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The new executive of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) paid a courtesy call on the Public Affairs Section of the United States Embassy in Freetown on Tuesday, 2nd September 2025.
The visit aligned with SLAJ’s tradition of introducing a new leadership team to its key partners.
Welcoming the team, Public Affairs Officer (PAO) Jacqueline M. Moore expressed delight at the meeting and reaffirmed the Embassy’s commitment to supporting press freedom, independent journalism, and the professional development of Sierra Leonean journalists.
She highlighted the upcoming U.S. Embassy support for digital literacy and financial literacy training for media practitioners, emphasizing that “press freedom is vital to democratic accountability and good governance.”
SLAJ President Alhaji Manika Kamara thanked the Embassy for its long-standing partnership with the Association and appealed for sustained collaboration. He outlined some of SLAJ’s upcoming initiatives, including training programs for female journalists on Public Financial Management (PFM) issues and digital media, continued advocacy for the inclusion of a Chapter on Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression in the ongoing constitutional review process, and support for online television stations and digital platforms.
Kamara expressed deep concern over the rise in arrests and detention of journalists under Cyber Security and Crime Act 2022, threatening press freedom and freedom of expression. He said SLAJ has been advocating for a review of section 44 of the Act, which contains offences of cyberbullying and cyber stalking.
Former SLAJ President Ahmed Sahid Nasralla (ex officio) recalled the cordial working relationship with the Public Affairs Section during his tenure. He cited successful collaborations such as the joint celebration of World Press Freedom Day in 2023 with the U.S.
Ambassador David Hunt as a panellist, U.S.-funded training of journalists on fact-checking and countering disinformation through NDI, media debates under the NPDC, and capacity-building for SLAJ’s Disciplinary Committee supported by NED.
He also noted his own participation in the U.S. State Department’s IVLP Exchange Program facilitated by the Embassy.
Mr. Nasralla further briefed the PAO on SLAJ’s recent milestone of awarding grants to 14 media outlets under the National Fund for Public Interest Media (NaFPIM) to promote quality journalism in the public interest, as well as upcoming training on digital security for journalists by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).
The meeting ended with a presentation of an appreciation award to the US Embassy and on a strong note of mutual commitment, with both SLAJ and the U.S. Embassy agreeing to deepen cooperation in advancing press freedom, ethical journalism, and media capacity building in Sierra Leone.
