March 16, 2026
Executive Mansion, Monrovia – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr., departed the country this morning for Conakry, Republic of Guinea, where he will participate in a high-level meeting aimed at addressing escalating tensions along the Liberia–Guinea border in Lofa County.
The meeting will bring together President Boakai, Guinean Leader Mamadi Doumbouya, and the President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, as regional leaders engage in dialogue to ease tensions and reinforce peaceful border management within the Mano River Union region.
Recent incidents in the Sorlumba area of Foya District, Lofa County, have raised concern among residents and local authorities following reports of confrontations between Guinean soldiers and Liberian civilians near the border. Local sources indicated that tensions intensified after Guinean troops crossed into territory claimed by Liberia near Sorlumba, a border community in Lofa County.
The meeting in Conakry is expected to provide a platform for the three West African leaders to address the dispute and reinforce mechanisms for peaceful border management within the Mano River Union region.
The President of Côte d’Ivoire, Alassane Ouattara, is also expected to attend the discussions as a witness country, reflecting broader regional interest in maintaining stability along the interconnected borders of Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone.
The border area serves as an important corridor for trade and movement among the Mano River Union countries, making stability in the region critical to local livelihoods and regional cooperation.
President Boakai is accompanied by a high-level Liberian delegation including:
• Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Mamaka Bility, Minister of State without Portfolio
• Samuel Kofi Woods II, National Security Advisor
• Francis Nyumalin, Minister of Internal Affairs
• Geraldine Janet George, Minister of National Defense
• Davidson F. Forleh, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia
Members of the the Liberian delegation will engage their regional counterparts in discussions aimed at strengthening dialogue, preventing further escalation, and ensuring that Mano River Union countries are poised to preventing border disputes.
While the President is away, Minister Samuel Stevquoah will chair the cabinet in consultation with the President.
