Author: gleanernewspaper

His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, in his capacity as Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, has called for an urgent renewal and strengthening of regional cooperation, backed by sustained international support, to address escalating peace and security threats across West Africa. Addressing the ECOWAS High-Level Consultative Conference on Regional Cooperation and Security in Accra, President Bio warned that insecurity, particularly in the Central Sahel, has reached a critical point that can no longer be contained by individual national efforts.President Bio argued that West Africa is now facing a shared security…

By Claudia Redwood-Sawyerr Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Civic Education, Hon. Chernor Bah, has been formally honoured by film industry leaders following a series of high-level engagements aimed at implementing the country’s first-ever National Film Policy.The meetings, attended by senior representatives from the Sierra Leone Film Council and the Sierra Leone Film Guild, aimed to move the policy from text to practice. Participants used the sessions to develop an operational strategy to guide industry development, clarify institutional responsibilities, and outline the next steps in implementation. During the gatherings, industry leaders recognised Minister Bah’s leadership of the long-awaited policy by…

Sierra Leone’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Barrie, paid a courtesy call on the Hon. Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah (Cee Bah), at the Youyi Building to discuss ways to deepen bilateral cooperation and support the country’s national priorities.During the meeting, Ambassador Barrie and Minister Bah discussed the Government’s “Big Five” agenda and how stronger relations with Saudi Arabia could help the country’s development goals. The Ambassador briefed the Minister on existing areas of cooperation between Sierra Leone and Saudi Arabia, and they discussed ways to expand collaboration, particularly in development-related…

Declaring 2026 to be a “year of action,” President Julius Maada Bio promised concrete outcomes for Sierra Leoneans. However, his administration’s decision to increase the pump price of petroleum products just one month after making that commitment has caused widespread annoyance, with many fearing the action will worsen the already dire economic situation.  The decision by officials to raise the price of fuel, which is considered a political and economic commodity in this country, is anticipated to have immediate repercussions. Traders caution that as production and transportation costs rise, the cost of living necessities, particularly daily foodstuffs, will also rise. Commercial…

Aminata Kamara joined other global leaders, policymakers, and investors in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 13th January to 15th January, 2025 for the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) 2026, where conversations centered on one unavoidable theme: the future of mining will be shaped as much by human capital as well as AI. “The discussions were heavily focused on human capital development, with a strong focus on AI. Right now, Sierra Leone has yet to tap out into AI in mining but we must,” Kamara said. A Global Conversation Sierra Leone Cannot Afford to Miss Across panels at FMF, artificial intelligence (AI) was framed not…

By Mohamed Jaward NyallayChernor Bah, Minister of Information and Civic Education, met with the leadership of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, to improve inclusion and collaboration between the two institutions.Minister Bah, who has championed social care advocacy for war-wounded and amputees, praised the Commission for its efforts to advance the rights and welfare of people with disabilities throughout the country.He said the ministry was especially proud of its decision to include sign language interpretation in all major public engagement programs.”Sign language interpreters now attend 100% of our public engagements. “We are proud…

On behalf of the Tripartite Steering Committee, the Public Sector Reform Unit (PSRU) formally presented the Management and Functional Review (MFR) Reports of key Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) to Chief Minister Dr David Moinina Sengeh. The Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC), Independent Media Commission (IMC), and Independent Police Complaints Board (IPCB) were among the institutions investigated. Mr Sulaiman Phoray-Musa, Director of PSRU, presented the reports, emphasising key findings and recommendations aimed at improving institutional efficiency, governance, and service delivery within EMBs. The reviews followed the recommendations of the Tripartite Committee Report, which was previously submitted…

On Monday, January 26, 2026, the Minister of Finance, Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura, reassured a World Bank scoping team of Sierra Leone’s continued commitment to deepening reforms in Public Financial Management (PFM) to deliver improved public services. The assurances came as he officially welcomed the World Bank’s scoping mission for the proposed Strengthening Accountability and Local Oversight for the New Generation Public Financial Management Project, a program aimed at improving financial oversight, accountability, and efficiency in public sector operations.The multidisciplinary mission, which was introduced to the Minister by World Bank Country Manager Abdu Muwonge, will consult with a wide range…

His Excellency, President Dr Julius Maada Bio, has highlighted Sierra Leone’s emergence as a continental trade reform leader, announcing the country’s historic achievement as the first to complete and publish its National AfCFTA Readiness Assessment and Schedule of Commitments, as well as making a compelling case for investors to partner with Sierra Leone’s growing digital and industrial economies. On Wednesday, January 21, 2026, President Bio spoke as Co-Chair of the Forum Friends of the AfCFTA Breakfast Meeting on the margins of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Davos 2026. He described the milestone as a product of bold national leadership forged…

Freetown, Sierra Leone, January 2026— The MoPED collaborated with AFRITAC West 2, supported by the International Monetary Fund, to conduct a ten-day Technical Assistance Mission from January 12-21, 2026. The mission aimed to improve alignment between national development priorities, public investment planning, and the national budget. The engagement sought to strengthen institutional capacity within MoPED’s Directorates of Planning and Public Investment, improve coordination with the Ministry of Finance (MoF), and ensure that strategic plans are consistently translated into funded and implemented projects.The mission began with a courtesy call from Madam Kenyeh Barlay, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, who reaffirmed…