By Lisa R. White
Liberia stands at a crossroads—between perception and reality, history and possibility.
A single moment at the 2025 U.S.–Africa Summit, when President Donald J. Trump publicly praised President Joseph Boakai’s eloquence in English, unexpectedly turned the world’s gaze toward Liberia. Media outlets scrambled to explain who we are. Global audiences, many of whom either knew little or assumed we were still mired in war, were confronted with a new image: a nation moving forward. The world is paying attention.
Unlike the expansive 2022 gathering filled with sweeping speeches and symbolic gestures, this year U.S.-Africa summit was smaller, sharper, and unapologetically strategic. It focused on commercial diplomacy and regional security, and Liberia’s inclusion signaled more than presence. It signaled power.
Liberia’s seat at President Donald J. Trump’s table was not ceremonial. It was a defining moment for the country, where Liberia is being watched and weighed. The question now is—how will Liberia respond?
The legacy of Liberia in global diplomacy runs deep, as a founding member of the United Nations and the sole African country to have led the UN General Assembly in the 1960s. These are not footnotes; they are credentials. And they demand we show up prepared.
Liberia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its dedicated diplomats have long carried our country’s voice on the world stage with commitment and resilience. Their efforts have laid a solid foundation. Yet, as global diplomacy shifts rapidly, we must equip them with modern tools, enhanced training, and strategic communication resources.
Only then can Liberia move from being present in discussions to shaping their outcomes—transforming our diplomatic engagements into powerful instruments of national influence.
Edward Wilmot Blyden, a towering intellectual, diplomat, educator, and a founding father of Pan-Africanism, once said, “Africa is not a mere geographical expression. It is a living, breathing force, endowed with a destiny of its own.”
That destiny positions Liberia to help shape the architecture of global governance, at a time when momentum for Security Council reform is building. Africa wants a permanent seat. And Liberia, now a member of the Security Council, is at the forefront of leading that charge. But old roots need new nourishment. Modern diplomacy is not just about protocol. It about projection. It’s about strategic communication.
Liberia’s story has long been told through the lens of its 14-year civil war. That era scarred us. But, Liberia has moved forward. The international community, the media, and global partners must also evolve their perspectives.
Today, Liberia contributes troops to peacekeeping missions across Africa, including in Mali. We are no longer simply recipients of peace. We are exporters of it.
This shift demands a new message—and a new messenger. Strategic communication is no longer optional. It is the engine of influence that aligns national priorities with global conversations. It translates domestic achievements into internationally relevant narratives. It puts Liberia on the map—not as a memory, but as a modern actor.
President William V.S. Tubman was ahead of his time—he understood that narrative is power. His “Open Door Policy” wasn’t just about economics; it was a bold communications strategy. As he put it: “Liberia is open to the world—not to be swallowed by it, but to shape it.”
To shape Liberia’s narrative in today’s world, Liberia’s diplomats must speak fluently about trade, climate resilience, digital transformation, peacebuilding, and investment. They must be trained, resourced, and supported—not just to attend summits, but to command the narrative.
Liberia must stand firmly with the African Union’s call for Security Council reform, grounded in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration. But alignment is not enough. Visibility is everything.
As Abolitionist and Statesman Frederick Douglass once declared: “Power concedes nothing without a demand.”
Liberia’s message must be clear, consistent, and compelling. That starts with strengthening communication across our embassies. Global policy conversations must be led, not followed. Early engagement, alliance-building, and shaping decisions before votes are cast, before announcements go public, before opportunities slip away, are essential. The 2025 summit’s message was clear: partnerships replace patronage. Influence today is not earned through aid; it grows from ideas, innovation, and investment.
Is Liberia positioning itself as a place for international business? Are we showcasing our young entrepreneurs, our green ambitions, our digital future? Do we have a communications strategy that matches our policy goals?
As President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said:
“The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them.”
Strategic communication bridges the gap between dream and deliverable; between history and the future.
With another U.S.–Africa dialogue on the horizon at the UN General Assembly in September, Liberia must show up differently.
No more whispers. No more defensive posturing. Now is the time to project Liberia—boldly, unapologetically, and strategically. Those who fail to shape their own narrative risk being cast in roles they never chose.
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