As the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) prepares for the next round of elections of members for non-permanent seats in June 2025, member states must recognize and empower the Republic of Liberia, which has historically demonstrated its commitment to peace, security, and cooperation. With its long and rich history of contributions to global affairs, Liberia is uniquely positioned to assume a non-permanent seat on the UNSC.
As the first African republic, Liberia has actively participated in international relations for about eighteen decades, pivotal in shaping regional and global agendas. As one of the founding members of the United Nations, Liberia has consistently demonstrated its dedication to peacebuilding, sustainable development, and democratic elections.
Since Liberia joined forty-nine other states to sign the UN Charter in San Francisco, California, USA, on November 2, 1945, she has significantly contributed to international peace and security. For example, during the Cold War, Liberia served as a strategic partner to the United States and other allied nations, providing a critical bulwark for stability in the world. In the post-Cold War era, Liberia benefitted as host of the largest UN peacekeeping mission in the world, which helped successfully bring its civil crisis, which started circa 1989, to an end in 2003. That experience helped Liberia to become a successful post-war polity, contributing its expertise to peacebuilding and peacekeeping efforts. For example, Liberian troops served in regional peacekeeping and conflict resolution efforts, including participating in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and the earlier Africa-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA).
Liberia's commitment to global governance is not limited to peace and security. The country has also been at the forefront of efforts to promote the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and their successor, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Liberia has ratified numerous international treaties and conventions, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Geneva Conventions, and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
In recent years, Liberia has made significant strides in consolidating its democratic gains and promoting economic development. The country has successfully transitioned from one democratically elected government to another and has implemented various reforms to promote transparency, accountability, and good governance.
In light of Liberia's impressive history of contributions to global affairs, it is clear that the time is ripe for the country to assume a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Such a move would not only be a testament to Liberia's catalytic influence in global stability but provide a unique opportunity for the country to contribute its expertise and experience in peacebuilding and sustainable development to the Council's work and to championing these ends for all developing economies.
As Liberia seeks this ripe time place on the UN Security Council, I urge member states to recognize its long history of contributions to global affairs and its commitment to peacebuilding, sustainable development, and democracy. Together, we can work towards a more just, peaceful, and prosperous world.
(Al-Hassan Conteh is a demographer, regional scientist, and former president of the University of Liberia. He served as former Ambassador to Nigeria, Benin, and Equatorial Guinea and is Liberia's Ambassador to the United States).
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