In Summary
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After the election of members of the 2026 African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC), some opposition politicians in Liberia claimed the country failed to secure a seat, despite the government stating it had stepped aside to allow the Republic of Benin to contest the West African slot.
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A review of a Foreign Ministry press release and clarification from the AU’s Senior Communication Officer confirmed that the election was conducted by regional consensus, where member states agree in advance on candidates.
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The evidence indicates that Liberia withdrew before the final slate was presented, making the claim that it “failed” to win a seat misleading.
Following the February 11 election of members to the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC), several opposition politicians in Liberia claimed that the country failed to secure a seat on the council.
Their claims followed a statement from the Liberian government indicating that it had taken a principled decision to step aside to allow the Republic of Benin to contest and assume the relevant West African seat on the AU PSC.
Among those making the claim were former Montserrado County District #8 Representative Acarus Gray, former Assistant Minister J Jefferson Chesson, who claimed that Liberia failed to secure a seat on the “African Union Peace and Security Council (AU PSC)” for a two-year term.
Adopted on 9 July 2002 in Durban, South Africa, the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) is the standing decision-making organ of the organization for the prevention, management, and resolution of conflicts. It is a collective security and early warning arrangement intended to facilitate timely and efficient responses to conflicts and crises in Africa. It is also a key pillar of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), the framework for promoting peace, security, and stability in Africa.
The Claim
An excerpt of their comments read: “Big blow to Liberia’s Foreign Relations as Liberia failed to secure a seat at the African Union Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) for a two-year term (2026–2028), starting April 1, 2026.”
Rating Justification
To verify this claim, we reviewed a February 11 press release issued by Liberia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The release stated that Liberia stepped aside to allow the Republic of Benin to contest and assume the seat allocated to the West African region.
We also contacted the AU through its Senior Communication Officer, Gamal Karrar, who provided the list of countries elected to the Council and clarified that the PSC elections were conducted based on regional consensus.
Elections by regional consensus mean that member states within each AU region agree in advance on which countries will occupy the allocated seats. In such cases, there may not be a competitive vote at the final stage, as regions present an agreed slate of candidates. This process can involve prospective candidates withdrawing before the conclusion of the election to allow for consensus.
Conclusion
Based on the official statement from Liberia’s Foreign Ministry and clarification from the AU, there is no evidence that Liberia “failed” in a competitive vote. Rather, the available information indicates that the election was conducted by regional consensus, and Liberia withdrew from the process before the final slate was presented.
Therefore, the claim circulating on social media that Liberia failed to secure a seat on the AU PSC is misleading.
