On Friday, January 2, 2026, Liberia’s official mandate on the United Nations Security Council began, and will run until December 31, 2027.
The national flag of Liberia was raised at the United Nations Headquarters in New York at 5:00 p.m. Liberian time, symbolizing Liberia’s formal installation as one of the newly elected non‑permanent members of the Security Council.
Speaking on behalf of Liberia at the flag‑raising ceremony, Ambassador to the United Nations, Lewis Brown, said, “I bring warm New Year greetings from His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., President of the Republic of Liberia, and extend Liberia’s sincere appreciation to Slovenia, Algeria, Guyana, Sierra Leone, and the Republic of Korea for their service and stewardship of the Security Council during the 2024 – 2025 term.
“Liberia congratulates Somalia on assuming the Presidency of the Council, and takes this moment to thank Kazakhstan for sustaining this important tradition – one that reminds us that membership on the Security Council carries not only with procedure, but also responsibility.
“Today, as our flag, ‘The Lone Star,’ is installed in these halls, we mark more than a ceremonial change. It is a defining moment in Liberia’s national journey and a reflection of President Boakai’s enduring belief that peace is both a privilege and a duty.
“Eight years ago, the United Nations flag was lowered in Liberia to signal the end of the peacekeeping mission and the return of full responsibility for peace and security to the government and people of Liberia. That moment challenged us to prove that peace could endure beyond the presence of peacekeepers. Through commitment to democracy, institutional reform, and national reconciliation, Liberia has met that challenge.
“More than twenty-two years after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, Liberia stands peaceful, democratic, and stable. Our flag now flies here not as a symbol of recovery, but as a symbol of responsibility and readiness to serve.
“After sixty-five years, Liberia returns to the Security Council through its first full elected mandate, supported by 181 Member States. That vote reflects global confidence in Liberia’s voice and in the values President Boakai has articulated: dialogue over division, cooperation over conflict, and responsibility over isolation.
“Liberia is here because multilateralism worked. Because the Security Council acted with resolve. Because the African Union and ECOWAS stood firm. And because partners across the world believed that even nations emerging from conflict can contribute to global peace.
“President Boakai’s vision is clear. Peace anywhere strengthens peace everywhere. Insecurity anywhere threatens stability everywhere. Liberia’s own experience affirms that sustainable peace is built through dialogue, inclusion, and respect for human dignity.
“Excellencies, with this mandate, Liberia comes to the Security Council guided by experience and anchored in the United Nations Charter. We come committed to diplomacy because we have lived the cost of its absence. We come determined to build bridges, encourage consensus, and contribute constructively to a safer world.
“The nameplate will read Liberia. The seat is Africa’s. But Liberia’s outlook will be global, rooted in the conviction that peaceful coexistence is a shared responsibility. Liberia stands ready to serve. Thank you.”
Liberia joins four other nations in this moment of pride, reaffirming its dedication to the principles of multilateralism, peace, and collective security. The Government of Liberia (GOL) has meanwhile expressed profound gratitude to the Member States of the United Nations for the trust and confidence reposed in Liberia, and pledged to actively contribute to the work of the Security Council in the promotion of international peace and stability.
