Africa-Press – Liberia. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. departed Liberia on June 19 for Abuja, Nigeria, where he will join fellow West African leaders for the West Africa Economic Summit (WAES), a high-level forum convening from June 20 to 21, 2025.
The Summit, one of the most consequential regional gatherings in recent years, brings together Heads of State, senior government officials, private sector leaders, and development partners to accelerate economic integration and promote shared growth across the region. It is a flagship initiative stemming from a 2023 ECOWAS commitment by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to stimulate investment, industrial development, and job creation in West Africa.
The forum will culminate in the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government Summit on June 22, where regional leaders will deliberate on broader challenges and opportunities facing the region, including peace and security, cross-border trade, and sustainable development.
President Boakai is expected to deliver a keynote address during the WAES forum, where he will present Liberia’s economic agenda and investment priorities. With a focus on agriculture, energy, infrastructure, tourism, and digital innovation, the President’s speech will outline Liberia’s readiness for business and its commitment to inclusive, transformative growth.
“The summit is more than a meeting—it’s a call to action,” a senior Liberian official said ahead of the trip. “President Boakai’s presence affirms Liberia’s role in shaping a unified, forward-looking West African economy.”
In addition to his address, President Boakai will hold bilateral and multilateral meetings with heads of state, development institutions, and international investors. These engagements are aimed at advancing Liberia’s development goals and strengthening strategic partnerships aligned with his administration’s ARREST Agenda for Transformation.
Traveling with the President is a high-powered delegation composed of senior cabinet ministers and national agency heads. These include Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti; Finance Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan; Commerce Minister Magdalene Dagoseh; Agriculture Minister Alexander Nuetah; Mines and Energy Minister Wilmot Paye; Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah; and Investment Commission Chairman Jeff Blibo.
The delegation also includes Minister of State Without Portfolio Samuel A. Stevquoah, National Security Advisor Samuel Kofi Woods II, Senior Economic Advisor Morley Kamara, and key agency heads from the ports, petroleum, and tourism sectors.
Their collective mission: to showcase Liberia’s potential, attract responsible investment, and foster regional cooperation on issues critical to Liberia’s economic resurgence.
While the President is away, national governance will be overseen by Justice Minister Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh, who also serves as Acting Chair of the Cabinet. He will consult with the President via secure communication channels to ensure uninterrupted executive oversight and coordination.
President Boakai and his delegation are expected to return to Monrovia on Monday, June 23, following the conclusion of the summit.
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