NTIONAL NEWS
NEW YORK – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has called for a stronger partnership between Liberia and Ghana to preserve historical records, strengthen museums and support efforts to recover and restore Africa’s cultural heritage.
By: Trokon S. Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
President Boakai made the call on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, while speaking at a side event co-hosted by Ghana, Germany and France under the theme, “From Commitments to Action on Reparatory Justice: Advancing International Cooperation for the Return and Restitution of Cultural Properties and Heritage.”
The Liberian President proposed the establishment of a Liberia-Ghana Cultural Heritage and Historical Recovery Cooperation Framework, saying the two countries should translate their shared commitment to preserving Africa’s history into practical action.
“I believe the next phase must move from conversation to practical cooperation,” President Boakai said.
Under the proposed framework, Liberian and Ghanaian institutions would collaborate on digitizing historical records, training archivists and museum professionals, researching and preserving historic sites, and developing exhibitions and educational programs.
The initiative would also support efforts to identify cultural materials of African origin and explore avenues for their possible return to the continent.
President Boakai said Ghana’s experience could be valuable as Liberia advances plans for a Peace, Reconciliation and Memorial Museum, which he said would help preserve Liberia’s national memory and enable future generations to better understand the country’s difficult history and its journey toward peace.
The President also highlighted Providence Island and other significant historical sites in Liberia, calling for preservation efforts that involve research, community participation and opportunities for young people to learn about the country’s history.
President Boakai stressed that the return of cultural objects should be viewed as part of a broader effort to restore Africa’s historical identity and institutional capacity.
“Restitution should ultimately be about more than the physical return of objects,” he said. “It should also be about the return of knowledge, the recovery of historical records, the restoration of dignity, the preservation of memory, and the renewal of African institutions.”
To advance the proposed partnership, President Boakai called for Liberia and Ghana to appoint a small technical working group to identify immediate areas of cooperation, which could eventually form the basis of a formal agreement.
“Ghana and Liberia have an opportunity to demonstrate that African solidarity can translate into practical action,” President Boakai noted.
