Published: July 20, 2026
LUNGI, Sierra Leone – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has welcomed the signing of the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline Agreement as a transformative step toward regional development while pressing the Economic Community of West African States to dismantle the levies, border bottlenecks and non-tariff barriers that continue to hinder the free movement of goods, services and people.
Speaking Saturday during the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Boakai described the pipeline agreement as more than an energy project, saying it reflects the power of regional cooperation to drive economic growth and shared prosperity.
But the Liberian leader argued that infrastructure alone will not unlock the region’s full potential unless governments remove obstacles to commerce.
“We should work collectively to eliminate unnecessary levies, reduce non-tariff barriers, simplify border procedures, and create a truly integrated regional market where businesses can thrive and citizens can fully benefit from the promise of ECOWAS,” he said.
Boakai said West Africa is confronting complex challenges, including insecurity, democratic setbacks, economic pressures, climate change and rising expectations among young people, making stronger regional integration more urgent than ever.
“These realities require us to act with purpose and strengthen the institutions that bind us together,” he said.
He reaffirmed Liberia’s support for the Compact for the Future of Regional Integration, stressing that ECOWAS must deliver tangible benefits to citizens through increased trade, jobs, infrastructure and economic resilience.
The President also reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to promoting regional peace and stability, noting that the country’s recent election to the United Nations Security Council provides another platform to advance ECOWAS priorities.
“As a newly elected member of the United Nations Security Council, Liberia remains committed to advancing the priorities of ECOWAS and Africa on the global stage,” he said.
Boakai welcomed progress toward resolving the longstanding border issue with neighboring Guinea, praising the dialogue facilitated by the ECOWAS Commission.
“We welcome the spirit of dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect that has guided this process and remain optimistic that these efforts… will soon lead to a final, peaceful, and mutually acceptable resolution,” he said.
He also thanked ECOWAS member states for appointing qualified Liberians to key positions within regional institutions, describing the appointments as a vote of confidence in Liberia’s leadership.
“Allow me also to express Liberia’s profound gratitude to all Member States for the confidence they have continued to place in our country through the recent appointments of qualified Liberians to key ECOWAS institutions. We accept this confidence with humility and reaffirm Liberia’s readiness to serve our community with integrity, professionalism, and dedication,” he said.
Boakai said the vision of ECOWAS’ founding leaders, a region built on solidarity, shared prosperity and collective security, remains as relevant today as it was 50 years ago.
“The future of West Africa will not be determined by the challenges we face, but by the courage with which we respond to them,” he said.
He joined Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama in condemning xenophobic attacks in South Africa and called on African leaders to ensure future generations inherit a stronger, more peaceful and economically integrated West Africa and a united Africa.
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