February 2026: Sierra Leone’s Minister of Youth Affairs, Hon. Ibrahim Sannoh, visited the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) at its country office to prioritize international cooperation for youth empowerment. Both sides described the meeting with TİKA Country Director, Mr. Mirzet Müezzinoğlu, as warm, constructive, and forward-looking, highlighting a shared commitment to expand practical collaboration on youth-focused programs.
Mr. Müezzinoğlu welcomed Minister Sannoh and praised his leadership as “visionary and result-oriented.” He emphasized Sierra Leone’s growing visibility on the global youth stage, citing the country’s increased participation in United Nations youth engagements as proof of deliberate policy direction and bold stewardship under the Minister’s leadership. The TİKA Country Director praised Minister Sannoh for making the first official visit to TİKA’s office, demonstrating respect for international cooperation and proactive leadership.
“The visibility of Sierra Leone in global youth conversations is no coincidence,” Mr. Müezzinoğlu stated. “It demonstrates focused leadership and strategic positioning. Your visit today strengthens our institutional ties.”
Minister Sannoh appreciated TİKA’s ongoing support for Sierra Leone.
He reiterated the Ministry of Youth Affairs’ commitment to forming partnerships that have a measurable impact, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation in expanding opportunities for young people across the country. “We believe in partnerships that have measurable outcomes,” Minister Sannoh stated. “Our young people deserve global opportunities, and collaborations like this are preparing them to compete, lead, and innovate.”
The Minister was accompanied by his Director of Programs, Mr. James Bondeva Sandi, who emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to turning diplomatic engagements into concrete, actionable initiatives. The discussions focused on priority areas such as skill development, entrepreneurship support, institutional strengthening, and broader youth capacity building, all with the goal of delivering tangible programs that can be scaled and sustained.
The meeting is being framed as a promising chapter in Sierra Leone’s bilateral relations with the Republic of Turkey, with youth development at the heart of the partnership. Sierra Leone is gaining international recognition in youth leadership, and collaboration with TİKA is expected to amplify the nation’s transformative youth agenda by supporting practical interventions that enable young people to access opportunities and contribute to national development.
Minister Sannoh has elevated youth diplomacy from a peripheral concern to a strategic, deliberate, and globally resonant effort. The engagement with TİKA signals the direction of that effort.
