AYV News, January 23, 2025
Sierra Leone Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Timothy Musa Kabba, has said the country has consistently called for ceasefires in conflict situations such as Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan.
He was speaking at the United Nations Security Council High-Level Open Debate on Counter-Terrorism in Africa, where he said Sierra Leone has also been advocating for respect for international law, humanitarian law and the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Timothy Musa Kabba said: “We have supported efforts to ensure unhindered humanitarian aid delivery to at-risk populations in conflict situations. As you know, Sierra Leone has had the honor of serving on the United Nations Security Council for the past year. We came into the Security Council based on our experience, prioritizing conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, as well as advancing key issues such as Women, Peace, and Security (WPS), Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS), counter-terrorism, particularly in the Sahel and West Africa, climate and food security, accountability, Small Arms and Light Weapons control, and Security Council reform”.
He said Sierra Leone has worked tirelessly to mainstream these issues, especially those affecting the African continent, placing them at the forefront of the Council’s agenda while responding to emerging crises and current world events within the Council’s mandate.
In line with the country’s unwavering commitment to multilateralism and the principles of the United Nations Charter, the minister said they have worked to reinforce the Security Council’s role in conflict prevention and resolution, adding; “we co-signed shared commitments on Women, Peace, and Security; Climate, Peace, and Security; and we initiated the Joint Action Agenda for implementing the UN Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace”.
Minister Kabba said a key milestone in their tenure was the historic convening of the first-ever debate on the structural reform of the Security Council during Sierra Leone’s Presidency in August 2024, presided over by President Dr. Julius Maada Bio. The debate, which addressed Africa’s historic underrepresentation in the Council, he went on, received widespread support, including the endorsement of Africa’s call for two permanent seats in the Security Council.
1. He concluded that Sierra Leone has also worked within the A3 Plus Mechanism to strengthen Africa’s voice and representation within the Council, highlighting African issues. In what has been a particularly difficult year, the effectiveness of the Council was bolstered by the united stance of the elected members, the E-10, assuring; “we will also continue our established work on peacebuilding, Security Council reform, Women, Peace, and Security, and food insecurity. In 2024, Sierra Leone shared its unique experience in conflict resolution and peacebuilding. In 2025, we aim to focus on the future, on our youth, climate, and technology”.
