Liberia and Barbados have formally entered a new era of diplomatic engagement as Ambassador Juliette Bynoe-Sutherland on Tuesday presented her Letters of Credence to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai at the Executive Mansion, officially becoming Barbados’s first resident ambassador to Liberia.
Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti, who has been at the forefront of strengthening Liberia’s international relationships, personally escorted Ambassador Bynoe-Sutherland to the President’s office for the brief but historic ceremony.
“This moment represents more than formality; it is a reaffirmation of the historic and enduring relationship between Liberia and Barbados,” President Boakai remarked upon receiving the ambassador’s credentials.
The presentation marks a significant milestone in the growing relationship between the two countries, rooted not only in diplomacy but in a shared history of migration, religious tradition, and cultural heritage dating back to the 19th century.
Ties forged by history, strengthened by diplomacy
The diplomatic gesture comes just over a year after the formal establishment of relations between the two countries. On February 28, 2024, in Accra, Ghana, Foreign Minister Nyanti signed a historic agreement with Madam Juliette Babb-Riley, Barbados’s Head of Mission in Accra, Ghana, formalizing diplomatic ties between Liberia and Barbados.
That signing, hosted by the Liberian Embassy in Accra, opened the door for deeper collaboration in areas such as workforce development, education, cultural exchange, legal cooperation, trade, and agriculture. Minister Nyanti emphasized at the time that the move was long overdue, citing the arrival of Barbadian settlers in Liberia in 1865 as a foundational link.
Many of those early Barbadian migrants—including educators, clergy, and skilled professionals—settled in Crozierville, Montserrado County. Their descendants include three Liberian presidents of Barbadian ancestry: Arthur Barclay, Edwin James Barclay, and Charles Gyude Bryant.
A presidential visit to honor shared heritage
That shared history will be further commemorated next month when Dame Sandra Mason, the first President of Barbados, visits Liberia to participate in the 160th Founders’ Day celebration of Crozierville on May 10.
As part of the festivities, President Mason is expected to unveil three Liberia-Barbados Heritage Presidential Monuments donated by the Trans-Atlantic Barbados Heritage Initiative (TABHI) in honor of the three presidents of Barbadian origin. The unveiling will highlight the enduring cultural and political legacy of the Barbadian Liberian connection.
TABHI, under the leadership of its Chairman, Ambassador L. Llewellyn Witherspoon, along with other citizens of Crozierville, has also supported restoration efforts at Christ Episcopal Church in Crozierville, the spiritual home of the Barbadian settlers in Liberia.
Ambassador Bynoe-Sutherland’s arrival is expected to accelerate the implementation of bilateral cooperation initiatives identified during the 2024 engagements. These include technical exchanges in tourism development, legal education, food security, and maritime collaboration.
In remarks following her accreditation, the Ambassador Sutherland expressed optimism about the future of Liberia-Barbados relations. “This is the beginning of a meaningful partnership that not only recognizes our shared history but also seeks to build a future of mutual benefit,” she noted.
President Boakai, echoing that sentiment, emphasized that the deepening of relations with Barbados fits within Liberia’s broader diplomatic priorities to enhance South-South cooperation and promote economic diversification through strategic international partnerships.
With the arrival of Barbados’s first ambassador and an upcoming presidential visit to Liberia, the two countries are not only celebrating a shared past—they are charting a new path forward together.
