Liberia Has Arrived: Amb. Lewis Brown Says UN Security Council Seat Gives Liberia Highest Global Influence in 65 Years, With Foreign Minister H.E. Sara Beysolow Nyanti Leading Diplomatic Push

Liberia Has Arrived: Amb. Lewis Brown Says UN Security Council Seat Gives Liberia Highest Global Influence in 65 Years, With Foreign Minister H.E. Sara Beysolow Nyanti Leading Diplomatic Push

BY: Rufus Divine Brooks Jr.

Permanent Representative Tells OK FM Liberia Is Coordinating Elected Council Members, Leading Africa on the Council, and Hosting Secretary-General Candidates Ahead of December Election

MONROVIA — Liberia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Lewis Garseedah Brown II, says the country’s election to the UN Security Council has placed it at the center of global decision-making for the first time in nearly 65 years, with Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti driving the diplomatic engagement on the ground.

Speaking Thursday on OK FM’s Morning Rush, Amb. Brown described Liberia’s current role as one of “heightened visibility and international relevance,” and said the nation is now helping to shape how the world responds to conflicts.

“We Sit With The Same Quality Of Respect As The Most Powerful Nations”.

Amb. Brown noted that since Liberia secured more than 180 votes in the General Assembly on June 3 to join the Security Council, the country has taken on unprecedented diplomatic responsibilities.

“We who were once an agenda item of the council are today trying to shape not just the agenda of the council, but how the council responds to all of its agenda items,” he said.

“Out of 193 member states of the United Nations, Liberia is one of only 15, which includes the five permanent members.

“You’re talking about the developed countries, the most powerful nations on earth.

Liberia sits around the same table with essentially the same quality of respect in determining what happens to conflicts around the world.”

He credited President Joseph Nyuma Boakai for providing qualified input and Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti for leading intensive diplomatic outreach.

“When you see the Minister of Foreign Affairs traveling the world, it is not because she’s on a safari,” Brown said.

“It is because she is needed in many of these capitals to represent Liberia’s position as we do here in New York at the United Nations Headquarters.”

Amb. Brown outlined several leadership positions Liberia currently holds which includes Coordinator of the E10.

For August, Liberia is coordinating the 10 non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly.

Africa Coordinator: Since July, Liberia has coordinated the three African members on the Council — the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, and Liberia.

December Council Presidency: In December, President Boakai will serve concurrently as President of Liberia and President of the UN Security Council, leading deliberations on international peace and security.

UN General Assembly: Next month, President Boakai, accompanied by Foreign Minister Nyanti, will lead Liberia’s delegation to the high-level segment of the 81st UN General Assembly session.

Brown said Liberia is leveraging its “lived experience” in conflict resolution to influence Council debates on South Sudan, DRC, Sudan, Libya, and the Central African Republic.

He added that a UN peacekeeping team will soon visit Liberia to dive deeper into how Liberia” handled security sector reform and peaceful power transitions — a process the Foreign Ministry has been briefing partners on.

Amb. Brown said Liberia’s influence is also evident in the race to replace UN Secretary-General António Guterres, whose tenure ends in December.

“The Security Council first selects, and that selected person is then presented to the General Assembly for election,” Brown explained.

“Liberia sits as one of only 15 countries on the Security Council. So it is one of our responsibilities to select the next Secretary-General.”

He disclosed that six of the eight candidates, including former Senegalese President Macky Sall, have already visited Monrovia and met with Foreign Minister Nyanti as part of their campaign.

“Such is Liberia’s value to the candidates, to the Security Council,” Brown said.

“Today, that is the norm. The last two have applied to us for visas to come to Monrovia.”

According to Amb. Brown, all SG candidates seeking Liberia’s vote are being received through the Office of the President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which coordinates Liberia’s official position on the election.

Amb. Brown referenced the pledge of allegiance, stating: “One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Justice — that’s why it was meant to be.

He added that if Liberians were asked today whether “we have liberty and justice for everybody, there will be multidimensional views amongst our people.

Amb. Brown concluded that Liberia’s current diplomatic position represents an opportunity for all Liberians “irrespective of our differences, our affiliations, our political persuasion” to “feel a sense of pride that Liberia has arrived.”