The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Alpha Sesay, and the House of Parliament have formally ratified two major international instruments aimed at bolstering Sierra Leone’s justice sector reforms, expanding peaceful dispute resolution options, and reaffirming the country’s human rights obligations. Parliament approved the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed) (2020) and the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), aiming at the Abolition of the Death Penalty, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly under Resolution 44/128 on December 15, 1989.
Attorney General Sesay presented the treaties to lawmakers, framing both instruments as central to Sierra Leone’s development agenda and ongoing justice reforms. He explained that the IOMed Convention establishes an international framework for resolving commercial, investment, and other cross-border disputes through mediation, which is a faster and less costly alternative to litigation and arbitration. Sesay stated that the treaty is consistent with the principles of the United Nations Charter and Sierra Leone’s foreign policy objectives, and he emphasised its potential to create professional opportunities for Sierra Leoneans specialising in mediation and dispute resolution.
The Attorney General also emphasised that the Convention gives member states flexibility, allowing them to exclude specific types of disputes from its scope if they wish. This, he said, ensures that the instrument can be tailored to national legal systems and policy priorities while also encouraging alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms.
Regarding the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR, Sesay emphasised the symbolic and practical significance of ratification in cementing Sierra Leone’s commitment to human rights. He stated that Sierra Leone’s ratification of the protocol, which seeks to abolish the death penalty, builds on the country’s domestic abolition measures and solidifies Sierra Leone’s alignment with international capital punishment standards. According to the Attorney General, the move strengthens the country’s position in the global human rights community.
The instruments garnered widespread support across the floor. Hon. Abdul Kargbo, Leader of the Opposition, welcomed the mediation convention as a step toward encouraging peaceful dispute resolution, increasing investor confidence, and strengthening Sierra Leone’s international reputation.
Kargbo, on the other hand, cautioned that mediation agreements may pose practical challenges, particularly in terms of their automatic enforceability in domestic courts, which he said would require careful consideration during implementation. He also expressed support for the ratification of the protocol that seeks to abolish the death penalty.
In the closing debate, Hon. Bashiru Silikie, Acting Leader of Government Business, strongly supported both instruments. He argued that Sierra Leone’s membership in IOMed could reduce the cost of dispute resolution, promote peace, attract foreign investment, and strengthen international cooperation. Silikie went on to say that the ratification of the death-penalty abolition protocol represents a significant step forward in President Julius Maada Bio’s human rights legacy.
Following extensive debate, Parliament ratified both instruments unanimously. Lawmakers said the decision is another step forward in Sierra Leone’s efforts to strengthen the rule of law, expand access to alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, and deepen the country’s commitment to international human rights obligations.
