Author: gleanernewspaper

On Monday, Sierra Leone’s Presidential Taskforce on Hajj paid a courtesy call to Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah Affairs, His Excellency Tawfig Al-Rabiah, at the Jeddah Superdome.The meeting, which came after Sierra Leone participated in the 5th Hajj Conference and Exhibition, provided an opportunity for both sides to express gratitude and focus on preparations for the upcoming 2026 Hajj season.The meeting, which followed Sierra Leone’s participation in the 5th Hajj Conference and Exhibition, provided an opportunity for both sides to express gratitude and focus on preparations for the 2026 Hajj season. Alhaji Murtada Sesay, the Taskforce’s chairman, thanked…

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Nabeela Farida Tunis, today pledged her country’s full support for Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais, who was unanimously elected as the new Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation at the 26th General Assembly. Al Nowais succeeds Zurab Pololikashvili, and in her first remarks, she outlined an ambitious agenda for transformative change in the global tourism industry, with a focus on sustainability, community empowerment, and technological innovation. Minister Tunis expressed gratitude to the outgoing Secretary-General for his leadership and for championing sustainability and digital innovation in tourism during his speech at the…

Hon. Sierra Leone’s Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs attended the UN Tourism Conference.Abeela Farida Tunis reiterated her country’s commitment to modernising the tourism industry through technological innovation. Minister Tunis outlined plans to use artificial intelligence to improve how Sierra Leone’s cultural and natural attractions are presented to international visitors during a speech that positioned the country as an aspiring leader in sustainable and smart tourism. She cited President Dr Julius Maada Bio’s establishment of a ministry dedicated to technology and innovation as evidence of the government’s commitment to a digital future. Minister Tunis stated that Sierra Leone is actively…

Sierra Leone’s economy is showing signs of stabilisation despite mounting global headwinds, according to the latest World Bank Sierra Leone Economic Update (SLEU) launched in Freetown. The report, titled “Enabling the Private Sector for Growth and Job Creation,” projects real GDP growth of 4.3 per cent in 2025, rising to 4.6 per cent by 2027, supported by expected gains in agricultural productivity, expansion in mining, and steady services-sector performance. The World Bank says this cautiously optimistic outlook reflects improving domestic conditions and a continuation of recent policy discipline, but cautions that private sector development will be critical to sustain growth…

Sierra Leone joined the international community in commemorating World Intellectual Property Examiners Day 2025 with a high-level ceremony that highlighted the critical role of intellectual property examiners in promoting national development, innovation, and economic prosperity.The event, hosted jointly by the Office of the Administrator and Registrar General and the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, brought together government officials, legal practitioners, creators, and development partners under the banner “Celebrating and Empowering Intellectual Property Exminers.”iners.” ACP Johan Bull Kamara, who chaired the ceremony, emphasised the growing importance of intellectual property in the legal and commercial spheres. With attention…

An extensive investigation into the movements of Dutch fugitive Jos Leijdekkers — also known by the nicknames “Bolle Jos” and “Omar Sheriff” — alleges that the suspect has been operating between Bunce Island and York village on the Peninsula, about 25 miles from Freetown. According to the investigation, Leijdekkers uses luxury speed boats to transport goods between the Rokel River and Port Loko Creek. According to the investigation, a massive warehouse in York village is being used as a cocaine processing facility. According to sources involved in the investigation, the facility is staffed by a mix of local and foreign workers who…

Rashid Sesay, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Dean of the African Group of Ambassadors in the UAE, hosted a meeting of APRA Member State Ambassadors to discuss the results of the recently concluded APRA Investment Forum 2025. The forum, held in Freetown on October 22 and 23, brought together high-level political leaders, technical stakeholders, and private-sector actors to advance renewable energy investment across the continent. Ambassador Sesay opened the session at the Sierra Leone Embassy in Abu Dhabi, stating that the meeting had been organised in collaboration with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), which serves…

President Dr Julius Maada Bio has formally received the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) 2024 Annual Report, praising the Commission’s leadership and staff for their ongoing efforts to improve integrity and accountability in Sierra Leone. The handover, which took place at State House, emphasised the government’s ongoing support for anticorruption institutions and acknowledged the ACC’s growing role in improving governance standards.Deputy Commissioner Augustine Foday Ngobie presented the report to the President, noting that this is the seventh consecutive year that the ACC has met the statutory requirement to provide an annual account of its activities. He cited Section 19(1) of the Anti-Corruption…

His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio joined farmers, paramount chiefs, and international partners in Kambia to commemorate the second anniversary of the Feed Salone initiative and launch a significant new livestock and livelihoods project. The ceremony, held under the global World Food Day theme “Hand in Hand for Better Food and a Better Future,” also included the presentation of the Two-Year Feed Salone Progress Report. President Bio addressed the gathering and praised farmers, traditional leaders, and development partners for their shared commitment to Sierra Leone’s food self-sufficiency. He referred to agriculture as “the heartbeat of our nation,” emphasising that…

The Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation (MoCTI), has formalised a strategic partnership with the SIGN Foundation to design and deploy a suite of blockchain-enabled national systems aimed at accelerating the country’s digital transformation. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two parties outlines a comprehensive programme to build sovereign digital infrastructure that promotes transparency, financial inclusion, and more efficient public service delivery. The collaboration seeks to position Sierra Leone as a regional centre for emerging technologies, with special emphasis on Artificial Intelligence and blockchain applications. Under the terms of the agreement, the…