Author: gleanernewspaper

President Dr Julius Maada Bio has declared 2026 a decisive “Year of Action,” promising Sierra Leoneans that his administration will focus on delivering tangible, everyday improvements in livelihoods, public services, food security, and economic stability. In his New Year’s Day national address, the President acknowledged the economic challenges that families face while expressing confidence that the country has entered the new year in a more stable and realistic position to put past reforms into action. Addressing persistent global challenges such as high living costs, climate-related pressures, and fiscal constraints, President Bio stated that Sierra Leone has made difficult but necessary…

His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio, accompanied by the First Lady, Her Excellency Dr Fatima Maada Bio, paid final respects to the late Talal Saleh Fawaz, also known as Junior Bio, on Monday, January 5, 2026. The Lebanese Islamic Cultural Association headquarters on Kingharman Road hosted the 61-year-old’s funeral prayers. President Bio took advantage of the opportunity to thank Fawaz for his long-standing and unwavering support, especially during the President’s 2023 campaign. He described the late Fawaz as a devoted friend and supporter who remained committed throughout the campaign. “I am here to acknowledge and appreciate his many efforts…

China and UNICEF have formed a strategic partnership to improve newborn and child survival in Sierra Leone, committing new resources and technical assistance to reduce preventable child deaths and strengthen the country’s health-care systems. The programme, funded by the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund (GDF) and facilitated by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), will be carried out in collaboration with Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health. Sierra Leone’s child mortality rate remains unacceptable: nearly one out of every eleven children dies before the age of five, with the majority of these deaths caused by preventable causes such as…

Tuesday January 6, 2026 — In response to President Dr Julius Maada Bio’s proclamation of 2026 as the Year of Action, the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) has launched a targeted series of safety and traffic enforcement measures throughout the Western Area to restore the Right of Way (ROW), reduce congestion, and strengthen public safety.The operation, led by Inspector General of Police William Fayia Sellu, is explicitly based on the Sierra Leone Police Strategic Development Plan (SDP), specifically Goal One, which prioritises increased public safety and crime reduction. According to authorities, the actions put SDP Interventions 14 and 17, which emphasise…

On Monday, January 5, 2026, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Mohammed Barrie, paid a courtesy call on Saudi Deputy Minister of Energy, H.E. Dr Nasser Aldossary, to discuss a bilateral partnership aimed at strengthening Sierra Leone’s energy sector. The meeting focused on opportunities for cooperation in petroleum and renewable energy, technical assistance, and potential Saudi investment to increase Sierra Leone’s energy capacity and ensure long-term supplies.Ambassador Barrie conveyed warm greetings from His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio, as well as the government and people of Sierra Leone, emphasising the importance of strengthening long-standing…

Sierra Leone’s Vice President, His Excellency Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, met with staff from the Sierra Leone High Commission in Accra, Ghana, on Monday, January 5, in the Mission’s conference room. The visit brought together both diplomatic and non-diplomatic personnel, allowing for direct communication between the Vice President and the Sierra Leone delegation in the West African host country.Dr Jalloh and his delegation were warmly welcomed by Charge d’Affaires, Mr. Aiah Edwin Mbawa, on behalf of High Commissioner His Excellency Mohamed Hassan Kaisamba and the Mission’s staff. Mr. Mbawa expressed gratitude that the Vice President took time out of his…

Sierra Leone’s post-war Constitution remains largely unchanged from 1991, despite the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendation for a comprehensive overhaul to ensure democratic governance and long-term stability. That failure to act has left structural and procedural gaps unresolved, flaws that contributed to the disputed 2023 presidential election and the subsequent political impasse, and which now threaten to cause a repeat crisis unless reforms are implemented immediately. In June 2024, the Tripartite Committee, established under the Agreement for National Unity that ended the post-2023 standoff between the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the opposition All People’s Congress (APC), produced nearly…

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has approved Sierra Leone’s Interim Forest Stewardship Standard (IFSS), with the goal of strengthening responsible forest management and bringing the country’s timber and forest industries in line with international sustainability standards. The new standard was formally approved on October 2, 2025, and will go into effect on March 15, 2026, providing forest managers, companies, and communities with a clear, time-bound framework for sustainable sourcing and accountable management.The IFSS is intended to be a useful tool for both public and private actors, providing independent verification that forestry operations adhere to global environmental and social safeguards. The…

Sierra Leone has been named a founding member of the newly formed Group of Friends for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, a United Nations-backed diplomatic initiative designed to strengthen global efforts to protect humanitarian workers working in conflict zones and emergencies.The Group was officially launched last week at an event co-chaired by Australia and Jordan at Geneva’s Palais des Nations. The launch brought together a broad, cross-regional coalition of UN Member States and humanitarian organisations in response to a concerning increase in attacks on aid workers around the world.Ambassador Dr Lansana Gberie, Sierra Leone’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations…

President Julius Maada Bio Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, once derisively referred to as “the Professor of Coup” by his wife, Madam Fatima Bio, now faces what may be his most consequential challenge: steering the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) through an unprecedented wave of military takeovers across the subregion. A new military coup in Guinea-Bissau on November 26, 2025, a day before the official results of the November 23, general election were due to be announced, added another junta-led state to an already disturbing list.  Military officers overthrew President Umaro Sissoco Embaló. President Bio convened an urgent…