The Chairman of the Youth Advisory Council to Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Mandela Gbollie, has issued a strong warning that Liberia risks falling behind globally if it fails to urgently embrace artificial intelligence and expand youth participation in international policy spaces.
Gbollie made the remarks following his return from the UN ECOSOC Youth Forum in New York, held from April 14–16 under the theme “Innovate, Unite and Transform: Youth Shaping the Road to 2030.” The forum brought together young leaders, policymakers, and development partners to discuss global priorities linked to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Speaking on his experience, Gbollie emphasized that the forum served as a major policy platform for shaping global development direction, particularly by giving young people a voice in international decision-making.
However, he expressed concern over Liberia’s limited youth representation compared to other African countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Morocco, and South Africa.
According to him, while there was government participation from Liberia, the number of independent youth delegates from the country was notably low.
“This was due to the lack of awareness among Liberian youth of international engagements,” Gbollie said. “Most global forums have a nomination process, which many young Liberians are unaware of. Leadership knows no boundaries.”
He stressed that this gap highlights the need for stronger awareness campaigns and structured pathways to enable more Liberian youth to access global platforms.
During the forum, Gbollie and his delegation engaged with international stakeholders, including officials from the Liberia Mission to the United States, where discussions centered on increasing youth involvement in future global initiatives.
He also revealed plans under discussion to establish a Liberian youth network in the United States to promote collaboration, scholarship opportunities, and community-based development projects back home.
The ECOSOC Youth Forum focused on key development areas including Sustainable Development Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, and innovation-driven infrastructure development.
Gbollie acknowledged ongoing efforts by the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation and the Liberia Electricity Corporation in addressing service delivery challenges but noted that significant gaps remain.
One of the most urgent concerns raised by Gbollie was the global rise of artificial intelligence, which he said Liberia and much of Africa are not adequately prepared for.
“Unless Africa, especially Liberia, quickly adopts the technology, it will lag behind,” he warned. “There is low awareness about AI across Africa.”
He emphasized that artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping global economies, education systems, and governance structures, and urged Liberia to begin investing in digital literacy, innovation, and technology infrastructure.
Gbollie further clarified that the ECOSOC Youth Forum is not a funding platform but a strategic policy engagement space.
“However, the forum does not yield financial gain,” he explained. “This event is used as a policy-based platform where we share our ideas and engage strategically.”
He announced that a detailed report from the forum will be submitted to the Office of the President, as well as the Ministries of Youth and Sports and Education, to support policy alignment with global digital trends.
Gbollie also called on young Liberians to adopt innovation-driven thinking, stressing that the global economy is increasingly driven by creativity and technology rather than traditional systems.
“The world does not work on conventional means anymore,” he said. “Young people must think about what they can create.”
He concluded by urging stronger lobbying efforts, digital capacity building, and international networking to ensure Liberia is not left out of global development conversations shaping the future.
