Published: November 11, 2024
Sochi, Russia – Russia plans to open an embassy in Liberia as part of its effort to expand its diplomatic footprint across Africa, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced during the First Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum.
Representing Liberia at the forum, Deputy Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Integration Ibrahim Al-bakri Nyei addressed attendees on behalf of Foreign Affairs Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti and President Joseph Nyuma Boakai. Nyei said Liberia was eager to deepen its collaboration with Russia in various areas, including trade, technical exchange, and peacebuilding.
“Our participation in this meeting is a demonstration of our interest and desire to engage as a member of the African bloc and to explore partnerships that confront our common global challenges, which include climate change, insecurity, poverty, and inequality,” Nyei said.
According to Nyei, Liberia, despite being absent from the 2023 Russia-Africa Summit due to its electoral campaign, aligns with the commitments made at that gathering, where African leaders endorsed partnerships in energy security, economic development, and scientific cooperation with Russia. “We agree in principle to the outcomes of that meeting and believe that it laid a foundation for partnerships that may contribute to shared prosperity,” he said.
Nyei addressed concerns within the ECOWAS, pointing to the increasing challenges of resolving conflicts in some member states. He attributed these difficulties to external influences and complex, multi-layered conflicts that often involve proxy wars. “We in the ECOWAS region are particularly concerned that resolving conflicts in some of our member states has become increasingly difficult,” Nyei said. “This is not necessarily due to a lack of willingness to negotiate or a disinterest in peace among national actors, but rather because these conflicts have become more complicated and seemingly intractable.”
He called on Russia and other international partners to support ECOWAS in its efforts to maintain unity and encourage peaceful resolutions to conflicts. “We call on our external friends and partners to join us in supporting efforts to maintain community cohesion and to foster a negotiated political settlement to the instability affecting some ECOWAS member states and the continent as a whole,” he added.
Nyei also announced Liberia’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2025-2026 term. He said that Liberia, having overcome its own internal conflicts, was keen to share its peacebuilding experience on a global platform. “As a post-conflict success story, we are keen to contribute to global peace and security,” he said. Nyei added that Liberia supports efforts to reform the Security Council, making it more inclusive and responsive to global challenges. “We believe we can mobilize the moral voices around the world in favor of these objectives and work towards a just and peaceful world for all humanity,” he said.
The Deputy Minister emphasized Liberia’s current national development agenda, which aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. He noted that President Boakai’s administration is committed to addressing climate change, poverty, and inequality through targeted programs. “Our current national development agenda, which His Excellency President Joseph Nyuma Boakai is meticulously executing, has programs specifically aimed at mitigating these challenges while improving living conditions,” he said.
Amb. Nyei described Liberia’s diplomatic relations with Russia, established in the 1950s, as longstanding and said President Boakai aims to build on this foundation. “Liberia and Russia have enjoyed diplomatic relations since the 1950s,” he said. “President Boakai intends to build on this longstanding relationship by exploring more opportunities of cooperation in pursuing our common interests and confronting our challenges.”
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