Author: gleanernewspaper

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…

At ExCeL London’s Royal Docks, Sierra Leone concluded a lively three-day presence at World Travel Market (WTM) London 2025 with a showcase that combined culture, food, and business. By combining festive public moments with focused industry engagement, the West African nation left a lasting impression on nearly 200 countries and over 4,000 exhibitors. One of the highlights was when Deputy High Commissioner Yvonne King Odigboh and Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs Nabeela Farida Tunis unexpectedly took to the pavilion floor and danced to the classic song “Let Me Love You (…FOREVER)” by Bunny Mack. Their spontaneous performance, which was…

The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), working in partnership with the ECOWAS National Office in Sierra Leone, has completed a twoday series of stakeholder sensitisation meetings in the country’s NorthWest region aimed at deepening public understanding of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its range of interventions in Sierra Leone. The outreach events took place at the District Council Hall in Makeni on 6 November 2025 and at the Provincial Secretary’s Office in Port Loko on 7 November 2025. Organisers said the sessions drew more than 134 participants representing a broad crosssection of society: civil…

An illustration of Jos Leijdekkers Many Sierra Leoneans have welcomed President Julius Maada Bio’s recent announcement of sweeping measures to combat the country’s drug crisis. Still, it has also fuelled scepticism and urgent calls for the campaign to target not just low-level dealers, but also the alleged kingpins and global networks that, according to international news reports, have transformed parts of the country into a transhipment and processing hub.  President Bio, speaking at a high-level stakeholders’ meeting at State House attended by ministers, security chiefs, justice-sector leaders, and civil society representatives, described the Kush epidemic as one of Sierra Leone’s most…