State House, Freetown, Tuesday 12 September 2023 – His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has departed for the United States of America to attend the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, for the first time with a significantly greater level of responsibility now that Sierra Leone is a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, UNSC.
Under the theme, “Rebuilding Trust and Reigniting Global Solidarity: Accelerating Action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards Peace, Prosperity, Progress and Sustainability for all”, the President is expected to proactively engage his colleague Heads of State, Government officials attending UNGA, Heads of International Financial Institutions, Philanthropic Organisations and the media.
President Julius Maada Bio will showcase Sierra Leone’s development strides and highlight his Government’s vision for sustainable transformation for the next five years. He will also engage with key stakeholders before the commencement of Sierra Leone’s tenure as a Non-Permanent member of the UN Security Council for the term 2024-2025.
Sierra Leone is expected to assume the UN Security Council Presidency in August 2024. The country, voted for by 188 countries out of 193 UN member states on 6 June 2022, is returning to the Council in that category after 53 years, a demonstration of respect for the small West African nation.
Sierra Leone is now among other countries like Algeria, Guyana, Republic of Korea and Slovenia to join the premier body for maintaining international peace and security.
President Bio’s key high-level speaking engagements at UNGA78 will include: “The high-level observance of the fourth International Day to Protect Education from Attack co-organised by UNESCO, the state of Qatar, Education above All Foundation, UNICEF and the United Nations Department of Global Communications.
“National address at the general debate of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
“the SDG summit acceleration day: high impact initiative on transforming education in his capacity as co-chair of the high-level steering committee for the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4).
“The high-level political forum on sustainable development in his capacity as chair of the group of seven plus (g7+) countries”.
President Julius Maada Bio is the Coordinator of the African Union Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government (C-10) on the reform of the United Nations Security Council. He is on record to have successfully moved for a UN resolution on sexual violence survivors in 2021, a historic feat that marked the first time in the history of the United Nations General Assembly, to have sexual violence survivors on the agenda.
For More Enquiries: State House Media and Communications Unit
info@statehouse.gov.sl
