Youth and Foreign Affairs Ministries Explore New Pathways for Youth Peacebuilding
Youth and Foreign Affairs Ministries Explore New Pathways for Youth Peacebuilding
MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are exploring a collaborative initiative aimed at advancing Liberia’s Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda, with a focus on mental health, social inclusion, reintegration, and youth participation in national and international peacebuilding efforts. The initiative was discussed during an introductory meeting involving the Minister of Youth and Sports, Atty. Cornelia Wonkerleh Kruah, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and CIC, whose public advocacy role is expected to complement ongoing government efforts to promote youth wellbeing and peacebuilding.
The meeting highlighted the importance of translating Liberia’s Youth, Peace and Security commitments into tangible outcomes for young people, particularly under the National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security (2025–2029), which is being implemented by the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Minister Kruah emphasized the significance of CIC’s appointment and the opportunity it presents to strengthen youth engagement. She underscored the importance of measurable results and encouraged collaboration with the Ministry’s YPS Secretariat and the national at-risk youth program, particularly in addressing mental health, social inclusion, and reintegration.
CIC outlined a proposed approach that would combine sports, public engagement, and community service through his GIVE Foundation. A key component of the proposal is “Cralor Boi Talk,” a series of facilitated discussions designed to provide young men with a safe space to discuss mental wellbeing, personal challenges, and available support services.
The proposed initiative would also help identify gaps in mental health services and opportunities to mobilize additional assistance, recognizing that sustainable peace is closely linked to individual wellbeing, social inclusion, and a sense of belonging. The collaboration is expected to explore opportunities to use CIC’s public platform to make the YPS agenda more accessible to young people, explain Liberia’s responsibilities on the United Nations Security Council, and ensure that youth perspectives contribute to national and international discussions.
The National County Sports Meet final was identified as a potential early opportunity to communicate these messages through sports, which remains an important platform for youth participation, unity, and national cohesion.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasized the importance of demonstrating Liberia’s domestic progress on Youth, Peace and Security during the country’s December 2026 presidency of the United Nations Security Council. He noted that credible achievements in translating policy into action could strengthen international interest and partnerships. The meeting further highlighted the need to strengthen YPS coordination within Liberia’s multilateral missions, including the designation of focal persons to advance the agenda. Participants stressed that the proposed collaboration should extend beyond December 2026, with a structured program of work for 2027 and subsequent years.
As part of the proposed implementation approach, the GIVE Foundation has presented a 90-day pilot involving 24 to 30 adult young men in two facilitated discussion groups, with three sessions per group. Potential participants could include rehabilitation graduates, students, workers, and artists.
The proposal includes voluntary participation, confidentiality safeguards, and the involvement of qualified providers for clinical referrals and care. Supporting activities could include the development of a verified mental health services directory, referral arrangements, public messaging through music and radio, and a sports-based community event.
The initiative could also produce a youth recommendations brief to inform dialogue with Liberia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations and youth peacebuilders. The Ministries of Youth and Sports and Foreign Affairs are expected to work with CIC and the GIVE Foundation to develop a joint implementation framework, identify activities for Liberia’s December 2026 Security Council presidency, and establish priorities for 2027.
Dr. Ibrahim Nyei and Daniel Koikoi will support coordination from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while Baba Sillah of Liberia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York will support efforts to connect youth perspectives and national initiatives with Liberia’s engagement at the United Nations.
The proposed Cralor Boi Talk pilot and other activities remain subject to institutional agreement, including the review of participation arrangements, referral mechanisms, and launch dates.
