President Dr Julius Maada Bio has called on Sierra Leoneans to move beyond preserving peace and work towards making it deliver meaningful improvements in people’s lives. Addressing the opening of the National Unity and Social Cohesion Conference 2026, he said lasting unity must be founded on justice, inclusion, accountability and opportunity.
The President apologised on behalf of the State to victims and survivors of the civil war, announced steps to review the reparations programme and called for stronger mental-health support for people affected by the conflict. He also reaffirmed that he would complete his constitutional mandate and hand over power peacefully in 2028, confirming that he would not seek another term.
The conference, held at the Freetown International Conference Centre in Aberdeen, was organised under the theme: “From Agreement to Action: Strengthening Unity, Advancing Social Cohesion, and Building a More Peaceful Sierra Leone through Conflict Prevention.”
In his address on “Sierra Leone’s Next Chapter of Peace and National Unity,” President Bio said that the generation that brought the civil war to an end had helped secure peace, but that the country’s current task was to make peace felt in people’s everyday lives.
“For as long as I remain in office, I will work for a Sierra Leone where families can put food on the table, children can learn, clinics can care for the sick, and young people can find meaningful work,” he said.
The President recalled the declaration marking the end of the civil war in January 2002. While the declaration could not bring back those who had died or rebuild homes destroyed during the conflict, he said, it marked the beginning of the difficult work of restoring trust and enabling people to live together again.
He welcomed former President Ernest Bai Koroma, international guests and the international moral guarantors of the Agreement for National Unity. He also thanked the Inter-Party Committee on National Cohesion (ICPNC) for convening the conference, describing it as an opportunity to review Sierra Leone’s peacebuilding journey and consider what further action was needed.
President Bio recognised the work of successive governments, women’s organisations, the Inter-Religious Council, civil society, the media and local communities in helping to safeguard peace. Sierra Leone had held elections and experienced two peaceful transfers of power, he said, but those achievements alone could not guarantee lasting stability.
“Peace must become part of our national culture. It must be visible in the laws we uphold, the institutions people trust, and how we treat one another,” he said.
Reflecting on the origins of the civil war, President Bio pointed to long-standing grievances, exclusion, injustice, abuse of authority and the denial of a fair share in the country’s opportunities. He acknowledged that the State had failed to protect citizens from the suffering that followed. He also recalled former President Koroma’s 2010 apology to women who suffered during the war.
President Bio then addressed survivors, bereaved families, people whose childhoods were disrupted by the conflict and all Sierra Leoneans who endured its consequences.
“On behalf of the State of Sierra Leone, I apologise for the suffering you endured and for the protection you did not receive. I am SORRY,” he said.
To translate reconciliation into practical action, the President directed the National Commission for Social Action and other relevant institutions to review and strengthen the reparations programme recommended by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). He also instructed that a public report on implementation of the TRC’s recommendations be presented to the nation by 18 January 2027.
He called on the Ministry of Health to work with the Peace Commission and faith communities to expand mental-health and psychosocial support for people who continue to experience trauma related to the war.
The President also set out his position on the 2028 transition. He said he would complete his constitutional mandate and peacefully transfer the Presidency to the candidate selected by voters.
“In 2028, I will complete my constitutional mandate and hand over the Presidency peacefully to whomever Sierra Leoneans choose. Let me state this without qualification; I will not be a candidate in the 2028 Presidential Election,” he said.
Among the further proposals announced by President Bio were a National Peace and Cohesion Action Framework and a Peace Basket Fund to support community-based peacebuilding and remembrance. He also proposed strengthening the Inter-Party Dialogue Committee and encouraging all registered political parties to sign a Code of Conduct for Peaceful Elections ahead of the 2028 polls.
The proposals included introducing peace and civic education in schools, holding a National Peace Week culminating on 18 January 2027 to mark 25 years of peace, and beginning work on a National Peace Memorial.
Former President Koroma described the conference as a serious national moment, saying it required every citizen to reflect on the state of peace and national cohesion. He thanked President Bio for facilitating his return to Sierra Leone and recognised his contribution to the country’s peacebuilding process, including the establishment of the Peace Commission.
Koroma said he was willing to support the President’s efforts by drawing on his experience to advance peace and cohesion. He also called for greater national ownership of the peacebuilding agenda and urged Sierra Leoneans to address unresolved challenges through open and honest dialogue.
Representatives of the United Nations, ECOWAS, the diplomatic community and other stakeholders took part in discussions on political dialogue, national unity, social cohesion and ways of strengthening peace.
The conference aims to give national leaders and stakeholders a forum to assess progress, identify practical responses to unresolved grievances, and strengthen public trust. Its broader goal, participants were told, is to ensure that peace is not only preserved but also contributes to tangible improvements in the lives of Sierra Leoneans.
