LOMÉ, TOGO – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has called on African leaders to unite around justice, inclusion, and shared responsibility to sustain peace and security on the continent. Speaking on Friday, October 11, 2025, at the Second Edition of the Lomé Peace and Security Forum in Lomé, Togo, President Boakai emphasized that Africa must take ownership of its peace, stressing that the continent possesses the resilience and wisdom to address its growing security challenges.
President Boakai, who described himself as “a witness to history,” reflected on Liberia’s turbulent journey from military coup to brutal civil conflict and eventual peace. “I have experienced the painful tremors that led to Liberia’s 1980 coup, the dark years of civil conflict, and the long, arduous journey toward reconciliation and renewal,” he said. The Liberian leader reminded the gathering of the pivotal role Lomé played in mediating regional peace, noting that the Lomé Peace Accords laid the groundwork for justice and reconciliation in both Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Recounting Liberia’s own experiences, President Boakai highlighted the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2003, which he said was the result of “regional cooperation and relentless diplomacy.” He described the agreement as a turning point that paved the way for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and laid the foundation for rebuilding national institutions. “Liberia understands too well the cost of conflict. For over a decade, our civil wars tore apart our social fabric, displaced thousands, and destroyed our institutions,” he told his audience of African heads of state, former leaders, and international partners.
The Liberian President said the nation’s recovery journey has been anchored in national ownership, forgiveness, and justice. He pointed to his formal apology to victims of the civil wars and the symbolic reburial of former Presidents William Tolbert and Samuel Doe, as well as 13 members of Tolbert’s cabinet, as milestones toward national healing. “It was essential for the state to acknowledge its role in the conflict and to restore dignity to those who suffered,” Boakai stressed.
President Boakai also reiterated his government’s commitment to establishing a War and Economic Crimes Court to address past atrocities and economic abuses. “We believe that accountability strengthens peace, not weakens it,” he said, adding that memorializing victims, including West African peacekeepers, was crucial to preventing national amnesia and fostering remembrance.
The President underscored the vital role of grassroots actors in sustaining Liberia’s two decades of peace. He praised chiefs, women’s groups, youth organizations, and civil society for mediating disputes and rebuilding trust in the absence of state authority. “They demonstrated that peace can start from the grassroots through persistence and moral strength. Peace is not just the silence of guns; it is the presence of justice, opportunity, and hope,” he remarked.
Highlighting governance reforms, Boakai emphasized that weak institutions are breeding grounds for instability. He said his administration is pursuing institutional reforms to promote good governance, human rights, and accountability. “The Truth and Reconciliation Commission revealed how corruption, exclusion, and institutional failure became root causes of our conflict,” he noted, pledging to address these systemic issues through responsive governance and economic renewal.
The Liberian leader described the current period as “a defining moment for our continent,” citing coups, violent extremism, resource-based conflicts, climate change, misinformation, and inequality as challenges threatening Africa’s peace. But he urged Africans to be defined not by crisis, but by courage. Quoting an African proverb, he said, “When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion. This reminds us that our strength lies in unity and collective effort.”
Boakai further underscored the importance of regional cooperation, recalling how Liberia’s security reforms and democratic consolidation were supported by ECOWAS, the African Union, and the United Nations. He highlighted renewed efforts through the Mano River Union to deepen cooperation with neighboring Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire, turning borders into “bridges of opportunity rather than barriers of suspicion.”
Outlining a path forward for the continent, Boakai called for inclusive political processes, universal access to justice, investment in human security, and economic inclusion for women and youth. “Investing in their welfare, including education, innovation, and inclusion, should not be seen as charity; it must be a peace-building strategy,” he emphasized, describing the illegal migration of African youth as a symptom of socio-economic fragility.
He urged greater empowerment of ECOWAS, the African Union, and other regional bodies to lead early warning and preventive diplomacy. According to him, peace must become both a continental priority and a global partnership grounded in fairness and respect for Africa’s agency. “As Liberia returns to the United Nations Security Council, we do so as a humble messenger of Africa’s experience, that peace, though fragile, is possible when anchored in justice and inclusion,” he declared.
Concluding his address, President Boakai left the audience with a sobering but hopeful reminder: “The lesson from Liberia is simple yet profound: peace is not a destination; it is a journey, one that every generation must walk with renewed commitment. May the experience of Liberia remind the world that Africa’s peace is the world’s peace. May peace reign across our continent and our world.”
