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Chinese President Xi Jinping Announces ¥50 Million Economic and Technical Assistance, ¥20 Million Debt Cancellation and 1500 Tonnes of Food Assistance for Sierra Leone Beijing, China, Wednesday 28 February 2024 – His Excellency President Xi Jinping has announced a ¥50 million economic and technical assistance, ¥20 million debt cancellation and 1500 tonnes of Food Assistance for Sierra Leone during a bilateral meeting with Sierra Leone’s President Dr Julius Maada Bio who is on a state visit to China. During the meeting, President Xi Jinping stated that President Bio was the first African Head of State to be received in 2024 and described the long-standing relationship between Sierra Leone and China as an efficient cooperation. He highlighted various forms of assistance Sierra Leone had benefitted from China and expressed firm commitment to supporting the President’s big five priorities. He commended President Bio’s leadership of African Union’s C-10 and assured him of China’s

Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio and First Lady Fatima Bio Attend Burial Service of the late President Hage Geingob of Namibia Windhoek, Namibia, Sunday 25 February 2024 - His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio and First Lady Fatima Bio have attended the burial service of the late former President of Namibia, Hage Geingob. During the burial service, the Chief Mourner and President of Namibia, His Excellency Dr Nango Mbumba, delivered an emotional tribute to the late President for his exceptional leadership. The Prayer and Scripture Reading was conducted by Rt. Rev. Pastor Sageus Keib of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia. President Bio and First Lady Fatima Bio joined other Heads of State and their spouses for the laying of wreaths. It could be recalled that in December 2022, the late President Hage Geingob and his wife, Madam Monica Geingos, paid a state visit to Sierra Leone. During that visit, the late leader narrated his special relationship wit

Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio and First Lady Fatima Bio arrive in China ahead of State Visit Beijing, China, Tuesday 27 February 2024- His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio and First Lady Fatima Bio have arrived in Beijing, China, ahead of a State Visit that is scheduled from 28 February to 2 March. President Bio and First Lady Fatima Bio are in China at the invitation extended by the President of the People's Republic of China, His Excellency Xi Jinping, with the aim of strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations. During their time in China, President Bio is expected to hold meetings with high-ranking officials in Government including the Premier of China, His Excellency Li Qiang and the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Zhao Leji. President Bio and First Lady Fatima Bio will be graciously hosted by President Xi Jinping and the two leaders will engage in official talks to discuss areas of mutual cooperation. As

Minister of Information And Civic Education, Chernor Bah, Addresses Extraordinary Session of OIC on Disinformation and Attacks Against Palestinian Journalists, Calls For Immediate Ceasefire Istanbul, Turkiye, Saturday 24 February 2024 Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Civic Education, Honorable Chernor A. Bah, has addressed the Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and has reiterated #SierraLeone’s call for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Palenstine. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Conference of Information Ministers was geared towards addressing attacks and hostilities on journalists and media personalities and fighting disinformation in the ongoing Israeli military operations against Palestine. Honorable Bah noted that Sierra Leone has always been committed to a Free Press and to Freedom of Information, saying that an attack on journalism should never be allowed to stand

Title: Breaking Barriers and Building Bridges: Ambassador George Hamilton's Galant Efforts Secure $20 Million Dump Trucks Grant for Sierra Leone In an extraordinary display of dedication and tenacity, Amb. Hamilton, alongside Mr. Ansu Dukuray of Varian Medical Systems has emerged as a true champions, successfully securing a monumental $20 million Dump Truck grant for Sierra Leone. This accomplishment not only reflects their unwavering commitment to strengthening international partnerships but also highlights the transformative impact of visionary leadership under His Excellency The President Rtd. Brigadier Dr. Julius Maada Bio (Talk & Do) Economic Diplomacy. Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Dukuray solicited the aid directly from the Russian government, selected the dump trucks to support President Bio’s national cleaning initiatives in the early days of his presidency, and brought in government officials from the foreign ministry to seal the deal. They worked tirelessly with their Russ

Sierra Leone's Minister of Information and Civic Education Chernor Bah Arrives in Istanbul Ahead Of OIC Conference Istanbul, Turkiye, Friday 23 February 2024 Sierra Leone's Minister of Information and Civic Education, Honorable Chernor A. Bah has arrived in Istanbul, Turkiye, ahead of 2024 Extraordinary Session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The Cooperation (OIC) will hold an extraordinary Session of the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers in Istanbul, Republic of Turkiye, on 24 February 2024 to discuss the ongoing crisis between Israel and the Occupied State of Palestine. The Republic of Turkiye is hosting the conference, in its capacity as Chair of the current session of the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers, where it is expected that information ministers and ministers responsible for communication in the OIC Member States will participate in the conference.

