Author: Julius Konton

By: Julius Konton Africa has renewed its push for meaningful influence in global governance, as Liberia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, delivered a forceful appeal for structural change at the 6th Ministerial Meeting of African Members of the United Nations Security Council, held in Addis Ababa. Addressing foreign ministers and senior diplomats from across the continent, Nyanti challenged the long-standing marginalization of Africa within the United Nations Security Council, urging African states to transition from passive participation to decisive leadership in shaping the future of the United Nations and the global order. “Africa must not be treated as merely…

By: Julius Konton In a move signaling a major shift in Liberia’s economic governance and development financing strategy, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has issued Executive Order No. 158, formally establishing the Liberia Corporation for Strategic Investment (LCSI) as a Special Presidential Project designed to unlock long-term capital, strengthen food security, and stimulate county-level economic growth. The new entity is the operational centerpiece of the Government of Liberia’s Strategic Partnership Agreement with Afriland First Holding, positioning the country to leverage blended public–private investment amid persistent fiscal constraints and infrastructure gaps. Liberia’s economy valued at approximately US$4.5 billion with agriculture employing…

By: Julius Konton West Africa’s long-anticipated single currency project, the Eco, has entered what regional leaders describe as its most decisive phase, as Liberia called on Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) members to move from commitments to concrete action ahead of the July 2027 launch target. Speaking at the opening of the 55th End-Year Convergence Council Meeting at the Farmington Hotel, Liberia’s Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, warned that continued delays could erode public confidence in one of Africa’s most ambitious monetary integration projects. “The Eco, the single currency our region has pursued with…

By: Julius Konton As Liberia approaches a crucial leadership transition in its football governance, a broad coalition of stakeholders is making a compelling case for continuity at the helm of the Liberia Football Association (LFA). With elections scheduled for April, football administrators, referees, coaches, players, medics, educators, and grassroots organizers argue that the re-election of Mustapha I. Raji is essential to sustaining the most comprehensive football transformation Liberia has witnessed in decades. Their argument is not emotional or political, it is empirical. A Historical Context: From Centralization to Structural Reform Before Raji’s administration, Liberia’s football ecosystem faced longstanding challenges: limited…

By : Julius Konton In a case that has reignited fierce national and international debate over free speech, judicial authority, and political influence in Liberia’s rapidly expanding digital public sphere, controversial social media commentator Justine Oldpa Yeazehn, popularly known as Prophet Key, has issued a public apology to the Chief Justice of Liberia, pledging never again to use insults during his widely followed online broadcasts. The apology came Thursday during his second appearance before the court, where Prophet Key faced contempt-related charges stemming from remarks deemed insulting to the Chief Justice and his family, alongside unproven allegations of corruption. “I…

By: Julius Konton In a symbolic yet economically strategic move, Liberia’s Legislature has adopted a new policy mandating senators to wear African attire preferably made from Liberian-produced fabric during plenary sessions every Thursday, signaling a renewed commitment to cultural preservation and local economic empowerment. The policy, introduced under the leadership of Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence, President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate, has drawn praise from lawmakers, cultural advocates, and business leaders alike. Among the most vocal supporters is Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr., Senator of Bomi County, who described the initiative as “a new beginning for the preservation and promotion of…

By: Julius Konton Saudi Arabia’s development financing institutions have significantly expanded their engagement with Liberia, committing to a broad package of infrastructure, energy, sports, and regional integration projects aimed at accelerating economic growth, trade, and youth empowerment. Liberia’s Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, disclosed that the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has agreed in principle to finance a 6-kilometer road segment linking Zorzor to Yeala along the Guinea border, pending the completion of a feasibility study. The road forms part of a wider northern corridor designed to improve cross-border trade between Liberia and its Mano River…

By: Julius Konton Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has announced an ambitious four-year reform and expansion program for the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), signaling the most comprehensive military overhaul since the force was reconstituted after the country’s civil wars. Speaking at the 69th Armed Forces Day celebration at the historic Barclay Training Center in Monrovia, President Boakai outlined a broad agenda encompassing troop expansion, infrastructure rehabilitation, mental health services, welfare improvements, and enhanced gender inclusion within the military. The ceremony, held under the theme “Securing Liberia Together: Strengthening Inter-Agency Cooperation Against Drug Trafficking and Emerging Security Threats,” came…

By: Julius Konton Morocco has been elected to a new two-year term on the African Union’s Peace and Security Council (AU-PSC) following a decisive first-round vote held Wednesday in Addis Ababa, underscoring the Kingdom’s growing diplomatic influence across the continent. The North African nation secured 34 votes more than two-thirds of ballots cast during elections conducted on the margins of the 48th Ordinary Session of the AU Executive Council, a result that reflects broad confidence among African states in Morocco’s approach to continental peace and security. A Strategic Return to Africa’s Top Security Body Since rejoining the African Union in…

By: Julius Konton Liberia’s fragile post-war development narrative has been thrust into renewed controversy following the mass demolition of homes and informal settlements across parts of the country, a campaign that has displaced thousands of already vulnerable citizens and ignited a national debate over the meaning of development, governance, and social justice. At the center of the growing backlash is Sekou Kalasco Damaro, former Special Presidential Aide under ex-President George Manneh Weah, who has sharply criticized the current Unity Party (UP) administration for what he describes as a development strategy devoid of empathy, safeguards, and historical continuity. “Development Is Not…