Liberia Formally Hoists Flag at UNSC-Amb. Brown Proudly Articulates Country’s Preparedness

MONROVIA – Liberia has taken on a prominent international role with the start of its two-year term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. The milestone follows Liberia’s election by 181 UN Member States and comes eight years after the withdrawal of the United Nations peacekeeping mission from the country. At a flag installation ceremony held at UN Headquarters in New York on January 2, 2026, Liberia joined four other newly elected members—Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Latvia—marking the official commencement of the 2026–2027 Council term. In remarks delivered during the ceremony, Liberia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Lewis G. Brown II, framed the country’s return to the Council as a transition from post-conflict recovery to shared responsibility in global peace and security, while reaffirming Liberia’s commitment to diplomacy, multilateralism, and the principles of the UN Charter. The Analyst reports.

Liberia has formally assumed its seat as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2026–2027 term following a flag installation ceremony held Friday at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Liberia joined four other newly elected members—Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Latvia—during the ceremony marking the start of their two-year mandates on the Council. The event featured the ceremonial raising of the flags of the incoming members, signifying their formal entry into the Security Council.

During the ceremony, Liberia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Lewis G. Brown II, delivered remarks on behalf of the Government of Liberia. He conveyed New Year greetings from President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. and expressed appreciation to outgoing Council members Slovenia, Algeria, Guyana, Sierra Leone, and the Republic of Korea for their service during the 2024–2025 term.

Ambassador Brown congratulated Somalia on assuming the Presidency of the Security Council and acknowledged Kazakhstan for sustaining the flag installation tradition. He noted that the ceremony serves as a reminder that Security Council membership carries both procedural responsibilities and substantive obligations.

Referring to the installation of Liberia’s national flag, the Lone Star, Ambassador Brown stated that the occasion represented more than a ceremonial transition. He described it as a defining moment in Liberia’s national journey and a reflection of President Boakai’s long-held view that peace is both a privilege and a duty.

The Ambassador recalled that eight years earlier, the United Nations flag was lowered in Liberia following the conclusion of the UN peacekeeping mission, signaling the return of full responsibility for peace and security to the Liberian government and people. He noted that the transition challenged Liberia to demonstrate that peace could be sustained beyond the presence of international peacekeepers.

According to Ambassador Brown, Liberia has since met that challenge through democratic governance, institutional reform, and national reconciliation. He stated that more than twenty-two years after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, Liberia remains peaceful, democratic, and stable.

He emphasized that Liberia’s return to the Security Council marks the country’s first full elected mandate after sixty-five years and noted that its election, supported by 181 UN Member States, reflects international confidence in Liberia’s role and voice. Ambassador Brown attributed the outcome to values articulated by President Boakai, including dialogue over division, cooperation over conflict, and responsibility over isolation.

Ambassador Brown stated that Liberia’s presence on the Council reflects the effectiveness of multilateral cooperation, citing the roles played by the Security Council, the African Union, ECOWAS, and international partners in supporting Liberia’s peace and recovery.

He further noted that Liberia’s own national experience reinforces the view that sustainable peace is built through dialogue, inclusion, and respect for human dignity. He stated that Liberia approaches its Security Council mandate guided by experience and anchored in the principles of the United Nations Charter.

Ambassador Brown said Liberia comes to the Council committed to diplomacy, informed by the cost of its absence, and determined to build bridges, encourage consensus, and contribute constructively to global peace and security efforts.

He noted that while Liberia occupies an African seat on the Council, its outlook will be global, grounded in the belief that peaceful coexistence is a shared international responsibility.