Liberia has been unanimously selected by peer ECOWAS Member States to chair the formation of a Regional ECOWAS Public and Civil Service Institutions Framework, a historic and strategic milestone aimed at strengthening public sector cooperation and governance across the sub-region.
The landmark decision emerged from a high-level meeting of seven ECOWAS countries: Ghana, Benin, Senegal, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Mauritania, and Liberia, where delegates underscored the urgent need for a unified regional framework to promote agility, resilience, and inclusive service delivery across national public institutions.
The meeting was convened at the ongoing 10th Africa Public Service Day Commemoration in Addis Ababa, under
the broader theme of this year’s Africa Public Service Day: “Enhancing the Agility and Resilience of Public Institutions to Achieve Equitable Governance and Rapidly Address Historical Service Delivery Gaps.
“At the meeting, Dr. Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., Director-General of the Civil Service Agency of Liberia, was unanimously elected by his counterparts to serve as Organizing Chair of the emerging regional initiative.
In his capacity, Dr. Joekai will lead the conceptualization, coordination, and operationalization of the proposed ECOWAS framework.
The delegates agreed that Liberia, under Dr. Joekai’s leadership, will:Draft a concept paper outlining the scope, purpose, and structural mechanisms of the framework.
Others will include leading the planning and organization of the inaugural meeting of ECOWAS public/civil service leaders; Facilitate the adoption of the framework’s leadership and governance structures by Member States.
The draft concept paper is expected to be completed and circulated within two weeks of the meeting.
The recognition of Liberia’s leadership comes on the heels of its ongoing chairmanship of the Health and Public Service Network of Africa (HaPSNA) of which Dr. Joekai is the Chairman.
The continental platform currently supports African nations in integrating community health workers into national civil service systems as a pathway toward universal health coverage.
Commenting on the honor, Dr. Joekai noted:“This is a profound endorsement of Liberia’s renewed credibility and regional relevance in advancing public sector reform, which is consistent with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s visionary leadership, reclaiming Liberia’s regional, continental, and global leadership position.
” I am deeply humbled by the confidence reposed in me by my esteemed colleagues and committed to ensuring that the framework we develop becomes a blueprint for shared progress and institutional resilience across ECOWAS”, he noted.
The appointment is being widely viewed as a strategic dividend of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s governance agenda, which has prioritized regional diplomacy, public service reform, and institutional renewal.
It affirms Liberia’s re-emergence as a leader in regional, continental, and global governance dialogues.
As the region grapples with persistent service delivery inequities, governance fragility, and human resource limitations, the proposed framework promises to:Foster cross-border knowledge sharing and technical cooperation;Promote peer learning and institutional benchmarking;Optimize regional capacity-building initiatives; and Align ECOWAS public service systems with global best practices in service delivery, transparency, and performance management.
Meanwhile, the inaugural meeting and Liberia’s concept proposal will be released in the coming weeks.
