Senegal’s $1.8 billion IMF aid program, secured in 2023, is now frozen and requires restructuring after an audit revealed higher debt and budget deficits than reported. Finance Minister Cheikh Diba announced at the annual IMF meetings in Washington that discussions with the Fund are underway, aiming for a revised agreement by early 2025. The audit,…
At the historic Samoa summit, Commonwealth nations signed the Apia Ocean Declaration—their first commitment to protect oceans—calling on all 56 member states to address climate change, pollution, and overfishing. This pact aims to protect 30% of oceans and restore marine ecosystems by 2030, focusing on completing the Global Plastics Treaty and ratifying the high-seas biodiversity…
More than 600 million women and girls are now affected by armed conflict, a 50% increase from a decade ago, with concerns that their plight is being overlooked amid a growing backlash against women’s rights, according to top U.N. officials. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted in a recent report that record levels of violence are…
On October 24, 2024, Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr inaugurated the newly built Kroo Bay Municipal Primary School. This modern, two-story facility, funded by Sustain for Life with Freetown City Council (FCC) support, features 10 classrooms, a computer room, staff area, restrooms, and a canteen, offering a quality learning environment for up to 300 students. Built…
At the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington on October 23, 2024, Sierra Leone’s Finance Minister, Sheku A.F. Bangura, sought UK backing for economic initiatives aimed at strengthening fiscal stability. He emphasized Sierra Leone’s commitment to structural reforms, reserve building, and fiscal accountability, while UK representative Nick Dyer voiced the UK’s support and raised concerns…
In response to pressing climate change challenges, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) launched the Environmental Democracy Project in Freetown on October 24, 2024. Held in Parliament’s Committee Room No. 1, the event also included a Developmental Democracy Programme and Stakeholders Mapping Exercise. Rev. Alusine Diamond Suma, WFD’s Country Director, stressed Sierra Leone’s urgent need…
Brima Baluwa Koroma, Executive Chairman of the Petroleum Regulatory Agency (PRA) and National Committee Chair of Sierra Leone, recently called for urgent global energy transformation at the World Petroleum Council (WPC) Executive Committee meeting in Washington, DC. Addressing council members, Mr. Koroma emphasized the need for collaboration, innovation, and strategic foresight to address challenges in…
In a bid to tackle youth unemployment, PRT Logistics and Agro Sierra Leone have signed an agreement with the Ministry of Youth Affairs, introducing the “Youth in Commercial Transportation (Kekeh) Loan Project.” This initiative offers accessible loans for young people to purchase Kekehs (three-wheelers) and engage in the transportation sector. The project aims to empower…
Sierra Leone’s Deputy Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Madam Mamusu Patricia Komeh-Massaquoi, addressed the Regional Data and Community Development Forum in Sharjah, UAE, emphasizing the government’s commitment to enhancing human capital through education. At the inaugural forum, which focused on data-driven sustainable community development under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan…
Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) Sierra Leone marked Customer Service Week from October 14 to 18 with various activities to honor and appreciate its valued customers. The week-long celebration showcased the bank’s commitment to exceptional service and fostering strong community relationships. The festivities began with a Career Day, where staff wore outfits representing diverse professions, symbolizing…
