Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has called for stronger collaboration between the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), and ECOWAS to ensure predictable support for Africa’s peace and security agenda. He also renewed his call for Africa’s inclusion on the permanent seats of the UN Security Council.
President Bio made the remarks during the flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. On Friday, 24th October, 2025.
“When the United Nations and ECOWAS work hand in hand, the cause of peace in West Africa advances. And Sierra Leone stands ready to lead, to listen, and to build bridges of understanding across our region,” President Bio said.
Reflecting on Sierra Leone’s post-war experience, he recalled the vital role of the UN during the country’s civil conflict, noting that “the blue helmets of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) walked our streets and villages, disarmed 75,000 combatants, and helped us return to peace.”
“Today, Sierra Leone is no longer a recipient of peace; we are a giver of peace,” he added. “Our men and women in uniform now serve proudly in UN peacekeeping missions, carrying the lessons of our own journey to nations in need.”
Highlighting his government’s Big Five Game-Changer Priorities, President Bio said the policies were designed to improve the lives of ordinary citizens. Through the Feed Salone Programme, he explained, farmers across the country are being empowered to make Sierra Leone self-sufficient in food production.
“Through Free Quality School Education, we are shaping a future where no child is left behind because of poverty or geography. Our investments in health ensure that no mother dies while giving life, and no child is left to suffer from preventable diseases. Working with UN agencies, we continue to strengthen healthcare, immunisation, and maternal services,” he stated.
The President also underscored his government’s ongoing efforts to expand renewable energy access, saying, “Across the nation, we are lighting up homes, schools, and clinics because energy is life, and light is dignity.”
As Chair of the ECOWAS Authority and Coordinator of the African Union Committee of Ten on UN Security Council Reform (C-10), President Bio reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s leadership role in promoting peace, constitutional governance, and Africa’s reform agenda.
“When we raise the UN flag beside our national flag today, we affirm both sovereignty and solidarity. Our flags flying together remind us that Sierra Leone’s destiny is bound with the world’s destiny,” he said.
He concluded by paying tribute to UN peacekeepers and humanitarian workers who lost their lives in the service of peace, including Sierra Leoneans who have served under the UN flag.
In her remarks, the UN Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone, Ms. Seraphine Wakana, said the 80th anniversary of the UN also marked 64 years of partnership between Sierra Leone and the UN, a collaboration that has strengthened peace, education, healthcare, gender equality, youth empowerment, and livelihoods across the country.
“This partnership has transformed lives and continues to reaffirm our shared commitment to sustainable development and human dignity,” Ms. Wakana noted.
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