Thrilled to announce that thanks to the efforts of the #NaturalResourceGovernance Team at #EPASL, and following a highly competitive process, #SierraLeone has been selected from among 30 low and middle-income countries that expressed interest in the 1st phase of #UNDP's Global NBSAP Accelerator Partnership. Over the next 3 years, #EPASL and #MECC will work with the #Partnership to accelerate the alignment of the NBSAP with the Kunming-Montreal #GlobalBiodiversityFramework (GBF) and meet specific global and national #biodiversity targets. #EPASL will benefit from access to financial and technical support, customized in-country facilitation, and cross-country learning, which will raise the political profile of the #NBSAP and promote cross-sectoral and regional nature-positive action. Environment Protection Agency Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone’s First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio’s activities at the just-concluded 28th OAFLAD 2024 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. For more details, live coverage, and pictures of the event in Ethiopia,kindly check the official Facebook page of Her Excellency First Lady Fatima Maada Bio.

ECOWAS Investment Bank President Pays Courtesy Call on Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio, Assures of Strengthening and Supporting Government Objectives Presidential Lodge, Freetown, Tuesday 20 February 2024 – His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has received Dr George Agyekum Donkor, President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, EBID, who prefaced his meeting with a condolence message to the Bio and Jalloh families for the death of the late Mrs. Agnes Deen-Jalloh, the President’s elder sister. Chief Minister David Moinina Sengeh, introduced the team, stating the purpose that the visit was prompted by an engagement President Bio had with them a few years ago, where he invited them to come and invest in Sierra Leone. He said the bank had, therefore, expressed the desire to invest in the country. Acting Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kadiatu Alie, informed that they had had fruitful initial engagements on some ongoing projects and others that were expec

New postings for District Agriculture Officer. Women increase in posts by 300%.

Ministry of Information and Civic Education's Press Conference 20th February 2024 KEY HIGHLIGHTS Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone Dr. Ibrahim Stevens disclosed to the public that very soon citizens will start enjoying an instant payment system on the national switch, according to him, this will enable citizens to perform transactions across all mobile networks and banks. He said in four months' time citizens should expect an announcement from him. Dr. Stevens said the vision of the Bank is to go digital to achieve financial inclusion and a cashless society. Governor Dr. Stevens went on to update the public that the abbreviation for our leones is 'NLe' locally and internationally is 'SLE'. He also said that for historical and accounting purposes the Bank intends to keep the 'Le' as a legal abbreviation as the Bank is working on taking an amendment of the Bank's Act to Parliament in order to retain the 'Le' in the Act. The Bank Go

𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐃𝐫. 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐚𝐝𝐚 𝐁𝐢𝐨 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐀𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐃 𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, February 17 2024. Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of Sierra Leone, united with other African First Ladies at the 28th Ordinary General Assembly of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD). The Assembly, hosted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, revolves around the pivotal theme: "Educate Her and Transform Africa: Enhancing access to health and education for the 21st century's African women and girls." The Assembly commenced with a closed-door meeting, where the First Ladies engaged in productive discussions about the organisation's progress, setting the stage for the official opening ceremony scheduled for tomorrow, February 18, 2024. This ga

First Lady of Sierra Leone Dr. Fatima Maada Bio attends the official opening ceremony of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) 28th General Assembly meeting today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The theme for this year's General Assembly is “Educate Her and Transform Africa: Enhancing Access to Health and Education for the 21st Century’s African Women and Girls" February 18th, 2024.

Today, Sierra Leone celebrates Armed Forces Day with deep reverence and gratitude, honoring the courage and sacrifices of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF). On this special day, we recognize the unwavering commitment of our military personnel to safeguarding our nation's security and promoting peace. To all members of the RSLAF, we extend our heartfelt appreciation for your dedication and service to the nation. Your bravery and sacrifice do not go unnoticed, and we stand united in support of your noble mission. Happy Armed Forces Day to all our gallant men and women in uniform.

