MONROVIA – As the clock ticks toward a crucial vote on June 3, Liberia is rallying a rare wave of bipartisan consensus around its bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. What was once an ambitious diplomatic dream has taken on the form of a national cause, with former President George Manneh Weah joining former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and other notable Liberians in endorsing the campaign. Their unified support marks a significant moment in Liberia’s postwar diplomatic narrative and could influence the final stretch of lobbying ahead of the vote.
The endorsement from former President Weah was made public during an interview with former Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah on Spoon Talk, a popular Liberian talk show. Kemayah, who now serves as Senior Advisor and Chief Envoy to Weah, disclosed that the former president has long supported the idea of Liberia securing a Security Council seat and has recently taken active steps to mobilize support from other African leaders. According to Kemayah, the roots of Liberia’s Security Council bid go back to Weah’s time in office, where initial groundwork was laid through his engagements with the African Union and other multilateral platforms.
This revelation comes at a time when the Boakai administration is intensifying diplomatic efforts to secure enough votes from the UN General Assembly. By drawing in key stakeholders from across Liberia’s political spectrum, the current administration is hoping to send a message of national unity and collective ambition to the world. Former President Sirleaf, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and globally respected stateswoman, had already lent her support to the bid earlier this year. With Weah now adding his voice, Liberia’s campaign gains both historical depth and a broader political mandate.
The timing of this consensus could not be more critical. The Security Council remains one of the most powerful bodies in the international system, responsible for decisions on peacekeeping, sanctions, and conflict resolution. A seat for Liberia would allow the country to participate directly in shaping responses to global security threats, advancing African interests, and influencing the course of diplomacy at the highest level. For a country still recovering from decades of instability, civil war, and economic fragility, the symbolic and strategic significance of such a position is enormous.
Liberia’s case is strengthened not just by its political endorsements but by its legacy. As the first African republic and a founding member of the United Nations, Liberia has a historical connection to multilateral diplomacy. However, that legacy has often been overshadowed by domestic struggles. Winning a Security Council seat would offer a chance to restore some of that lost prestige and project Liberia as a serious and responsible actor on the world stage.
Critics may argue that the country should focus more on internal governance challenges than on global prestige, but such criticisms underestimate the power of international legitimacy to drive national confidence and investment. Participation in high-level diplomacy often generates opportunities for bilateral support, capacity building, and foreign direct investment, tools that could be vital for Liberia’s ongoing development.
In a region plagued by military coups, fragile transitions, and rising geopolitical competition, Liberia’s ability to mount a peaceful, inclusive, and credible campaign for the Security Council seat speaks volumes about the resilience of its democratic institutions. It also offers a reminder that Liberia can be more than a recipient of aid or a post-conflict success story; it can be a contributor to global peace and security.
The world will watch on June 3 to see whether Liberia’s pitch resonates with member states of the United Nations. Regardless of the outcome, the broad-based support that this campaign has drawn from past and present leaders signals something rare and valuable: a shared national vision. And for Liberia, that alone may be one of the campaign’s most meaningful victories.
