LIBERIA DISPATCHES 63-MEMBER DELEGATION TO INAUGURAL MANO RIVER UNION YOUTHCONNEKT SUMMIT IN FREETOWN
LIBERIA DISPATCHES 63-MEMBER DELEGATION TO INAUGURAL MANO RIVER UNION YOUTHCONNEKT SUMMIT IN FREETOWN
MONROVIA, LIBERIA: The Ministry of Youth and Sports, Republic of Liberia, today announced the official departure of a 63-member delegation to the inaugural Mano River Union YouthConnekt Summit, to be held in Freetown, Sierra Leone from June 18 to 20, 2026. The delegation is headed by Acting Deputy Minister for Youth Development, Alphonso Y. Belleh, and travels under the full backing of the Ministry and the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The Summit, hosted by Sierra Leone's Ministry of Youth Affairs under Hon. Ibrahim Sannoh, marks the first formal multilateral youth engagement under the Mano River Union (MRU) framework, bringing together young people and youth ministry delegations from Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea for a programme of high-level exchanges on youth empowerment, peace and security, climate change, and economic opportunity.
Liberia's delegation is the largest the Ministry has assembled for a regional youth engagement, drawing representatives from across the full spectrum of the country's youth ecosystem:
• Ministry of Youth and Sports Leadership: Acting Deputy Minister Alphonso Y. Belleh and Director of Youth Development Samuel James Kpartor, who serves as Liberia's designated bilateral focal person for MRU youth engagement:
• Youth Advisory Council
• Liberia National Students' Union (LINSU)
• Muslim Youth
• MRU Youth Parliament (MRU-YP)
• Community Youth Representatives
• Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY)
• Creative Council
• Youth in Politics
• Youth in TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training)
• Youth in Sports Development
• Youth Entrepreneurs and Private Sector Innovators
• Tourism and Culture Representatives
• UNDP Liberia Team
The delegation's participation follows a bilateral tête-à-tête between Minister Atty. Cornelia W. Kruah and Hon. Sannoh at the Ministry's headquarters in Paynesville on June 9, 2026, during which both ministers committed to deepening cooperation on youth development, the State of Youth reporting framework, national youth council architecture, and the Youth, Peace and Security agenda. Liberia is scheduled to host the MRU YouthConnekt in 2027 as the summit rotates across member states.
Speaking ahead of the delegation's departure, Minister Kruah said: “This summit is not a ceremonial event. It is a deliberate investment in the future of the Mano River region. Our 63-member delegation reflects the breadth and energy of Liberia's youth, and we go to Freetown not just to participate, but to forge real partnerships that our young people will feel at home.”
Acting Deputy Minister Belleh added: “We carry with us the ambitions of every young Liberian. The MRU YouthConnekt is exactly the kind of platform where ideas become action, and we are proud to represent Liberia at this historic inaugural summit.”
All 63 delegates are funded through UNDP Liberia. The Ministry of Youth and Sports extends its appreciation to UNDP Liberia Country Office and to the Government and Ministry of Youth Affairs of the Republic of Sierra Leone for hosting this landmark event.
ABOUT THE MANO RIVER UNION YOUTHCONNEKT SUMMIT
The MRU YouthConnekt Summit is a new rotational annual forum established under the Mano River Union framework to drive youth empowerment, peace and security, and regional integration across Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea. The inaugural edition is hosted by Sierra Leone in Freetown, June 18 to 20, 2026, with UNDP support.
