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President Julius Maada Bio has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to accelerating the development of Sierra Leone’s tourism sector following a high-level meeting with the newly elected Secretary-General of UN Tourism, Shaikha Alnuwais, on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit in Dubai.
The meeting marked Shaikha Alnuwais’ first official engagement with President Bio since her election as Secretary-General of UN Tourism, making history as the first woman to assume the role. President Bio congratulated her on her election and underscored Sierra Leone’s readiness to work closely with UN Tourism to unlock the country’s tourism potential.
According to President Bio, stronger cooperation with UN Tourism is critical to addressing both the opportunities and challenges within Sierra Leone’s tourism sector. He noted that sustained collaboration would help drive growth, improve competitiveness, and position the country as an emerging tourism destination in West Africa.
During the discussions, Shaikha Alnuwais outlined her strategic vision for global tourism development, which includes promoting sustainable and responsible growth, advancing digital transformation and data-driven tourism, fostering economic inclusion and local empowerment, improving infrastructure and connectivity, and strengthening governance, transparency, and global trust within the sector.
President Bio welcomed these priorities, stating that they align with Sierra Leone’s national development agenda and the government’s efforts to ensure that tourism growth delivers tangible benefits to local communities. He emphasized that tourism remains a key pillar for job creation, economic diversification, and cultural promotion.
The President also highlighted the strong bilateral relations between Sierra Leone and the United Arab Emirates, noting that these ties played a significant role in supporting Shaikha Alnuwais’ successful candidacy for the UN Tourism leadership.
Shaikha Alnuwais, for her part, expressed confidence in Sierra Leone’s tourism potential and pledged UN Tourism’s support in helping the country develop a resilient and inclusive tourism sector. She informed President Bio of her recent engagement with Sierra Leone’s Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Madam Nabeela F. Tunis, whom she praised for her visionary leadership and ongoing reforms in the sector.
President Bio commended Minister Tunis for the progress recorded under her leadership and assured the UN Tourism Secretary-General of Sierra Leone’s full support throughout her tenure. He further reaffirmed his personal commitment to fast-tracking tourism development as part of his government’s broader economic transformation agenda.
The meeting concluded with Shaikha Alnuwais expressing her intention to visit Sierra Leone in the near future, a move President Bio welcomed as a further step toward deepening cooperation between the country and UN Tourism.
