Africa-Press – Liberia. If elected, Liberia would serve a full two-year term on the Security Council from January 2026 to December 2027.
As Liberia prepares for the crucial United Nations General Assembly vote scheduled for June 3, its bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council has gained widespread attention, both domestically and internationally.
This pursuit represents more than just a diplomatic milestone for the West African country; it is a bold attempt to reassert Liberia’s historic role in global governance and international peacebuilding.
If successful, Liberia would gain unprecedented access to high-level decision-making on critical matters concerning international peace and security, a privilege that carries both symbolic and practical value for a nation striving to redefine its global standing.
Liberia is vying for one of two seats allocated to the African Group of countries, replacing current holders Algeria and Sierra Leone. If elected, Liberia would serve a full two-year term on the Security Council from January 2026 to December 2027.
This would mark the first time in the country’s history that it has held a full mandate on the Council. Liberia previously served only a single year in 1961 as part of a compromise agreement with Ireland during a six-week stalemate over which nation would take the rotating seat.
That decision came after a series of intense ballots failed to produce the required two-thirds majority in the General Assembly, with Liberia and Ireland eventually agreeing to split the term, Liberia serving the first year and Ireland completing the second.
The upcoming vote is therefore historic. Liberia, despite being one of the founding members of the United Nations and an early contributor to international diplomacy, has never been granted a full term on the Security Council. Liberia was among the original signatories of the UN Charter in 1945, and it is one of only four African nations — alongside Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Africa — that participated in the founding of the organization.
While South Africa and Ethiopia have each served three full terms and Egypt an impressive six terms on the Security Council, Liberia has never had the opportunity to fully represent Africa for a full two-year term.
Liberia’s advocacy for democratic freedoms, anti-colonial movements, and its support of the anti-apartheid struggle, including its vocal backing of Nelson Mandela and other African liberation leaders, has never yet translated into sustained representation on the UN’s most powerful body.
The country’s current bid for a full seat on the Council is being championed by its top officials as a critical opportunity to reposition Liberia as a global diplomatic actor. Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti has underscored the transformative potential of a successful campaign, stating that gaining a seat would place Liberia among a select group of 15 countries responsible for determining the course of global peace and security.
She emphasized that Liberia’s participation in Council decisions on ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises would mark a significant leap in international access and influence for the country. “This seat for the UNSC would mean an instant repositioning of Liberia to be one of 15 countries who for 2 years will make critical decisions on peace and security around the world. Liberia will be at the table to take decisions on onflicts and protracted crises and the various interests in relation to them. This will provide Liberia access that it has never had in this way before,” she said.
According to the minister, such access would enable Liberia to engage directly in decisions it has previously only observed from the periphery, making it an equal partner in shaping global outcomes.
Liberia’s campaign is deeply rooted in both historical identity and contemporary readiness. The country’s post-conflict transformation from war and instability to democratic governance and institutional recovery forms the cornerstone of its credibility.
Liberia endured two devastating civil wars between 1989 and 2003, which left the nation in ruins and the international community skeptical about its future. However, since the signing of the Accra Peace Agreement in 2003, Liberia has made significant strides toward democratic consolidation, governance reform, and socioeconomic recovery.
Peaceful political transitions, strengthened public institutions, and ongoing contributions to UN peacekeeping missions have helped reframe Liberia from a recipient of international peace efforts to a contributor.
Currently, Liberia has 26 personnel deployed to key UN peacekeeping operations, including the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), further demonstrating its evolving role as a security partner.
The thematic priorities Liberia plans to champion on the Security Council reflect both its domestic experience and its international ambitions. Key focus areas include post-conflict peacebuilding, conflict prevention and mediation, humanitarian coordination, promotion of justice and human rights, climate security, and the Women, Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security agendas.
These themes are not merely political talking points but are grounded in Liberia’s real experiences navigating the challenges of national reconciliation, rebuilding state institutions, and empowering marginalized populations—particularly women and youth — who were profoundly affected by the country’s civil conflicts.
Liberia also positions its candidacy within the broader context of Africa’s push for increased representation in the UN system. At the heart of this advocacy lies the Ezulwini Consensus, a reform agenda adopted by the African Union calling for more inclusive decision-making at the United Nations, including the addition of permanent African seats on the Security Council.
Liberia has committed to using its potential tenure to support the goals of the Consensus, serving as a credible and articulate voice for the continent, the Global South, and other developing nations often underrepresented in global governance structures.
This stance not only aligns Liberia with continental ambitions but also strengthens its claim as a legitimate advocate for equitable reform within the multilateral system.
The country’s long-standing relationship with multilateral diplomacy extends beyond the Security Council. Liberia played an instrumental role in establishing the League of Nations in 1920, and its broader contributions to international law and diplomacy have been acknowledged throughout history.
In 1970, Liberia made another landmark contribution when Ambassador Angie Brooks became the first African woman, and only the second woman in the world, to serve as President of the United Nations General Assembly.
Liberia’s consistent engagement with global institutions reflects a tradition of diplomacy that current leaders hope to reinvigorate and showcase through the Security Council seat.
Liberia’s ongoing campaign has also emphasized regional cooperation and stability, particularly within the Mano River Union and the wider West African subregion. By leveraging its geographic and political ties, Liberia intends to address pressing security challenges in neighboring countries and help shape strategies that promote sustainable peace and democratic governance across West Africa.
Officials believe that Liberia’s dual identity as a post-conflict success story and a stable democratic state provides it with the practical insight needed to contribute meaningfully to the Council’s deliberations.
For Liberia, the 2026–2027 seat on the UN Security Council represents more than just a chair at a powerful table. It symbolizes a return to global relevance, the culmination of decades of recovery and rebuilding, and a bold step toward influencing the world order on behalf of Africa and the Global South.
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