: David S. Johnson | Staff Reporter | editor@thepointafricanews.com