Liberia has been unanimously selected to chair the formation of a regional framework for public and civil service institutions within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The announcement came during a high-level session at the 10th Africa Public Service Day Commemoration in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The decision, seen as a strategic win for Liberia, followed deliberations among seven ECOWAS member countries Ghana, Benin, Senegal, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Mauritania, and Liberia. The discussions centered on the need for a unified regional platform to enhance the agility, resilience, and inclusiveness of public institutions across the sub-region.
Liberia’s Director-General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), Dr. Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., was unanimously elected to serve as the Organizing Chair of the emerging ECOWAS framework. In this role, Dr. Joekai will spearhead the conceptualization, coordination, and operationalization of the initiative, which aims to boost governance, service delivery, and institutional effectiveness among member states.
Under Liberia’s leadership, the responsibilities will include drafting a concept paper detailing the framework’s objectives and structural mechanisms, coordinating the inaugural meeting of ECOWAS civil service leaders, and facilitating the adoption of governance and leadership structures for the new platform.
This appointment further cements Dr. Joekai’s standing in African public sector circles, building on his current role as Chairman of the Health and Public Service Network of Africa (HaPSNA), which supports the integration of community health workers into national civil services across the continent.
Reacting to the news, Dr. Joekai described the appointment as a “profound endorsement of Liberia’s renewed credibility and regional relevance in public sector reform,” aligning with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s governance agenda to restore Liberia’s leadership role on the regional and global stage.
“I am deeply humbled by the confidence reposed in me by my esteemed colleagues and committed to ensuring that the framework we develop becomes a blueprint for shared progress and institutional resilience across ECOWAS,” Dr. Joekai said.
The selection is being widely interpreted as a diplomatic and strategic milestone for President Boakai’s administration, which has prioritized regional cooperation, institutional renewal, and governance reform.
The proposed framework is expected to promote cross-border knowledge sharing and technical collaboration, facilitate peer learning and benchmarking, enhance regional capacity-building; and align ECOWAS public service systems with international best practices.
Joekai Jr. was recently elected as the inaugural Chairperson of the newly established Health and Public Service Network of Africa (HaPSNA), following the signing of the framework document known as the Monrovia Declaration of the region. His recent election to a higher position will see him elected in one month.
Therefore, Further details on the inaugural meeting and Liberia’s concept proposal are anticipated in the coming weeks as the concept paper is expected to be completed and circulated in two weeks.
