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By

His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr.

President of the Republic of Liberia

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Fellow Liberians,

As we stand at the threshold of a New Year, I speak to you not only as your President, but as a compatriot, bound to you by our shared history, common struggles, enduring hope, and collective destiny.

Our nation has endured much. We have experienced division, hardship, and moments when our faith in one another was sorely tested. Yet, time and again, Liberia has proven resilient. We remain standing because the spirit of unity, though at times strained, has never been broken.

As we enter this New Year, I issue a clear and clarion call: Liberians must move forward together, or we will not move forward at all. Tribe against tribe, party against party, county against county, and religion against religion are divisions that weaken us. They do not build roads, educate our children, create jobs, or heal our nation. Unity does.

National unity does not require uniformity of thought. It does not silence criticism or suppress debate. Rather, it demands that even in disagreement, we recognize one another as Liberians first. It means we contest ideas, not identities; compete with policies, not prejudice; and pursue progress, not personal destruction.

As I have consistently done, I call on political leaders across all parties to work toward lowering the temperature of our national discourse. Disagreement must never descend into hatred. Opposition must never become obstruction to the national good or a desire for harm to befall our country. When it does, no one is spared. Leadership, whether in government or outside of it, carries great responsibility, and we pledge to uphold that responsibility.

I also call on our traditional leaders, religious leaders, youth, women, elders, and members of the Liberian diaspora to remember always that this nation belongs to all of us. The future of Liberia will not be delivered by one man, one party, or one region. It will be built through collective sacrifice, shared responsibility, and mutual respect.

Let us embrace the politics of solutions. Let us reject the nurturing of despair and recommit ourselves to healing, discipline, hard work, and patriotism. Let us renounce violence in word and deed, and choose peace, not as a sign of weakness, but as a measure of strength.

We extend our sincere gratitude to our partners in progress who continue to stand with us, supporting Liberia through each challenge we face. We reaffirm our respect for, appreciation of, and judicious use of their contributions as we pursue our national development agenda.

Compatriots, the New Year must mark another turning point, away from complaint and toward contribution; from cynicism to embrace; from rancor to calm; and from division to unity. Liberia is greater than our differences. The dream of a stable, prosperous, and dignified nation remains alive. What it requires is all of us.

As the one you have entrusted with the great honor and responsibility of serving as President, I recommit my pledge to govern with fairness, to listen with humility, and to serve with integrity. In return, I ask you to believe again in Liberia, to invest your energy in nation building, and to see one another not as enemies, but as partners in progress.

May the new year renew our love for country, strengthen our resolve, and bind us together as one people, with one destiny.

God bless you all, as we continue to THINK LIBERIA, LOVE LIBERIA, and together, BUILD LIBERIA.