Author: gleanernewspaper

His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio recently received a courtesy call at State House in Freetown from Dr. Ali Bin Sammikh Marri, the State of Qatar’s Minister of Labour. This visit, which aimed to reaffirm Qatar’s commitment to bolstering bilateral cooperation with Sierra Leone, particularly in the areas of labour and employment, was a significant step in the development of the two nations’ international relations. Minister Marri’s official visit was meant to explore possible collaboration between the labour sectors of the two countries, according to Mr. Mohamed Rahman Swaray, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Labour and Employment, who welcomed the…

Group photo The conclusion of a crucial three-day workshop in Freetown, Sierra Leone, aimed at improving civil society participation in Security Sector Reform and Governance (SSRG). This workshop, which will take place from July 14–16, 2025, brings together government officials, development partners, technical experts, and representatives of various civil society organisations (CSOs) to promote cooperation and improve oversight of the security sector. Senior officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the European Union Delegation, Germany, the ECOWAS Resident Representative, and UNDP Sierra Leone gave remarks to officially open the workshop. Together, these parties seek to strengthen civil society’s contribution to…

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Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary Tiwai Island has been officially added to the UNESCO World Heritage list, marking a significant milestone in Sierra Leone’s biodiversity conservation efforts. This recognition is largely due to the tireless efforts of activist Tommy Garnett, whose decades-long dedication to environmental preservation has played a critical role in protecting this lush forest, which is home to one of the world’s highest concentrations of primates. On Sunday, the announcement was made, and the 66-year-old Garnett expressed profound joy, relief, and hope. Speaking from the verdant surroundings of Tiwai Island, he reflected on the path that led to this…

Tommy Garnett founded the Environmental Foundation for Africa, whose work played a key role in Tiwai Island becoming a UNESCO Heritage Site. PHOTO: SAIDU BAH By Lucie PEYTERMANN, with Saidu BAH on Tiwai Island ADDS quotes from UNESCO director general Activist Tommy Garnett’s decades of work paid off when Sierra Leone’s Tiwai island — a lush forest home to one of the world’s highest concentrations of primates — landed a spot Sunday on the UN cultural agency’s World Heritage list. The 66-year-old and the conservation group he founded are the reason Tiwai, which was nearly destroyed during Sierra Leone’s 1991-2002 civil war,…

Her Excellency Madam Angie Lavela von Ballmoos and His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio The Ambassador of the Republic of Liberia to the Republic of Sierra Leone, Her Excellency Madam Angie Lavela von Ballmoos, has officially taken leave of His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio after three years of dedicated service in Sierra Leone.Reflecting on her time in the country, Ambassador von Ballmoos noted that it was with a heavy heart that she bade farewell, marking the end of a fulfilling tenure in what she described as a beautiful and welcoming nation. She expressed deep appreciation for the warm hospitality…

By Ibrahim Sorie Koroma. Sierra Leone successfully administered the first dose of the Mpox vaccine to 133,710 people through two rounds of proactive vaccination campaigns, according to the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) of the Ministry of Health. This effort demonstrates the country’s commitment to combating the Mpox outbreak, which was declared after the first confirmed case in February 2025. According to vaccination data, males account for 52% of those vaccinated, totalling 69,529. Females account for 48%, with 64,181 individuals receiving the vaccine. Notably, the majority of vaccinated people—77%, or 102,957—are between the ages of 20 and 49 years. This…

Dr. Charles Edward Lahai Senessie-(R) The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has officially appointed Professor Dr. Charles Edward Lahai Senessie as a Member of its Strategy Committee for the 2025–2028 term, representing the West and Central Africa constituency. His appointment follows the Global Fund Board Decision Point GF/B52/EDP10, approved on 8th April 2025.Dr. Senessie’s three-year term, effective from 10th May 2025, places him at the heart of one of the Global Fund’s most influential decision-making bodies. The Strategy Committee is responsible for guiding and overseeing the Fund’s strategic direction, ensuring that its work remains aligned with global health priorities, scientific evidence,…

His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio has officially decorated the newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Amara Idara Bangura, along with Major General S.D.T. Ngaujah, Major General K.T. Sesay, and other general-ranking officers during a solemn ceremony held at State House.During the decoration ceremony and oath-taking, the Secretary to the President, Mr. Baba Fortune, explained that based on the recommendation of the Defence Council, His Excellency President Bio had graciously approved the promotions of Lt. Gen. Bangura and his colleagues. The newly promoted officers were administered their oaths of office by established military tradition.In his remarks, Lieutenant General…

The President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio, delivered a detailed progress report on regional integration within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) during the 7th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union held in Malabo.The summit, hosted by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea and chaired by President João Lourenço of Angola, brought together African Union (AU) leaders, heads of Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and other key stakeholders. The gathering focused on assessing the continent’s progress in…