United Nations Peacebuilding Commission Press Statement on Liberia

On 19 August 2024, the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) convened a meeting on Liberia, chaired by the Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations, with the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Republic of Liberia, the National Security Advisor of the Republic of Liberia and other senior government officials from Liberia, representatives of the Civil Society Human Rights Platform of Liberia and the Federation of Liberian Youth, as well as senior UN officials, including the Deputy Head of the Peacebuilding Support Office and the Resident Coordinator ad interim.

The meeting focused on Liberia’s peacebuilding and sustaining peace priorities, in particular transitional justice and youth inclusion. During the meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia, H.E. Mme. Sara Beysolow Nyanti, reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to peacebuilding and sustaining democratic progress. Recognizing the importance of international support, the Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasized the need for greater cooperation for Liberia to achieve its aspirations for transitional justice and youth empowerment.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that Liberia stands at a pivotal moment in its history and stated that with the support of the international community Liberia can address the root causes of conflict, promote justice and accountability, empower youth, and build a more peaceful and prosperous nation.

The Peacebuilding Commission reiterated its commitment to supporting Liberia in building and sustaining peace.

The Commission commended Liberia for the peaceful general elections in 2023, the first held under the sole responsibility of Liberian authorities following the withdrawal of UNMIL in 2018.

The Commission also commended Liberia’s work on transitional justice and the firm commitment of the Government of Liberia to implement the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). This includes the establishment of the Office of War and Economic Crimes Court (OWECC) as outlined in Executive Order 131/2024 of 2 May 2024.

The Commission welcomed Liberia’s commitment to develop a first National Action Plan (NAP) on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS). The Commission also welcomed the launch in June 2024, of the Youth, Peace and Security National Coalition in Liberia, which will coordinate efforts at the national and local levels on the development of the NAP, applying localized approaches to the implementation of resolutions 2250 (2015), 2419 (2018) and 2535 (2020).

The Commission underlined the need for the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) to continue to support Liberia's peacebuilding efforts.

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