If Elected as a non-permanent member in 2026, can Liberia leverage its influence on the UN Security Council?

From the exploratory case study method that is also qualitative, this article provides a conceptual understanding of Liberia’s bid for the seat as UNSC NPM with an emphasis on its influence on the global stage. Based on the conceptualization of how small states can leverage their influence on the UNSC to substantially contribute to international peace and security, this paper doubts not the possibility for small states to leverage their influence at the UNSC but is particularly skeptical about the leverage of Liberia's influence as a small state on the UNSC. The paper argues that Liberia's prolonged absence from the UNSC since 1961 coupled with its peripheral position in the international system raised a legitimate concern that resonates with the conceptual framework adopted by this paper.
Conclusively, the paper argues that if elected as UNSC NPM, Liberia's position will be similar to the ceremonial role of most African countries that exit the UNSC without a mark of significance difference. It recommends that to make a significant difference, Liberia could take a cue from Estonia and Lithuania experiences cited in this paper as small states that meaningfully impacted the UNSC.