Transport Ministry hosts West African Road Safety Organization Conference

The Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and Aviation is hosting the West African Road Safety Organization (WARSO) Conference from the 4th to 8th October 2021.

The West African Road Safety Organisation has its vision to promote and reinforce road safety in West Africa. This is the third time Sierra Leone is hosting the WARSO activities. Sierra Leone previously hosted the conference in 2010 and 2014.

Study identifies radio as important source of COVID-19 information for women in Sierra Leone despite low ownership and use

The Initiatives for Media Development (IMdev) and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) on Friday shared the findings of the first round of panel survey on the effects of COVID-19 on women and children in Sierra Leone. The survey which involved 880 women across the country found that other (non-spousal) relations (88.7% of the women surveyed) and radio (87.9%) were the leading sources of COVID-19 information. Radio was an important source of COVID-19 information despite low radio ownership (51.6%) and use (29.5% used it often) among the surveyed women.  

MCC Praises Sierra Leone on Preparation of Compact, Describes President Bio as Champion in the Fight Against Corruption

By State House Media and Communications Unit 

Washington, D.C., United States, Monday 27 September 2021 – Acting Chief Executive Officer of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), Mahmoud Bah, has praised Sierra Leone for its unprecedented work in the preparation and development of the MCC compact and described His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio as a champion in the fight against corruption.

Speaking during a bilateral meeting with President Bio, the Acting CEO said that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, tremendous and amazing work has been done so far by Sierra Leone towards the development of a compact.

“The speed and calibre of your team have been impressive. Thank you for the leadership that you have provided for the great work,” Mahmoud Bah stated.

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of MCC, Alexia Latortue, explained the three priorities of the MCC – combating climate change, inclusion and gender and catalysing the private sector.

In response, President Bio said that Sierra Leone was fully committed to the development of the MCC compact, adding that the Threshold Programme had laid a strong foundation for the development of the compact.

He commended the MCC for its support and highlighted efforts by the government to fight corruption, mitigate climate change challenges, promote inclusive and gender issues, support the private sector and the human capital development agenda.

GPE Confirms US $22.47 million Grant for Sierra Leone

Following the Global Education Summit in London in July, the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Dr. Moinina David Sengeh, has received a letter of confirmation from the Chief Executive Officer of Global Partnership for Education, Alice P. Albright that Sierra Leone can start the process to access the System Transformation Grant for up to US $22.47 million.

HISTORIC: President Bio Leads UN Resolution for Survivors of Sexual Violence,

By State House Media and Communications Unit 

His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has successfully moved for a UN resolution on sexual violence survivors, a historic feat that marks the first time in the history of the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, to have sexual violence survivors on the agenda.   

When on 15 April 2021 President Bio agreed to become the lead facilitator of the resolution for survivors of sexual violence at the 76th UNGA in 2021, supported by Questlove (Ahmir Thompson) and Black Thought (Tarik Trotter) of The Roots, Rise seized the opportunity to directly pitch to him for Sierra Leone to become the lead sponsor.

“I cannot be a silent witness to this crime. The silence of men is deafening. Our commitment [to survivors] is absolute,” said the President, when he agreed to partner with Rise, a United States based national nonprofit, founded by Amanda Nguyen, a survivor of sexual violence who penned her own civil rights into existence and unanimously passed the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights, after her own rape.