MONROVIA, LIBERIA-The Government of Liberia has extended condolences to the grieving family of the fallen Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Ambassador Sylvester Grigsby, for the irreparable loss.
The sad event occurred on Sunday, August 9, 2025, in the United States of America, following a period of illness.
According to a release from the Ministry of Information, Minister Grigsby died in his 74th year.
As an initial reaction to the passing of Minister Grigsby, President Joseph Boakai described him as “a trusted friend and astute statesman, and a pillar of integrity in public service”.
The late minister served the Government of Liberia for over four decades in several capacities, including Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of State without Portfolio, and Minister for Presidential Affairs under the administration of former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
As an experienced diplomat, the late Minister Grigsby also served as Liberia’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium, with current accreditations to the European Union Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
He also held two deputy ministerial positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including two-time Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Integration.
The late minister, a prominent citizen of Sinoe County, further served his county as Superintendent.
The late Minister Sylvester Grigsby is known to have contributed to journalism and press freedom in Liberia by establishing an independent newspaper, the Sun Times Newspaper, in the early 1980s.