Liberia has officially begun its two-year tenure as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council following the installation of its national flag at a formal ceremony held Friday at the UN Headquarters in New York.
The ceremony, hosted by the United Nations Security Council, marked the formal induction of five newly elected non-permanent members--Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Latvia, and Liberia--for the 2026-2027 term on the 15-member global body responsible for maintaining international peace and security.
Speaking on behalf of the Liberian Government, Ambassador Lewis G. Brown, Liberia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, delivered a special statement underscoring the country's journey from conflict to stability and its readiness to shoulder global responsibility.
"Allow me to stand on the existing protocol. Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I bring warm New Year greetings from His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, President of the Republic of Liberia," Ambassador Brown said at the outset of his address.
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He extended Liberia's appreciation to outgoing council members Slovenia, Algeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and the Republic of Korea for their service during the 2024-2025 term, while congratulating Somalia on assuming the presidency of the Security Council.
He also thanked Kazakhstan for maintaining the longstanding tradition of the flag installation ceremony. According to Ambassador Brown, the occasion was more than symbolic.
"It is one that reminds us that membership on the Security Council carries not only procedural obligation, but also deep responsibility," he stated. "Today, as our flag--the Lone Star--is installed in these halls, we mark more than a ceremonial change."
He described Liberia's return to the Security Council as a defining national milestone, rooted in the vision of President Boakai.
"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 certainly a duty," Brown said.
Reflecting on Liberia's post-war recovery, the Ambassador recalled the end of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the country eight years ago.
"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," he noted. "That moment challenged us to prove that peace could endure beyond the presence of peacekeepers."
He said Liberia has since met that challenge through democratic governance, institutional reforms, and national reconciliation.
"Through commitment to democracy, institutional reforms, and national reconciliation, Liberia has met the challenge. More than 22 years after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, Liberia stands peaceful, democratic, and stable," he emphasized.
Ambassador Brown stressed that Liberia's presence on the Council is no longer a symbol of post-conflict recovery, but of responsibility and readiness.
"Our flag now flies here not as a symbol of recovery, but as a symbol of responsibility and a testament of our readiness to serve," he declared.
Liberia's election to the Council comes 65 years after its last appearance, marking the country's first full elected mandate, secured with the support of 181 UN Member States.
"That vote, to us, reflects global confidence in Liberia's voice and in the values President Boakai has continued to articulate--the values of dialogue over division, cooperation over conflict, and responsibility over isolation," Brown said.
He credited multilateralism and regional solidarity for Liberia's success.
"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," he said.
Reaffirming Liberia's commitment to global peace, Ambassador Brown echoed President Boakai's worldview.
"Peace anywhere strengthens peace everywhere. Insecurity anywhere threatens stability everywhere," he said, adding that Liberia's own experience demonstrates that "sustainable peace is built through dialogue, inclusion, and respect for human dignity."
As Liberia begins its tenure, Brown said the country would remain guided by its lived experience and the principles of the UN Charter.
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"With this mandate, Liberia comes to the Security Council guided by experience and anchored in the United Nations Charter," he stated. "We come committed to diplomacy because we have lived the cost of its absence."
He pledged that Liberia would work to promote consensus and constructive engagement.
"We come determined to build bridges, encourage consensus, and contribute constructively to a safer world," Brown said.
In a symbolic closing, he emphasized both Liberia's African identity and global outlook.
"The nameplate will read Liberia. The seat is Africa's. But Liberia's outlook, we promise you, will be global," he said. "It will be rooted in the conviction that peaceful coexistence is a shared responsibility."
Concluding his statement, Ambassador Brown affirmed Liberia's readiness to serve the international community.
"Finally, Liberia is ready to serve toward a just and peaceful world. I thank you for your kind attention. Thank you."
