Author: gleanernewspaper

In Kambia, Northern Sierra Leone, health officials have confirmed a case of vaccine-derived polio virus. Even though the virus is not as dangerous as the wild poliovirus, it can still spread quickly and mutate, which can harm one’s health. The case was promptly confirmed by testing at the Institute Pasteur in Abidjan and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases in South Africa. The Ministry of Health is actively working with neighbouring nations on cross-border surveillance and public education regarding polio and vaccination in response to this development. To stop the virus from spreading further, a strong response strategy is being…

The National Cycling Association team from Sierra Leone has made it safely to Ghana for the 13th African Games. On Wednesday, the team departed from Freetown International Airport and touched down in Accra a few hours later. The nation’s capital, Accra, will host the Games. Ten to fifteen days of thrilling brain and body competitions between 5,000 top athletes and coaches from fifty-five African nations in twenty-nine chosen sports codes will take place during the 13th edition of the African Games. With a TV and internet viewership of over 5.5 billion, the event will also feature over 3000 technical officers,…

When faced with mental health issues, women in Sierra Leone frequently have nowhere to turn in their community. Out of eight million people, there are only five psychiatrists in the nation, meaning that most women do not have access to the critical mental health care they require. The Nyali Foundation is urging more funding for women’s mental health services in Sierra Leone on this International Women’s Day. This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Invest in women: Accelerate progress,” and this investment must include mental health support. Successful communities and countries depend on strong, empowered women, but many Sierra Leonean…

The minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation for Sierra Leone, Timothy Musa Kabba, has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to prevent civilian deaths, especially those of women and children who are the most vulnerable groups engaged in the conflict. Speaking at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Extraordinary Session of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in Jeddah, Minister Kabba underlined the necessity for all stakeholders to uphold international law and safeguard civilians. In line with the United Nations Charter, Minister Kabba reiterated Sierra Leone’s commitment to multilateralism and the international legal order. In addition to reiterating the Palestinian people’s…

Dr. Julius Maada Bio and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Dr. Julius Maada Bio, the president of the Republic of Sierra Leone, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently met to talk about ways to strengthen ties between their two nations. The leaders focused on the trade, investment, and economic sectors as they looked into opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation.  The meeting, which took place at Qasr Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi, served as a platform for the two leaders to discuss topics of shared interest on a regional and international level.…

Ambassador Dr. Phrancis Momoh, Sierra Leone’s Special Envoy for Trade, Investment, and International Relations, recently concluded a productive round of trade negotiations with key executives of Porcelanosa, a well-known Spanish company. The talks, which took place in Villarreal, Spain, concentrated on the possible creation of a sizable hub in Sierra Leone, indicating a critical step in enhancing Porcelanosa’s worldwide footprint. The main office of Porcelanosa, a significant supplier of materials for interior and exterior design, is located in Villarreal. Wall and floor tiles, hardwood, natural stone, mosaics, ceramic and porcelain fittings, and wood parquet are just a few with a…

Judges of the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone Justice Richard Brunt Lussick of Samoa was elected as the new President of the Residual Special Court for a two-year term during the most recent Plenary of Judges meeting, which took place in Freetown. As the Vice President, Justice Isaack Lenaola of Kenya was elected to succeed Justice Emmanuel Ekundayo Roberts of Sierra Leone. Justice Lussick succeeds Justice Pierre Boutet of Canada. In addition, Justice Alusine Sesay of Sierra Leone was chosen to replace Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards as Staff Appeal Judge. The Registrar, Prosecutor, and Principal Defender of the Court…

Emmerson Mnangagwa started a second term as president last year after controversial elections Due to their links to serious human rights violations or corruption, the United States has added eleven Zimbabwean individuals and three entities—including President Emmerson Mnangagwa—to the Global Magnitsky sanctions programme. The United States is enacting a more robust and focused sanctions policy against Zimbabwe, which includes these designations, in response to President Biden’s approval of a new Executive Order ending the sanctions programme that had been in place since 2003. The serious cases of human rights violations and corruption in Zimbabwe continue to worry the United States. …

With Sierra Leone’s fixed broadband speed ranking 144th in the world and 32nd in Africa, the country has long struggled with broadband connectivity. The Ministry of Communication, Technology, and Innovation organised the National Broadband Strategy Validation workshop on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, at the New Freetown City Council Building in Freetown, as a proactive measure, after realising how important it was to address this issue. The workshop brought together a range of stakeholders from different sectors to collaborate on policy recommendations aimed at improving broadband connectivity in the country. Attendees included mobile network operators, service providers, Metro Cable, the National…

Dr Jassim Al-hamdan and Her Excellency Haja Ishata Thomas  By Cyril Barnes Sierra Leone Ambassador to the State of Kuwait, Her Excellency Haja Ishata Thomas, has held fruitful discussions with Dr. Jassim Al-hamdan, Dean of Students Affairs of the University of Kuwait, to increase the admission quota for Sierra Leonean students. The two countries ratified the Education Agreement in 2021, allowing the State of Kuwait to allocate four scholarship slots annually to the Republic of Sierra Leone for eligible Sierra Leoneans to study in the State of Kuwait, as part of the implementation of the agreement. Currently, Sierra Leone has…