President Joseph N. Boakai has called on West African leaders to move beyond rhetoric and accelerate practical regional integration, urging the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to deliver tangible results that improve the lives of citizens across the sub-region.
Addressing the Summit on Sunday, July 19, 2026, on the Future of Regional Integration in West Africa and the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on Sunday in Lungi, Sierra Leone, President Boakai said the regional bloc stands at a critical moment and must translate commitments into concrete action.
According to him, “Our region stands at a crossroads, Integration must move beyond aspiration to implementation. Our people must see the benefits of ECOWAS in their daily lives, not only through declarations adopted in conference halls, but through greater peace, increased trade, more employment opportunities, improved infrastructure, and stronger economic resilience.”
At the summit, the Liberian leader pledged Liberia’s full support for the Compact for the Future of Regional Integration, describing it as a vital roadmap for revitalizing regional cooperation amid growing security threats, democratic challenges, climate change and economic pressures.
Boakai also welcomed the signing of the Inter-Governmental Agreement establishing the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, calling it a transformative project that demonstrates the potential of African cooperation, stressing that infrastructure alone would not guarantee integration.
At the same time, he urged ECOWAS member states to remove unnecessary trade levies, eliminate non-tariff barriers, simplify border procedures and create a truly integrated regional market where businesses and citizens can move and trade freely.
The President reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to advancing ECOWAS priorities on the global stage following the country’s election to the United Nations Security Council, promising to champion peace, preventive diplomacy, constitutional governance, conflict resolution and sustainable development.
Moreover, Boakai welcomed progress in resolving the longstanding Liberia-Guinea border dispute, expressing confidence that ongoing dialogue, with support from the ECOWAS Commission, would soon produce a peaceful and mutually acceptable settlement.
During his address, the Liberian President paid tribute to outgoing ECOWAS Chair President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone and outgoing ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Alieu Touray for steering the bloc through one of its most challenging periods, including engagement with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger following their withdrawal from ECOWAS.
Meanwhile, he congratulated Senegal on assuming the Presidency of the ECOWAS Commission and Nigeria on taking up the Commission’s Vice Presidency, pledging Liberia’s full cooperation with the new leadership.
Boakai also thanked member states for their continued confidence in Liberia through the appointment of qualified Liberians to key positions within ECOWAS institutions, saying they would serve the regional body with integrity and professionalism.
In a show of continental solidarity, the Liberian leader joined Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama in condemning recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa, urging African nations to stand united against intolerance.
“The future of West Africa will not be determined by the challenges we face, but by the courage with which we respond to them. Together, let us build a stronger, more integrated, and more peaceful West Africa and a united Africa,” he added.