ARMED FORCES DAY 2024 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE ARMED FORCES My Fellow Sierra Leoneans, As we honour the bravery, sacrifice and resilience of our Armed Forces, we are reminded of the profound debt of gratitude we owe to those who have served and continue to serve our beloved nation with unwavering dedication. On this solemn occasion of Armed Forces Day, we pay tribute to the fearless heroes who have laid down their lives in defence of our sovereignty and the principles of freedom, justice and democracy. Their selfless commitment to duty, often in the face of great peril, serves as a beacon of inspiration for us all. On this day of commemoration, we thank God for their gallantry and lives. HAPPY ARMED FORCES DAY!

SADC Macroeconomic Convergence Peer Review Mission A Team of officials from the Republic of Angola accompanied by officials from the SADC Secretariat was in Botswana from 12th - 16th February 2024 to undertake a SADC Peer Review exercise. The general objectives of the Mission were to review Botswana’s macroeconomic developments since the last Peer Review that was undertaken in February 2018, to assess the country’s progress towards attainment of the SADC Macroeconomic Convergence Criteria. Annex 2 of the SADC Protocol on Finance and Investment established a Macroeconomic Convergence (MEC) Programme for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States. The MEC Programme is aimed at encouraging Member States to reach some level of policy convergence to make the region attractive for investment; both domestically and externally. The SADC Peer Review Panel (PRP) meeting which was held on 19th July 2023 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), approved peer re

𝐃𝐫. 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐚𝐝𝐚 𝐁𝐢𝐨 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐁𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐢𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐀𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐃 February 16th 2024. First Lady of Sierra Leone, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, has arrived safely in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the 28th Ordinary General Assembly of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD). The assembly is scheduled to commence on Saturday, February 17th 2024, with the theme "Educate Her and Transform Africa: Enhancing Access to Health and Education for the 21st Century’s African Women and Girls." This theme aligns with the African Union’s broader focus on "Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa." OAFLAD aims to leverage this gathering to highlight the crucial connections betwee

February 16, 2024 The First Lady of Sierra Leone, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, has departed from the Freetown International Airport for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, ahead of the 28th Ordinary General Assembly of Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) scheduled to start on Saturday, 17th February 2024.

The National Cybersecurity Coordination Center, in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University Africa, organized a three-day Cybersecurity Workshop themed "Guardians of the Digital Realm." Held from February 15th to 17th, 2024, at Limkokwing University in Hill Station, Freetown, Sierra Leone, the workshop aimed to equip educators and students with the necessary skills and knowledge to securely navigate the digital world and to consider cybersecurity as a promising career option. During the opening ceremony, Mrs. Mariama Yormah, the Coordinator for the National Cybersecurity Coordination Center, highlighted the critical importance of cybersecurity and the growing opportunities in the field. She specifically encouraged students, particularly women, to pursue cybersecurity careers, citing the escalating demand for professionals in the sector. The Deputy Minister of Communications, Technology & Innovation, Mr. Ibrahim Sannoh, reiterated the government's commitment to

Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio Meets Outgoing Bar Association Executive, Commends the Bar President for Her Leadership State House, Freetown, Wednesday 14 February 2024 – His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has received the outgoing executive members of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, who called at his office to update him on key achievements during their tenure, and commended their leadership role in nationbuilding. Its President, Eddinia Michaela Swallow Esq., thanked President Bio for his support to the association and described her tenure as very successful, pointing out that they had conducted many trainings, including one by judges from the UK, for the first time, to deliver training in advocacy in Sierra Leone. “So, what we have now, after that training, is a core of judges and senior lawyers trained to train our lawyers on advocacy. This will improve the quality of our profession,” she said. Swallow Esq. said one of their biggest interventions

The leadership and management of the EPA have embarked on a familiarization tour to enable cross-governmental advocacy, leadership, and participation to address key structural barriers and stimulate intersectoral collaboration and coherence. On January 31st of this year, the Environment Protection Agency Sierra Leone launched its Transformation Strategy, a document that presents the program of work and sets out the results framework for the agency for the next 7 years, 2024–2030. The interconnectedness of natural resources with economic gains and the impacts on humanity ran throughout the development of the transformation strategy, making it imminent to capacitate the agency, its boundary partners, and stakeholders to intensify collaboration, engagements, and partnerships to effectively manage environmental governance and management. On this note, the Executive Chairman, Abu-Bakar S. Massaquoi, the directors of Finance, Administration, Field Operations and Extensions, Legal, Com

