“We Are Sorry” – President Boakai Issues Historic Apology for Liberia’s 14-Year Civil War

Congo Town, Liberia: President Joseph Boakai has issued a formal apology on behalf of the Liberian State to all victims of the civil conflict, describing the event as a turning point in the nation’s healing process.

Speaking during a national reconciliation program, President Boakai said Liberia must confront its painful past to build a future of peace, justice, and unity.

“For too long, many of our fellow citizens have carried their pain in silence,” the president said. “To every victim, to every family broken, to every dream shattered, we say: WE ARE SORRY.”

He announced plans to fully implement key recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), including establishing a National Memorial for the more than 250,000 lives lost during the war and preserving the TRC archives.

President Boakai emphasized that reconciliation must be lived, not just spoken about. “It is not an event. It is a mindset, a journey, a shared responsibility,” he said.

He also called on ministries, civil society, development partners, and the private sector to unite in support of the country’s Strategic Roadmap for National Healing, which runs until 2030.

“This is the moment to act. Liberia must never go back to its darkest days,” he declared.

The event also honored the late Presidents William R. Tolbert Jr. and Samuel K. Doe, acknowledging their tragic deaths and the national trauma that followed.

President Boakai concluded with a call for unity: “We owe it to those we lost. We owe it to our future. Above all, we owe it to ourselves.”