In a display of regional camaraderie, President Joseph N. Boakai joined a gathering of African leaders in Abidjan, the Ivory Coast, as President Alassane Ouattara was inaugurated for a new term in office on Monday, December 8, 2025. According to an Executive Mansion release dated December 9, the ceremony attracted an impressive lineup of Heads of State from across West and Central Africa, underscoring Côte d’Ivoire’s growing political weight and stability in the region.
Among the leaders in attendance were Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, who currently chairs the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government; Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama, Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye; The Gambia’s President Adama Barrow, Gabon’s President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema; Congo-Brazzaville’s President Denis Sassou Nguesso, among others.
The Liberian leader’s participation reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to strengthening diplomatic and bilateral relations with its neighbors. On the margins of the ceremony, Boakai held a cordial meeting with President Ouattara, congratulating him on his renewed mandate and acknowledging Côte d’Ivoire’s consistent leadership role in fostering regional progress. He expressed Liberia’s readiness to expand cooperation in key areas, including peacebuilding, economic partnership, and shared development initiatives.
President Boakai further emphasized that West Africa’s future hinges on unified action, assuring President Ouattara of Liberia’s willingness to work closely with regional partners to enhance security, deepen cross-border collaboration, and maintain an environment conducive to prosperity. The Liberian leader’s presence at the inauguration not only demonstrated solidarity but also reinforced his commitment to a more stable, secure, and integrated West African region.
