State House, Freetown, Thursday, 23 January 2025 – The Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC), Geneva, Pamela Rosemarie Coke-Hamilton, paid a courtesy visit to His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio, commending the president’s remarkable developmental strides. She announced ITC’s commitment to establishing a permanent office in Freetown, marking a historic first for the organization in its 60-year existence.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Ibrahim Alpha Sesay, who facilitated the engagement, expressed gratitude to President Bio for accommodating the meeting on short notice. He highlighted ITC’s long-standing partnership with Sierra Leone, noting that the organization has supported critical projects in the country for over three decades.
Minister Sesay further explained that ITC has been pivotal in mobilizing resources and providing technical capacity support to its member countries, including Sierra Leone. He revealed that the Executive Director’s visit coincided with the launch of a new project, ‘Empowering Youth through Digital Technologies in Sierra Leone’, which aims to drive economic growth and job creation by enhancing youth participation in the digital economy.
Madam Pamela Coke-Hamilton expressed her appreciation for President Bio’s visionary leadership, particularly through his Five Game Changers initiative. She outlined ITC’s commitment to partnering with the government in advancing green environment and climate-smart agriculture projects. She emphasized the significance of the youth-focused digital technologies initiative, describing it as critical for job creation and sustainable development in Sierra Leone.
“This project is essential to creating long-term benefits for Sierra Leone. ITC is committed to partnering with the government on the green transition, enhancing value addition for agricultural commodities and minerals, improving access to finance for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and supporting programs related to the African Continental Free Trade Area,” she said.
President Julius Maada Bio formally welcomed the ITC delegation and commended Madam Coke-Hamilton for her decision to establish an ITC office in Sierra Leone. He described Sierra Leone as a resilient nation that prioritizes human capital development, a cornerstone of his government’s agenda. The president highlighted the positive outcomes of the Free Quality Education program, which has significantly increased school enrolment and retention rates.
“We are committed to ensuring that our people, especially our children, receive fit-for-purpose education because no country can develop without an educated population,” President Bio stated.
He also emphasized the importance of food security to national development, citing the Feed Salone initiative as a key driver of increased agricultural productivity. “We are partnering with strong allies like ITC to transform agriculture and achieve food security,” he added.
President Bio further highlighted the impactful role of the First Lady, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, in empowering women and children. He praised her efforts to end early child marriage and support teenage girls in school through initiatives such as the free sanitary pad distribution program.
He concluded by expressing optimism about the partnership with ITC to enhance value addition in both agricultural and mineral resources, strengthening Sierra Leone’s capacity for economic transformation.
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