Vienna, Austria, Thursday 9 April 2026 – His Excellency, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has called for urgent action to link energy access to economic transformation, positioning green industrialisation as a key driver of stability and shared prosperity in Least Developed Countries and Landlocked Developing Countries.
Speaking at a high-level roundtable on “Green Industrialisation for Stability and Shared Prosperity” on the margins of the International Vienna and Energy Forum, President Bio emphasized that energy must go beyond access to directly power production, create jobs, and strengthen livelihoods.
“For countries like Sierra Leone, energy is not the end goal, it is the engine of production, jobs, and stability,” he stated, underscoring the need to connect energy investments to real economic outcomes.
The President highlighted Sierra Leone’s approach of aligning energy development with productive sectors through flagship initiatives such as Feed Salone, which supports irrigation, agro-processing, cold storage, and rural enterprises. He noted that such integration is critical to boosting productivity, increasing incomes, and building resilience across communities.
He stressed that while grid expansion remains important, distributed renewable energy solutions, such as mini-grids and stand-alone systems, offer the fastest pathway to scaling access, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
President Bio also pointed to green industrialisation as a significant opportunity for economic growth, citing Sierra Leone’s clean cooking transition as an example of how new value chains and enterprises, especially for women, are being created through targeted reforms and strategic investments.
On partnerships, the President referenced ongoing collaboration with international partners, including initiatives aimed at accelerating decentralised energy access and strengthening private sector participation. He further noted that, as Chairman of ECOWAS, efforts are underway to align regional markets and project pipelines to attract larger-scale investment.
Looking ahead, President Bio announced that Sierra Leone will operationalise a Distributed Renewable Energy and Clean Cooking Acceleration Initiative within the next 12 months under its Mission 300 Compact. The initiative will focus on scaling solar energy for productive use, expanding access to clean cooking, and mobilising blended finance through partnerships with development institutions and private investors.
He emphasized the need for more accessible and affordable financing, noting that high capital costs and risk perceptions continue to limit the scale of investment in developing economies.
Concluding, President Bio reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s readiness to serve as a demonstration country for delivering impactful energy solutions, stressing that the ultimate goal is not just increased power generation but improved livelihoods and long-term stability.
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