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Sierra Leone’s Minister of Youth Affairs has held talks with KOICA to seek increased support for digital innovation, skills development, and youth-focused initiatives.
During the talks, the Minister emphasized the need to realign KOICA’s Project Implementation Manual (PIM) with findings from Sierra Leone’s Status of Youth Report and his ministry’s strategic priorities. He requested increased funding to expand opportunities for young people, particularly in technology-driven and entrepreneurial sectors.
Key proposals included scaling up the Youth in Fisheries Project by transitioning from wooden to fiber fishing boats, introducing training on modern fishing practices, and establishing fish processing facilities for preservation, packaging, and digital marketing.
In agriculture, the Minister called for investments in agro-processing of rice, cassava, and other cash crops, as well as enhanced support for the Masiaka AgTech Center to boost local production of fish feed, poultry feed, and livestock feed. He also advocated for stronger youth involvement in climate-resilient farming and other skills-focused initiatives.
Highlighting innovation, the Minister presented plans under the E-Mobility Scalability Project, which aims to introduce Korean-made electric vehicles into Sierra Leone as part of the government’s broader green transition strategy.
KOICA’s Director General welcomed the proposals and assured that they would be reviewed in coordination with the agency’s Nigeria office, which oversees Sierra Leone operations. She also encouraged collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), noting KOICA’s ongoing partnership with the UN agency on youth-focused programs.
The Minister further proposed youth exchange and knowledge-sharing initiatives between Sierra Leone and South Korea. KOICA expressed interest in this idea and committed to exploring follow-up actions through the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED).
This engagement reflects the government’s continued push to link Sierra Leonean youth with global opportunities in digital technology, agribusiness, fisheries, and climate-smart development.