IN BOMBALI DISTRICT. Ongoing Town Hall meeting at the Makeni City Council to discuss with stakeholders the Finance Act, Toll Gate, Waka Fine Buses, Tripartite Committee, National ID Card, and many more government-related matters. The Makeni City Mayor, Chief Administrator, Traditional Leaders, CSOs, Media, Market women, political party representatives, and other pressure groups are in attendance to listen to the Outreach Unit of the Ministry. The Ministry is committed to disseminating factual, accurate, and timely information to the people of Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio Presides Over Swearing-In Ceremony of Judge of the Supreme Court, Says Judiciary Is Most Pivotal Arm of Government State House, Freetown, Friday 16 February 2024 – His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has presided over the judicial oath-taking ceremony of Abdulai Masiyambay Bangura, Esq., who was recently appointed as Judge of the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone under the Constitution of Sierra Leone. Secretary to the President, Dr Julius Sandy, who the process also reminded that on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, under Section 135(2) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, it pleased the President on 26 January 2024 to announce the appointment of Mr. Bangura as Judge of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Sierra Leone. He said Parliament then interviewed the candidate to assess and determine his suitability or otherwise to serve as a judge of the Supreme Court. “I am pleased to inform Your Excellency

This morning I extended a warm welcome to representatives of the House Of Happiness Sierra Leone for discussions about tackling the current pervasive and destructive use of the illegal substance Kush. We talked about building an effective partnership and about strategies and solutions that are being implemented to tackle this crisis. Next steps for deepening collaboration were agreed on. The day continued with an inspiring courtesy call from the present Miss Sierra Leone. I wished her well as she prepared to travel to the Miss World Competition. Myself and FCC colleagues then met with the Minister of Environment, Hon Jiwoh Abdullai. We engaged in a fruitful dialogue about the current Transform Freetown initiatives to support environmental management and climate action and how these align with the Ministry’s national agenda. This meeting laid the groundwork for future collaboration between the Ministry of Environment and the Freetown City Council which will be beneficial to the

𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐇.𝐄. 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐐𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐃𝐫. 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐚𝐝𝐚 𝐁𝐢𝐨. February 14th 2024. Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone H.E. Wang Qing, accompanied by his lovely wife, today met with Her Excellency First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio at her Goderich offices. The meeting emphasised the First Lady's ongoing significant role in improving the 34 Military Hospital as well as the laudable efforts of China therein. The First Lady warmly welcomed her visitors, expressing gratitude for China's proactive outreach to assist in the country's Health sector whilst assuring that there will be a continued commitment by her husband's Government to strengthen the two countries' bilateral relationship. During the meeting, H.E. Wang Qing as the emissary of the People’s Republic of China, pledged his unwavering dedication towards the 34 Military Hospital improvement project

Today, I received the great entertainer and Brand Ambassador for Sierra Leone, Idris Elba, who led a team of investors, including Zoisa North-Bond, CEO of Octopus Energy Generation, and Tamar Pashtan, Head of ESG & Impact, Vital Capital. The delegation is in Sierra Leone to leverage our nation’s unique investment offerings, including Renewable Energy and Agriculture, as well as the ongoing Sherbro Island City project - a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) designated to building a world-class Afro-dynamic Eco-city for West Africa. Idris has continued to lend his voice and support to our Government’s economic development priorities, and we remain committed to working with him towards promoting Sierra Leone as a prime investment destination for discerning investors.

13th February 2024 Minister of Information and Civic Education Chernor Bah assured citizens that, the government is committed to bringing social change in the transport sector through the WAKA FINE BUSES. Minister Chernor Bah said, the government as a listening one has heard the concerns of citizens and action is being taken to address all the concerns associated with the corridors. Minister Chernor Bah called on citizens to go out and obtain their National Identification Cards. He said the acquisition of the National ID is mandatory and therefore called on everyone to ensure they collect their national ID cards. The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation Dr. Sao Kpata Hannah Max-Kyne bemoaned the human activities in destroying the environment. Deforestation is taking place, especially around water catchment areas. She said the Ministry is currently working around the clock to ensure they protect catchment areas. They are collaborating with the Environmental Protection

Government announces revised toll gate charges that will come into effect on March 1. 2024 at 6:00am.