MONROVIA — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has received newly accredited United States Chargé d’Affaires Kristin Gilmore, with both sides expressing commitment to strengthening bilateral relations through investment, trade, public health, and security cooperation.
By J.H. Webster Clayeh-websterclayeh@frontpageafricaonline.com
The October 14, 2026, courtesy meeting marked Gilmore’s first engagement with President Boakai since the United States Government announced her appointment, as Liberia and the United States seek to deepen their longstanding diplomatic and economic partnership.
Welcoming the U.S. diplomat, President Boakai reaffirmed his government’s commitment to maintaining peace and stability while creating an enabling environment for investment and expanding bilateral cooperation for the mutual benefit of both countries.
The engagement comes amid continued diplomatic consultations between Monrovia and Washington on shared priorities, economic development, public health, and international security.
During the meeting, Gilmore expressed enthusiasm about returning to Liberia, where she previously served from 2007 to 2009, and commended the country’s progress in democratic governance and its growing role in international affairs.
“Mr. President, I want to say that it is great to be back in Liberia. I worked here before from 2007 to 2009, so it really is an honor and a privilege to come back and to see how far Liberia has come in terms of democratic governance and also Liberia’s role on the world stage,” Madam Gilmore said.
She added: “It’s very impressive. I actually have an even deeper connection to Liberia. My mother, back in the 1960s, was confirmed at an air base in California by the Episcopal Bishop to Liberia, Dilworth Houston Brown, at that time. And so my mom, before I came this time, took out her prayer book and showed me that the Episcopal Bishop to Liberia had been the one to give her her first communion.”
Gilmore described her return as a privilege and expressed her desire to work with the Liberian Government to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
“I’m very excited at the prospect to seek out new commercial opportunities, to look for U.S. investment, to look for U.S. companies to come to Liberia to participate in your arrest agenda and to deepen our economic collaboration together,” she said.
The U.S. diplomat also highlighted public health, security, and the development of collaborative teams as areas of potential cooperation between Liberia and the United States.
Charge’ D’Affaires added: “I look forward to working on public health together, and I’m also looking forward to building teams, including through Liberians, to U.S. The Foreign Minister and I have discussed a little bit of that, and I really welcome your thoughts as well. We can together to build peace strength, Liberia Security Council together.”
Gilmore was accompanied to the meeting by Rob Ruta, the new Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Liberia, as well as Stephanie Miller and Julianne Cooper from the Embassy’s Political and Economic Section.
U.S.-Liberia Diplomatic Engagement Continues
Before meeting President Boakai, Gilmore had engaged Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti on October 8, 2026, to discuss shared priorities and Liberia’s engagement at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
According to the U.S. Embassy in Liberia, Gilmore also thanked the Foreign Minister for Liberia’s endorsement of the Proliferation Security Initiative, a framework aimed at strengthening international cooperation against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
“She also thanked Minister Beysolow Nyanti for Liberia’s endorsement of the Proliferation Security Initiative. The United States values Liberia as a strong partner and looks forward to working closely together,” the U.S. Embassy posted on its Facebook page on October 10, 2026.
Liberia and the United States maintain longstanding diplomatic relations covering political cooperation, economic development, public health, and international security. Both countries have continued to pursue opportunities to attract investment, expand commercial partnerships, and support Liberia’s development agenda.
Gilmore’s engagement with President Boakai signals the continuation of diplomatic efforts to build on that relationship, with investment, public health, and security cooperation emerging as key areas for further collaboration.