Sierra Leone strengthens youth-centred diplomacy as UN Youth Chief hails UNSC tenure

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Youth Affairs, Ibrahim Sannoh, led a high-level delegation to a courtesy meeting with Alhaji Timothy Musa Kabba, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, on April 2, 2026, in Freetown. The meeting allowed attendees to reflect on Sierra Leone’s recent international achievements and discuss potential avenues for deeper collaboration on youth issues.
Dr Paullier began by congratulating Sierra Leone’s government on its successful two-year term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. He commended Minister Kabba for the country’s strong diplomatic posture during its UNSC term, particularly for ensuring that youth development and global youth priorities were consistently represented in Sierra Leone’s international engagements. The Assistant Secretary-General stated that his visit to Freetown was prompted by a previous meeting with Minister Sannoh at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where both officials discussed potential areas for increased collaboration.
Dr Paullier praised Minister Sannoh’s leadership, noting that Sierra Leone is increasingly regarded as a regional voice for youth empowerment. He emphasised the importance of keeping the momentum going so that young people are at the forefront of discussions about peace, development, and international cooperation.
Minister Kabba greeted Dr Paullier and reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s commitment to youth-centred diplomacy. “Dr Paullier, we are honoured to host you and grateful for the Security Council’s recognition of Sierra Leone’s contributions. “Our tenure was motivated by a strong belief that young people should be at the heart of peace, development, and global dialogue,” he said. He also praised Minister Sannoh’s leadership, noting that the Ministry’s efforts have assisted in projecting Sierra Leone’s youth aspirations on a global scale.
“Sierra Leone is prepared to strengthen partnerships with the United Nations, and we applaud the leadership of our Minister of Youth Affairs, whose efforts continue to raise the aspirations of young Sierra Leoneans to the global stage. “We look forward to collaborating to ensure that youth issues remain at the heart of our international cooperation,” Minister Kabba stated.
The engagement emphasised Sierra Leone’s growing reputation as a domestic and international champion of youth empowerment, as well as a shared desire to strengthen ties between the government and UN youth programmes.