UN HQ, NEW YORK – Liberia has formally assumed the Chairmanship of the African Group at the United Nations for the month of February 2026, marking another milestone in the country’s growing leadership role within multilateral diplomacy.
The official handover ceremony took place on Friday, January 30, 2026, at the offices of the African Union Observer Mission to the United Nations in New York. Liberia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Lewis Garseedeh Brown II, received the gavel of authority from Ambassador Matete Paul Nena, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Lesotho, who served as Chair of the African Group during January 2026.
The transition was facilitated by Ambassador Mohamed Fathi Ahmed Edrees, Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nations, who briefed the Liberian delegation on the Program of Work and the continent’s collective priorities for February.
Speaking during the ceremony, Ambassador Brown expressed gratitude to the Mission of Lesotho for its stewardship and reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to advancing Africa’s shared interests at the UN. He emphasized that Liberia’s current position as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council would not detract from its responsibility to the African Group.
“Even the seat we occupy in the Security Council belongs to Africa. So, our first commitment has to be to our group. I think it’s an honor to be able to lead the group,” Ambassador Brown said.
He recalled that during Liberia’s previous tenure as Chair of the African Group several years ago, the country convened the first-ever retreat of African Permanent Representatives to the United Nations in New York—an initiative widely credited with strengthening coordination and unity among African missions. Ambassador Brown pledged to lead the group with the same level of diligence, inclusiveness, and dedication.
As part of administrative arrangements for the Chairmanship, Ambassador Brown officially designated Deputy Permanent Representative for Administration, Maggie Gibson-Glay, as the principal focal point at the Permanent Mission of Liberia for all African Group-related matters.
In its role as Chair, Liberia will be responsible for coordinating and articulating common African positions at the United Nations, while promoting the continent’s collective interests across key pillars of the UN system, including peace and security, political affairs, sustainable development, and broader multilateral engagement.
Liberia’s assumption of the Chairmanship comes at a critical time, as African countries continue to push for greater unity, reform of global governance institutions, and stronger representation of Africa’s priorities on the international stage.
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