UN Tourism Secretary-General Pledges Support for Sierra Leone’s Tourism Development After Meeting President Bio

Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Tuesday, 3 February 2026 – Shaikha Alnuwais, the newly elected Secretary-General of UN Tourism and the first woman to hold the post, met with Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit and committed strong institutional support for the development of Sierra Leone’s tourism sector. Alnuwais outlined her five strategic priorities for global tourism during a productive conversation between the two leaders: sustainable and responsible growth; digital transformation and data-driven tourism; economic inclusion and local empowerment; infrastructure, connectivity, and tourism enablers; and governance, transparency, and global trust.
During the meeting the Secretary-General underscored Sierra Leone’s considerable potential as a tourism destination and expressed readiness to work closely with the government to unlock new opportunities for investment, community benefit and sustainable jobs. She also briefed President Bio on her recent engagement with Madam Nabeela F. Tunis, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, praising the minister’s visionary approach and the progress already achieved under her leadership.
President Bio congratulated Alnuwais on her election and noted the strong bilateral relations between Sierra Leone and the United Arab Emirates, saying those ties were instrumental in galvanizing support for her candidacy. He acknowledged both the opportunities and the challenges facing Sierra Leone’s tourism industry and emphasized that enhanced cooperation with UN Tourism would be a catalyst for meaningful progress. The president commended Minister Tunis for the remarkable strides made to date and pledged Sierra Leone’s full backing for the Secretary-General’s agenda, reiterating his own personal commitment to accelerate the sector’s development.
The meeting concluded with Alnuwais committing to continued collaboration and announcing her intention to visit Sierra Leone in the near future to deepen partnership and support practical initiatives on the ground.