Liberia has launched a landmark Pathways Framework designed to place youth, peace, security, and development at the center of national and global priorities. The initiative, unveiled during a high-level side event at the African Union Permanent Mission to the United Nations, signals Liberia’s readiness to actively engage in shaping international youth agendas.
Foreign Minister Sara Beyslow Nyanti formally introduced the vision document on Friday, September 18, 2026, during the UNSC UNGA81 gathering. She described the framework as a blueprint for mobilizing investments and establishing essential pathways for future generations, aligned with Liberia’s Youth Vision 2035.
Nyanti emphasized that the framework consolidates achievements across Liberia’s fifteen counties, integrates the Ministry of Youth and Sports’ five-year strategic plan, and unites national youth policy under one powerful mandate. “Youth, peace, and security are Liberia’s top priorities at the UN Security Council,” she said, stressing the importance of amplifying Liberian youth voices on the global stage.
The framework rests on six interconnected pillars: governance, evidence, pathways, sports, creative economy, and strategic investment. Together, they form the foundation of a sustainable system for youth and sports development, built on robust institutions, credible data, and long-term investment.
Youth and Sports Minister Atty. Cornelia Wonkerleh Kruah underscored the urgency of investing in the Pathways mandate. “By 2035, every young Liberian should have a pathway to achieve their goals,” she declared.
Kruah described the initiative as Liberia’s public commitment to its youth, partners, and history, complete with measurable targets, timelines, and transparent evaluation mechanisms.
She invited stakeholders to invest in a plan “supported by evidence and progress, not promises,” while commending the contributions of UNFPA, UNDP, the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, the UN Youth Office, and other partners backing Liberia’s youth agenda.
United Nations Under Secretary General and UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita praised Liberia’s ten-year framework as a bold step toward empowering youth regardless of background or challenges. “Young people are peacebuilders, they are leaders, they are essential partners,” Keita said. “UNFPA is proud to sponsor youth peace and security.”
Her remarks reinforced Liberia’s vision of youth as central actors in building peaceful, inclusive societies.
With the Pathways Framework, Liberia positions itself as a global advocate for youth empowerment, peacebuilding, and sustainable development. Officials say the initiative is not only a national reform agenda but also a rallying call for international partners to invest in the next generation.
As Liberia steps forward, the message is clear: youth are not just beneficiaries of development—they are architects of the nation’s future.
