During the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2022, they adopted a declaration on Sustainable Urbanization to address the challenges posed by rapid urbanization and climate change within the Commonwealth. In line with this declaration, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio and the First Lady, Mrs. Fatima Maada Bio had the honor of participating in a roundtable discussion focused on sustainable urban development, drawing upon insights from the work of the King’s Foundation as Sierra Leone has benefitted greatly from the King’s Foundation over the years.
As a guest of His Majesty, President Bio engaged in a fruitful dialogue about mutual values and the enhancement of the partnership between the King’s Foundation and Sierra Leone. This Week from January Friday 10th to Friday 17th 2025 looks at other developmental strides.
▪️A new chapter is about to be made in the run way and in the skies of Sierra Leone in celebrating the start of Fly Sierra Leone on January 22, 2025 taking off from Freetown International Airport to Lagos. There are already incredible Sierra Leonean female flight attendants who are ready to make your journey unforgettable on Air Sierra Leone’s first Freetown-Lagos flight.
▪️There is progress on the new National Parasitic Lab and Training Center being built in Sierra Leone which will provide powerful additional tool to combat malaria and other diseases and providing a central hub for rapid testing to hasten early treatment capabilities across the country. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Europe District is proud to partner with the U.S. Embassy Sierra Leone and government to deliver this new facility funded by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) through its Humanitarian Assistance program.
▪️A great sigh of relief in reshaping Sierra Leone’s public sector as cabinet has approved the Revised Civil Service Code and Rules 2024 which was undertaken by the Ministry of Public Administration and Political Affairs. The revised code replaces the outdated Civil Service Code, Rules, and Regulations of 2011, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing reform of Sierra Leone’s public service.The revision of the Code is not just a procedural change but government’s ambitious vision to overhaul Sierra Leone’s public service architecture as it is in line with President Bio’s commitment to revitalizing the public sector and fostering a more efficient, transparent, and accountable civil service.
▪️To determine Statistics Sierra Leone’s (Stats SL’s) readiness and capacity to successfully and accurately undertake the 2025 Sierra Leone Population and Housing Census (SLPHC- 2025), the United States Census Bureau (USCB), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)–New York, and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) on Monday 13th began a five day comprehensive assessment and support mission held at the New Brookfields Hotel, Jomo Kenyatta Road, Freetown.The critical assessment and support mission focused on examining supporting key census components, including logistics and resource mobilization, technological infrastructure, census legal frameworks, human resources, and stakeholders engagement.
▪️Tuesday 14 marked the beginning of the inaugural African Maritime Gender Network (AMGN) Conference in Freetown, hosted by U.S. Naval Forces Europe, U.S. Africa Command, the U.S. Embassy in Freetown, and the Mission of Iceland to Sierra Leone. This groundbreaking event brought together experts and stakeholders to explore “Gender Considerations in Maritime Security.” With discussions on critical topics like Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (IUUF) in the Gulf of Guinea, female participation in the security sectors, and the intersection of gender with maritime law and economic empowerment. The conference highlighted the vital role of gender inclusion in addressing maritime threats.
▪️On Monday 13, President Bio received His Excellency Lieutenant General Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan Abdelrahman Al-Burhan, President of the Transitional Sovereign Council of the Republic of Sudan, during a working visit to Sierra Leone. The engagement underscored the shared vision and commitment of the two nations toward fostering unity and addressing pressing African challenges.
▪️GOAL, the international humanitarian organization on Thursday 9, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Sierra Leone’s development priorities during a pivotal meeting with the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Kenyeh Barlay. The focus of the discussion was on strengthening the nation’s Blue Economy as part of the broader Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP), commonly referred to as the “Big Five Game Changers.”GOAL’s CEO, Siobhan Walsh, AIB CEO Collin Hunt, and Bary Field, Director of Corporate Affairs, were in attendance.
▪️Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health and Sanitation Dr. Austin Demby signed a major healthcare investment agreement with the Saudi Ambassador to Sierra Leone for the construction of a modern-day hospital at Kerry Town. When built, this facility will provide life-transforming services for about 1.5 million people.
