In today’s world, power no longer speaks only in the language of force or finance. It speaks through influence, persuasion, and the ability to bring people together across divides. And in Liberia, that voice is increasingly feminine, firm, thoughtful, and globally attuned.
By: Atty.Leemu Minnie James, LL.B., Suakoko Scholar & Emerging Diplomat
As an attorney and a proud participant in the Madam Suakoko Program at the Foreign Service Institute, I have come to see diplomacy beyond its profession appeal, and more as a calling – one that Liberian women have answered with courage, brilliance, and quiet determination over the years.
A Legacy That Still Speaks
Long before conversations about gender equality gained global traction, Liberian women were already stepping into spaces that many thought were out of reach.
We cannot tell this story without honouring Cllr. Angie Elizabeth Brooks, whose election in 1969 as President of the United Nations General Assembly remains a defining moment for Liberia and for women in global governance. Not only she did occupy an important and strategic space; she reshaped it.
Many years later, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf would rise to become Africa’s first elected female head of state. Her leadership during Liberia’s post-conflict recovery demonstrated something powerful: that diplomacy grounded in resilience and pragmatism can rebuild nations and restore dignity on the global stage.
We also recognize figures like Madam Olubanke King-Akerele, whose work in foreign policy helped deepen Liberia’s international engagement.
Today, that legacy continues through leaders such as Madam Sarah Beyselow Nyanti, whose role in shaping Liberia’s foreign policy also reflects a steady commitment to multilateralism and regional cooperation that Liberia helped build and strengthen following the end of World War II.
At the regional level, Cllr. Deway Gray reminds us that beyond the global stages, diplomacy also happens within institutions like the Economic Community of West African States, where decisions directly affect the lives of millions across West Africa.
And importantly, we must celebrate Cllr. Jewel Howard Taylor, a stateswoman whose journey from Senator of Bong County to Vice President of the Republic of Liberia reflects a life of public service and leadership. As a graduate of the Foreign Service Institute herself, former VP Howard-Taylor represents the vital bridge between experience and preparation, embodying what it means to lead both nationally and diplomatically.
These women are not the exception to the rule. They are the foundation upon which a new generation is rising.
From Potential to Preparation
For a long time, diplomacy in Liberia depended heavily on exceptional and well-connected individuals finding their way into the system. Talent was never the issue, opportunity and structured preparation were. As a young lawyer stepping into diplomacy, I have realized that representing a country requires attributes that transcend mere passion. It demands technical skill, legal understanding, cultural sensitivity, and strategic thinking.
That is where the Madam Suakoko Program becomes both relevant and necessary.
The Madam Suakoko Experience
To me, the Madam Suakoko Program does more that train the best and brightest of us; it also transforms us.
Here, we are taught international law, negotiation, and global governance. We are also challenged to think, to question, and to position ourselves as women who belong in the rooms and at the tables where decisions are made.
We study treaties as instruments of power. We engage diplomacy as both theory and practice. And perhaps most importantly, we grow together as patriotic sons and daughters.
There is something deeply powerful about being in a room filled with women who are equally driven, equally curious, and equally committed
to representing Liberia with excellence. It creates a sense of responsibility both to oneself and to each other.
A Shift You Can Feel
What makes this moment different in Liberia’s diplomatic journey is intention.
As FSI/Madam Suakoko graduates, we are no longer waiting for extraordinary women to emerge by chance. We are nourishing them, deliberately, consistently, and collectively.
Graduates of the program are stepping into spaces where debates are held and decisions made on climate change, regional security, governance, and trade; and they are contributing with confidence and clarity.
This is how systems we see change: not overnight, but through sustained investment in people.
Why This Matters Now
The world is changing rapidly. Today’s diplomats must navigate crises that are indifferent to borders, climate change, migration, insecurity, and economic instability.
To respond effectively, countries like Liberia need voices that can think across disciplines, negotiate with empathy, and act with precision.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Atty. Leemu Minnie James is a dynamic legal professional and emerging diplomat, currently a Suakoko Scholar at the Gabriel L. Dennis Foreign Service Institute. She holds a strong academic foundation, having earned her legal education from the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia, and a prior degree from Cuttington University.
Her professional interests span corporate law, gender, and diplomacy, areas through which she explores the intersections of law, leadership, and global governance. With a growing voice in policy and international affairs, she is committed to advancing inclusive, ethical, and strategic approaches to modern diplomacy.
Driven by both intellect and purpose, Atty. Minnie James represents a new generation of leaders shaping the future of law and international engagement in Liberia and beyond.
