Author: gleanernewspaper

New York, November 17, 2025. His Excellency Dr Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and current Chair of the ECOWAS Authority, today chaired a high-level United Nations Security Council open debate on “Threats to International Peace and Security: Conflict-Related Food Insecurity.”President Bio, speaking at UN Headquarters during Sierra Leone’s tenure on the Council, warned that hunger is increasingly being weaponised in conflicts and called for stronger, coordinated international measures to prevent deliberate civilian starvation.President Bio, in his second address to the Security Council in two years, stated that acts of intentionally depriving populations of food are…

The Sierra Leone government has announced the revocation of Petroleum Exploration and Production Licence No. 001/20, which was awarded to Innoson Oil and Gas Ltd in April 2020. The licence, which granted the company exclusive rights to carry out petroleum operations in offshore Blocks 96, 97, 114, 115, 116, 117, 133, 134, and 135, was revoked on September 30, 2025. At the time of issuance, the Licensee was granted sole authority to conduct exploration and production activities in the designated areas, subject to the obligations and conditions outlined in the Licence and applicable Sierra Leonean law. The Government’s decision to…

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Julius Daniel Mattai, has urged African diamond-producing countries to form a united front as they prepare for the 2025 Kimberley Process Plenary in Dubai, UAE. Speaking as Chairman of the African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA) at a Pre-Meeting to Coordinate a Common Position, Minister Mattai emphasised the importance of collective action in shaping international policy in ways that benefit the continent’s diamond sector.The ADPA Pre-Meeting focused on reaching an agreement among member states to ensure that Africa’s priorities are clearly articulated and effectively defended during the upcoming plenary. Minister Mattai emphasised the…

Freetown, Sierra Leone — November 15, 2025 Sierra Leone officially opened the Julius Maada Bio Industrial Fishing Port in a ceremony that leaders say marks the beginning of a new era for the country’s fisheries and blue economy. Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, who represented President Dr Julius Maada Bio at the Bintumani (Black Johnson) launch, described the project as a watershed moment in efforts to modernise the sector, strengthen livelihoods, and increase national revenue generation.Dr Jalloh welcomed a delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong, emphasising that the port project is a clear symbol of Sierra Leone’s…

Augustine Foday Ngobie, Deputy Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission Sierra Leone (ACC-SL), has urged newly crowned Paramount Chiefs to be vigilant, fair, and humble as they take over leadership of their chiefdoms, calling on them to be beacons of integrity, hope, and patriotism. On Wednesday, November 13, 2025, Mr Ngobie delivered the appeal at an induction training organised by the Ministry of Local Government on the ninth floor of the Youyi Building in Freetown.Mr Ngobie, speaking on behalf of the ACC Commissioner, congratulated the traditional leaders on their elevation and reminded them that becoming a Paramount Chief is more than…

AWOL Chairman, LUC Koroma, and Mr Kabba pose with a cross-section of the journalists after the training The All ‘Works’ of Life (AWOL) development organisation has successfully concluded a two-day foundational media training for the Concern Koya Chiefdom Media Team and three officers of the Masiaka Police Division. The training, held on the 15 and 16 November 2025 at the Ahmadiyya Secondary School in Masiaka, was facilitated by AWOL Chairman and Ex Officio of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, who volunteered his expertise as part of AWOL’s new ‘Giving Back to Society’ initiative. The programme aimed…

Eldred Durosimi Jones (January 6, 1925–March 21, 2020) was a towering figure in the study of African literature, whose scholarship, institutional leadership, and editorial vision shaped the field for generations. Born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, to Eldred Prince William Jones and Ethline Marie (Quinn) Jones, he grew up with a strong interest in education and the pursuit of knowledge. He attended CMS Grammar School before moving on to Fourah Bay College, where he graduated in 1947.His pursuit of advanced study led him to Oxford University, where he received a degree in English Literature in 1953 and a master’s in 1959,…

Hilton Fyle’s life is a story of imagination, bravery, and unwavering dedication to speaking truth to power. Fyle, a celebrated Sierra Leonean journalist and broadcaster, rose to prominence as the longtime host of the BBC’s Network Africa, where his distinct voice and incisive commentary reached listeners across the continent and beyond. Many Africans, both at home and abroad, saw him as a model of principled journalism, embodying professionalism, integrity, and a desire to inform the public. However, Fyle’s abilities and influence extended far beyond the radio studio. He is also a talented musician whose songs use personal experience to document…

Dr Ibrahim Bangura, the charismatic and presumptive All People’s Congress (APC) flagbearer, drew one of the largest political crowds Waterloo has seen in recent memory when his nationwide “Meet the People Tour” swept into Bassa Town on Saturday, 15 November 2025. Supporters converged on the Bassa Town Field by the thousands, creating what many eyewitnesses called a “human forest” and turning the area into an impromptu carnival well before his arrival.  The mood in Waterloo was exuberant and festive from early in the day. Youth groups, market women, bike riders, community leaders and residents lined the streets, waving APC flags…

President Nikos Christodoulides of Cyprus has praised Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio for his leadership at the United Nations Security Council and as Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority, while promising to strengthen bilateral and multilateral relations between the two countries. President Christodoulides described the visit, which was the first official trip to Cyprus by a sitting Sierra Leonean head of state, as a watershed moment, emphasising the two countries’ shared history as former British colonies and the importance of strengthening their relationship. During official talks, the two leaders agreed that, while cooperation has been strong thus far, the visit…