…A Celebration of Unity, Partnership
IPNEWS: Liberia on Friday October 24, 2025 joined the rest of the world in commemorating the 80th anniversary of the United Nations (UN) with a colorful national ceremony held in Kakata, Margibi County.
The event was celebrated under the global theme “Building Our Future Together” and the national theme “One Liberia, One UN, One Future 80 Years of Partnership and Progress.”
The observance, co-organized by the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations System in Liberia, brought together senior government officials
Including members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of UN agencies, civil society groups, students and the general public to honor Liberia’s longstanding partnership with the UN and its contributions to international peace and development.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the United Nations, Ms. Christine N. Umutoni, UN Resident Coordinator in Liberia, praised the country’s pivotal role as one of the founding members of the United Nations in 1945.
She commended the resilience of the Liberian people in maintaining peace and advancing democratic governance since the end of the country’s civil conflict.
“Liberia’s election to the United Nations Security Council is more than a diplomatic victory it is a profound statement of trust and respect from the international community,” Ms. Umutoni said.
“The label reads Liberia, but the seat belongs to Africa.”
She recalled President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s recent address to the UN General Assembly, where he reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to multilateralism, declaring that “the reversal of multilateralism is not an option for a just and peaceful world.”
Ms. Umutoni also delivered a special message from the UN Secretary-General, which highlighted the organization’s continued mission to promote peace, combat poverty, and protect human rights.
“Now, more than ever, the world must recommit to solving problems no nation can solve alone,” the Secretary-General’s message emphasized.
The UN Resident Coordinator lauded Liberia’s remarkable progress in post-war recovery and particularly acknowledged the pivotal role of Liberian women in peacebuilding and national reconstruction.
She reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting the Government of Liberia through the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID 2025–2029)
And the upcoming UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2026–2030), which will focus on governance, human capital development, economic transformation, and climate resilience.
“Together, we are moving from isolated projects to joint programmes from traditional aid to innovative financing,” she stated, underscoring a new phase of strategic cooperation between the UN and the Liberian government.
Beyond the national ceremony, the UN@80 commemoration extended across the country throughout October with a series of outreach activities
Including youth forums, environmental campaigns, mobile health clinics offering cancer screenings, sports tournaments, media briefings, and gender dialogues.
These events engaged thousands of Liberians and underscored the importance of unity, peace, and sustainable development.
While recognizing Liberia’s ongoing challenges such as youth unemployment and climate-related threats, Ms. Umutoni described them as opportunities for renewed innovation and collaboration.
“Liberia’s story is that of a nation that believed in peace, fought for peace, and now champions peace on the world stage,” she noted.
Concluding her remarks, Ms. Umutoni urged Liberians and global citizens alike to uphold the founding principles of the UN tolerance, unity, and peace.
“Let us continue to work as one for the Liberia we believe in and the world we share,” she said.
As the United Nations celebrates eight decades of global service, Liberia’s active participation on the UN Security Council
And its deepened partnership with the UN system reflect both national pride and a renewed determination to contribute to a more peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable world. By Amos Harris
