AYV News, July 28, 2025
Sierra Leone’s Vice President, Honorable Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, has been having an impactful series of engagements in the United Kingdom’s capital London, since his arrival on Thursday, July 24th, 2025. The ongoing visit, marked by strategic meetings, community outreach, and diplomatic engagements, reflects His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio’s administration’s continuing commitment to strengthening international partnerships and deepening ties with the diaspora
On Friday, July 25th, the Vice President joined Sierra Leonean worshippers at the Brixton Mosque for Jummahprayers, where special invocations were offered for the peace, progress, and prosperity of Sierra Leone.
Later that day, the Vice President visited the Chancery of the Sierra Leone High Commission at 41 Eagle Street, Holborn, where he held a working lunch with High Commissioner Dr. Morie Komba Manyeh and diplomatic staff. Discussions at the Chancery focused on strengthening the Mission’s engagement with UK institutions and aligning diplomatic priorities with national development objectives.
One of the key highlights of the visit was a follow-up meeting at the British International Investment (BII) offices. This engagement built on discussions initiated earlier this year between His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio and BII officials. The dialogue centred around boosting agricultural productivity, enhancing value chains, and addressing critical challenges in Sierra Leone’s power sector. Currently, a BII technical team is on the ground in Sierra Leone conducting feasibility assessments in the electricity and water sectors in search of sustainable solutions.
Later in the day, the Vice President convened an interactive town hall-style meeting with a broad cross-section of Sierra Leoneans in the UK diaspora, including community leaders, investors, and professionals. The event, held in the conference hall of London’s Taj Hotel, emphasized the government’s policy of inclusive engagement with the diaspora and highlighted opportunities for collaboration in national development.
During his address, Dr. Jalloh presented an overview of Sierra Leone’s development strides, citing reductions in maternal mortality, improved health infrastructure including the installation of dialysis machines at Connaught Hospital, and lauded promising trends in the MCC pathway.
He noted significant growth in the agriculture sector, where a shift from subsistence to commercial and export-oriented production is the goal, with products like cooking oil now being exported from Sierra Leone.
The Vice President also applauded the contributions of diaspora investors, spotlighting actor and entrepreneur Idris Elba’s transformative project on Sherbro Island. He encouraged further diaspora-led initiatives, stressing the need for collaboration, joint investment, and organized fundraising to support national priorities.
Key discussions also focused on President Bio’s “Big 5 Game Changer” agenda, particularly the drive for food self-sufficiency and the enhancement of Free Quality Education (FQE). In responding to a question, Dr. Jalloh emphasized that any incident of illegal school fees being charged should be promptly reported, reinforcing the government’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of the FQE program.
He further highlighted the growing number of girls pursuing science degrees due to expanded government subsidies and deliberate policy support.
The Vice President acknowledged the projected population growth and its implications on education and food programs but reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strategic planning and sustainable development. He referenced the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Act as a legislative milestone, now visibly reflected in the composition of Sierra Leone’s Parliament and Cabinet.
Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Mohamed Haji Kella, also contributed to the dialogue, detailing the government’s humane and rehabilitative approach to addressing the drug crisis involving the substance known as “KUSH.” He stressed that addiction is treated as a health and social issue, not a criminal one.
Among the participants, Isata Sesay Jalloh, CEO of The Health Show, was duly recognised for her efforts in cancer awareness and support for Freetown’s Connaught Hospital cancer ward.
Questions from the audience ranged from port concessions affecting the shipping of educational materials, to strategies for sustainable investment in rural communities.
Looking ahead, Dr. Jalloh is expected to attend other informal community
sessions over the weekend and will continue his official engagements with meetings at the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Commonwealth Secretariat on Monday, July 28th, before returning to Freetown.
The Vice President’s London engagements will further strengthen Sierra Leone’s international outreach strategy, reinforcing the image of the country as a serious player in attracting investment, fostering development, and mobilizing the potential of its global citizens.
