President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone has urged the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) to address new and evolving threats in combating money laundering and terrorism financing. Speaking at GIABA’s 42nd Technical Commission and Plenary Session in Freetown, he emphasized the need for actionable strategies to enhance regional efforts…
Iceland’s Head of Mission, Ásdís Bjarnadóttir, alongside World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director, Yvonne Forsen, visited Bonthe Island from November 18 to 20, 2024, to monitor the implementation of the Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) initiative. Funded by Iceland’s $2.4 million donation, the programme provides nutritious meals to over 40,000 schoolchildren across 184 public schools in…
Caritas Freetown, in partnership with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and supported by the UN Peace Building Fund, hosted a two-day training program on November 22–23, 2024, at the Western Rural District Council Hall in Waterloo. The event aimed to empower young women, including those with disabilities, to engage actively in politics. The training focused on…
Leone Rock Metal Group (LRMG) has reaffirmed its support for Sierra Leone football with a $150,000 sponsorship for the 2024/2025 Premier League season. The agreement, announced on November 22, 2024, at a ceremony in Freetown, highlights LRMG’s commitment to developing local talent and promoting unity through football. LRMG’s Human Resource Director, Mohamed S. Daffae, emphasized…
Hadeel Abdelnasir, a mother of three, fled her home in eastern Al-Jazirah two weeks ago as violence erupted in her village. Now in Port Sudan, she recalls the horrors: “The RSF (Rapid Support Forces) are killing everyone—women, children, men, and the elderly. People are paying huge ransoms to escape.” The violence in Al-Jazirah has intensified…
The fifth and final round of negotiations for a global treaty to tackle plastic pollution kicked off in South Korea on Monday. A recent University of Leeds study revealed that 57 million tons of plastic pollution are generated annually worldwide. The UN Environment Programme’s Inger Andersen urged negotiators to adopt a strong treaty, emphasizing that…
Twenty-four people died when two boats capsized off the coast of Madagascar, Somalia’s government confirmed Sunday. Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi stated that 46 survivors were rescued, and efforts are underway to ensure their safe return and care. Most passengers were young Somalis, though their destination is unknown. A Somali delegation, led by the ambassador…
At the UN COP29 climate talks, countries reached a contentious deal to provide $300 billion annually for climate finance by 2035. However, developing nations have criticized the funding as inadequate, highlighting the need for $1.3 trillion to adapt to climate change. While the new deal triples the $100 billion agreed upon in 2009, many feel…
As 2024 winds down, the government faces a significant challenge in meeting its domestic revenue target. By the end of September, total revenue stood at NLe12.04 billion—short of the budgeted NLe16.62 billion, leaving a gap of NLe4.58 billion (27.5%). With only three months remaining, October through December will be crucial for bridging this shortfall. Historically,…
Sierra Leone has appointed Edouard Talnan as the new Census Technical Adviser (CTA) to support the country’s 2025 Population and Housing Census (PHC). Introduced by UNFPA Deputy Country Representative Sibeso Mululuma on November 22, 2024, at the Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) office, Talnan brings extensive experience, including overseeing Liberia’s recent census. UNFPA Country Representative…
