Last Updated on June 11, 2025 by David A. Yates, Contributing Writer
MONROVIA – Former national athlete and youth advocate Bill Rogers says Liberia’s election to the United Nations Security Council is more than a diplomatic victory — it’s a moment of reckoning and responsibility for the country to lead with one voice on the global stage.
“This is not just a title — it’s a credit we’ve earned,” Rogers said. “The world has given us the microphone. It’s time to speak with one voice.”
On June 3, Liberia secured 181 out of 187 votes at the UN headquarters in New York to claim one of five non-permanent seats on the Security Council for the 2026–2027 term. The landslide win signaled overwhelming international support and marks Liberia’s most significant diplomatic milestone in recent history.
Rogers, the CEO of the Bill Rogers Youth Foundation and a lecturer at Huston-Tillotson University in Texas, returned home to witness what he described as a “powerful turning point” for Liberia.
“One of the greatest achievements for me is being in Liberia to witness history,” Rogers told this reporter in an exclusive interview. “We are no longer just a nation — we are a global voice.”
Reflecting on Liberia’s painful past — from civil war to democratic recovery — Rogers said the Security Council seat represents international recognition of the country’s resilience, growth, and emerging leadership on peace and justice.
“This win is symbolic of what we’ve overcome. From conflict to elections. From division to unity. We’ve earned the right to be heard on global matters,” he said.
Rogers also praised President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti for their leadership, noting that the achievement is not only diplomatic but deeply emotional.
“When I saw her [Minister Nyanti’s] tears, it wasn’t just emotion — it was healing. It was the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone,” he said. “She was doubted. She delivered.”
The advocate used the moment to issue a rallying call to Liberians at home and abroad: “We are being watched. We must clean our house, unite our leaders, and show the world we are ready to lead.”
He emphasized that the victory belongs to all Liberians — especially the youth — and urged them to seize the opportunity to become leaders, storytellers, and peacebuilders.
“To the youth, this is your time. Liberia is now on the map in a new way. Don’t sit back — lead forward.”
Rogers argued that Liberia’s difficult past gives it a unique voice on the Security Council, unlike many others. “We don’t just talk peace — we lived the war and found our way back. That’s what makes us credible.”
He called the moment a “national assignment” — not just a symbolic seat — and urged leaders to use it to attract investment, strengthen democracy, and drive sustainable development.
“This is our chance to rewrite Liberia’s story — not as a postwar country, but as a peacekeeping nation, as a leader. Let’s keep celebrating, but let’s also keep doing our homework.”
Liberia joins Colombia, Bahrain, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Latvia as new non-permanent members beginning in January 2026. They replace outgoing members including Sierra Leone and South Korea.
The UN Security Council consists of 15 members — five permanent (the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China) and 10 non-permanent elected for two-year terms.
As Liberia prepares to step into that chamber for the first time in decades, Rogers’ message rings clear: the world is listening — and Liberia must be ready to speak not just loudly, but wisely.
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