Dr. Mory Sumaworo
(BA, MCL, Ph.D)
Senior lecturer at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of Liberia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Faculty member of the Postgraduate Schools at Cuttington and AME Universities
abstract
Liberia is considered one of the oldest republics, not only on the African continent but also in the world. Its long-standing statehood, coupled with its participation in global geopolitics, has significantly contributed to its external diplomatic efforts at bilateral and multilateral levels and within international institutions. As a founding member of the now-defunct League of Nations (1920–1944), a founding member of the United Nations (1944), and a leading actor in the Monrovia Group—which led to the establishment of the Organization of African Unity in 1963, now the African Union since 2002—Liberia has played a remarkable role in representing Africa and the developing world in shaping international institutions during their formative stages. Nevertheless, national debates—particularly among progressive youth and academics—have emerged regarding the socio-economic implications of Liberia’s historical role in international politics. While some argue that this influence has been minimal or disappointing, others contend that, despite Liberia’s ongoing socio-economic development challenges, its active engagement in global politics has yielded notable outcomes. To understand this clearly, it is essential to examine the foreign policy of the Republic of Liberia, which may serve as a benchmark for assessing the extent to which Liberia has benefited from its deep historical involvement in international politics and its longstanding relations with contemporary civilized states. Based on available research works and analyses, there is a scarcity of academic work addressing Liberia’s foreign policy. This article, therefore, seeks to help fill that gap. Consequently, a central question arises in efforts to strengthen Liberia’s international relations and enhance its diplomatic engagement—making it more effective, efficient, influential, and aligned with national development programs: What are the objectives of Liberia’s foreign policy, and how could it be applied to maximize the interests of the country? Clarifying these will support the alignment of foreign policy with national development strategies. The article adopts a qualitative method to draw a conclusion. The study concludes that Liberia needs to diversify the pathways of its diplomatic engagement to better serve its national goals, particularly through economic diplomacy and development diplomacy