MONROVIA – Honorable Karishma Pelham-Raad, former Assistant Minister for International Organizations at Liberia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has tendered her resignation following a publicized dispute with Minister Sara Beysolow-Nyanti over alleged undermining of her office. Pelham-Raad’s resignation, effective September 8, 2025, comes in the wake of a leaked memorandum detailing months of friction between the two officials.
In her memorandum, Pelham-Raad accused Minister Beysolow-Nyanti of creating a parallel office that “totally usurped, overlapped, undermined, and excluded” her from performing her statutory functions. According to the document, critical information regarding multilateral engagements, including preparations for the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), was withheld from her office, repeating issues that occurred during the previous UNGA.
“The Permanent Mission of Liberia to the United Nations does not share any information with my office and refuses to share any information on the UNGA as we prepared for the 80th UNGA,” Pelham-Raad stated. She further lamented her exclusion from regional bodies such as ECOWAS, the African Union, and the Mano River Union, as well as from International Maritime meetings and other international organizational forums where Liberia’s participation is vital.
Pelham-Raad also raised concern over the establishment of a new section under the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs handling United Nations Security Council matters, which she said “directly overlaps with and undermines the statutory responsibilities of the Bureau of International Organizations.” She warned that such actions risked “eroding institutional coherence, weakening accountability, and projecting a fragmented image of Liberia’s foreign policy posture.”
Following her resignation, Madam Raad took to Facebook to express her gratitude and reflect on her tenure. She wrote: “With deep respect and gratitude, I extend my heartfelt thanks to H.E. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr for graciously accepting my resignation as Assistant Minister for International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It has been the highest honor to serve my beloved country under his distinguished leadership and to represent Liberia on the international stage. I remain profoundly grateful for the trust and confidence reposed in me, and I look forward to continuing to support Liberia’s progress in every way possible.”
Her resignation comes after an earlier announcement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Pelham-Raad had been suspended on September 3, 2025, and replaced with Honorable Daniel Koikoi as Officer-in-Charge of the Bureau of International Organizations. The Ministry instructed Koikoi to work closely with Deputy Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Integration, Dr. Ibrahim-A. Nyei, and called for all necessary assistance to be provided to him.
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions within Liberia’s foreign affairs apparatus over coordination and institutional roles, raising questions about the internal management of the Ministry’s engagement with multilateral and regional organizations.
