By Pewu Y. Sumo
MONROVIA, LIBERIA — Jefferson T. Koijee, the National Secretary General of Liberia’s largest opposition political party Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) and former Mayor of Monrovia, today, issued a statement of condolence to the family of the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and the American people.
The statement follows the sudden passing of the 71-year-old South Carolina Republican Senator, who died on Saturday evening, July 11, 2026, due to a sudden cardiac event shortly after returning to Washington, D.C. from an official diplomatic visit to Ukraine.
In a deeply personal address, Koijee recalled meeting Senator Graham in his Capitol Hill office, noting that the late lawmaker’s character left an indelible impression on him as a young African leader. Koijee emphasized that Graham possessed a rare worldview, treating small nations like Liberia with the same dignity and strategic importance as global superpowers.
“What struck me most about Senator Graham was that he never treated the world as divided into places that mattered and places that didn’t,” Koijee noted. “He believed, deeply, that America’s strength and its friendships—even with a country as small as Liberia—were part of the same story: standing up for freedom, wherever it was tested.”
The Full Statement from Jefferson T. Koijee
“In Memory of Senator Lindsey Graham.
I woke up this morning to the news that Senator Lindsey Graham had passed, and honestly, it has been hard to put into words since. On behalf of myself and everyone at the Congress for Democratic Change, I want to extend our deepest condolences to his family and to the American people during this incredibly painful time.
I still think back to the day I met him in his office on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. It wasn’t a long meeting, but it stayed with me.
As a young leader coming from Liberia, I didn’t expect a U.S. Senator of his stature to speak with such warmth, and such genuine curiosity about where I came from and what I was trying to build for my country. That conversation gave me more than I think he realized—it was inspiring, it was generous with his time, and it pushed me to think differently about leadership itself.
What struck me most about Senator Graham was that he never treated the world as divided into places that mattered and places that didn’t. He believed, deeply, that America’s strength and its friendships—even with a country as small as Liberia—were part of the same story: standing up for freedom, wherever it was tested.
America has lost one of its most dedicated public servants. The world has lost a voice that didn’t shy away from hard conversations. And I have lost someone who, in a single meeting, reminded me why I chose this path in the first place.
To his family, and to the people of South Carolina and America who loved him—my prayers are with you. May his memory be a lasting blessing, and may the example he set continue to guide those of us still finding our way in public life.”
Jefferson T. Koijee
Former Mayor of Monrovia
National Secretary General, Congress for Democratic Change (CDC)
A Sudden Loss on Capitol Hill
Senator Lindsey Graham’s sudden death has sent shockwaves through both Washington and the international community. Known as one of the most influential foreign policy hawks in modern American history, Graham served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003 before his election to the U.S. Senate in 2002, where he occupied the seat formerly held by Strom Thurmond.
At the time of his passing, Graham served as the Chair of the Senate Budget Committee and was actively running for re-election in the 2026 midterms.
A Legacy of Global Engagement
Graham’s political footprint extended far beyond the borders of South Carolina. He was a cornerstone of bipartisan legislative efforts and a fierce advocate for American international alliances. Just 24 hours prior to his passing, Graham was in Kyiv meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy—marking his tenth wartime visit to the nation.
Tributes have poured in from around the globe, with U.S. President Donald Trump calling him a “true American Patriot” and lowering White house flags to half-staff, while international allies like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy expressed deep grief over losing a dedicated champion of global democracy.
Jefferson Koijee’s message underscores the cross-continental impact of Graham’s work, highlighting how his open-door approach to foreign diplomacy shaped up-and-coming political figures across developing democracies like Liberia.
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