President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. departed Liberia on Monday for Conakry, Guinea, where he is expected to participate in a high-level regional meeting focused on addressing the growing tensions along the Liberia–Guinea border in Lofa County.
According to the Executive Mansion, the meeting will bring together President Boakai, Guinean leader Mamadi Doumbouya, and Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio as regional leaders seek diplomatic solutions to calm the situation and strengthen cooperation on border management within the Mano River Union region.
The talks follow recent developments in the Sorlumba area of Foya District, Lofa County, where confrontations have reportedly occurred between Guinean soldiers and Liberian civilians near the disputed border. Community sources say tensions heightened after Guinean troops allegedly moved into territory claimed by Liberia, raising concerns among residents and local authorities.
Officials say the Conakry meeting will serve as a platform for the three heads of state to discuss the dispute, promote dialogue, and reinforce mechanisms for peaceful coexistence and border coordination among Mano River Union countries.
President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire is also expected to attend the discussions as a witness country, reflecting the broader regional interest in maintaining peace and stability along the shared borders of Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone.
The border corridor linking the three countries plays a vital role in cross-border trade and the movement of people, making stability in the area critical for both local communities and regional economic cooperation.
President Boakai is traveling with a senior Liberian delegation that includes Foreign Affairs Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Minister of State without Portfolio Mamaka Bility, National Security Advisor Samuel Kofi Woods II, Internal Affairs Minister Francis Nyumalin, National Defense Minister Geraldine Janet George, and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia Davidson F. Forleh.
Members of the delegation are expected to engage their counterparts in discussions aimed at strengthening diplomatic engagement, preventing further escalation, and reinforcing collaborative approaches to resolving border disputes within the Mano River Union framework.
While President Boakai is away, the Executive Mansion says Minister Samuel Stevquoah will preside over Cabinet deliberations in consultation with the President.
