In a landmark engagement facilitated by the Liberia Canada Investment Office in Mississauga, Ontario, the Senior Presidential Advisor Dr. Augustine Konneh delivered a transformative address at Carleton University’s Institute of African Studies, spotlighting the triad of Leadership, Environment, and Gender as pillars of Africa’s sustainable future.The invitation was made possible through the strategic coordination of Jallahqueena Konneh, Representative of the Liberia Canada Trade and Investment Office, whose efforts continue to strengthen bilateral academic, policy, and investment ties between Liberia and Canada. The Office serves as a vital bridge for institutional exchange, showcasing Liberia’s leadership in inclusive development and global sustainability.
Representing His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., President of Liberia, Dr. Konneh emphasized that leadership must be measured not by rhetoric but by outcomes—especially in delivering equity across environmental and gender domains. He framed his remarks within Liberia’s national development blueprint, the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID), whose six pillars—Economic Transformation, Infrastructure Development, Rule of Law, Governance and Anti-Corruption, Environmental Sustainability, and Human Capital Development—are interdependent and demand visionary leadership.Drawing from Africa’s post-independence legacy, he invoked Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, and William V.S. Tubman as models of authentic leadership rooted in economic self-reliance, intellectual emancipation, and social justice. “They didn’t just seek political freedom,” he said. “They sought a future where all citizens—including women—could thrive.”
Dr. Konneh spotlighted Liberia’s green tropical forests as a global asset in the fight against climate change. He stressed that while Africa contributes the least to global warming, it suffers the most from its consequences—from food insecurity to extreme weather events. “Africa must not come to the table as a victim,” he declared. “We must come as co-creators of solutions and moral champions of sustainability.”He called for a united African front to negotiate enforceable global frameworks, invest in renewable energy, and promote climate-smart agriculture. He also urged industrialized nations—including Canada—to honor their climate finance commitments, stating that “sustainability is not an African problem; it’s a human one.
”While addressing gender inclusion, Dr. Konneh celebrated Liberia’s historic 2006 election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as Africa’s first democratically elected female Head of State. Her presidency, he noted, mobilized women to consolidate peace and rebuild post-conflict Liberia. “Any society that sidelines half its talent is destined to operate at half its potential,” he said, calling gender empowerment “a panacea for transformational development.”He also emphasized that Liberian women continue to shape governance, civil society, and policy reform, and that their full participation is essential to sustaining any vision of authentic leadership and environmental justice.
Dr. Konneh urged African scholars, policymakers, and global partners to embrace the interconnectedness of leadership, environmental stewardship, and gender equity. “We cannot achieve authentic, transformational leadership without a holistic vision for the environment,” he said, “and we cannot sustain that vision without the full, equitable participation of women.”He concluded with a rallying call: “Let us forge a shared destiny defined by inclusivity, sustainability, and authentic global transformation.”
