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The Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone to the United Nations, in collaboration with the African Union Observer Mission to the United Nations, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the African Renaissance and Diaspora Network (ARDN), hosted a high-level side event at the UN Headquarters in commemoration of Africa Day.
Held in Conference Room 1, the event brought together representatives of Member States, civil society actors, and policymakers from across Africa and beyond, creating a global platform for dialogue on pressing continental issues.
Africa Day is observed annually on May 25 to mark the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now known as the African Union. The 2026 commemoration at the United Nations aligned with the African Union’s theme: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.”
The theme underscored the critical importance of water and sanitation as essential pillars for health, human dignity, gender equality, and sustainable development.
Representing Sierra Leone, the Deputy Permanent Representative for Legal Affairs, Ambassador Eddinia Michaela Swallow, alongside staff of the Mission, participated in the programme.
In her address, Ambassador Swallow emphasised the significance of Africa Day to the people and Government of Sierra Leone, while paying tribute to the vision and sacrifices of the founding leaders of the OAU, now the African Union.
“We wish to commend the African Renaissance and Diaspora Network, the African Union, UNFPA, and all partners and co-sponsors for convening this timely High-Level Dialogue,” she stated. “Water and sanitation are not simply development priorities; they are fundamental to life, dignity, health, peace, and economic transformation.”
Highlighting ongoing challenges, Ambassador Swallow noted that financing gaps continue to place immense pressure on water systems across the continent. She further pointed out that women and girls bear a disproportionate burden, particularly in rural communities where lack of access to safe water and sanitation negatively impacts education, health outcomes, economic empowerment, and gender equality.
“As we commemorate Africa Day, let us reaffirm our collective commitment to an Africa where every child has access to clean water, every community benefits from safe sanitation, every woman and girl lives free from violence and discrimination, and every young person has the opportunity to realize their full potential,” she said.
She called for collective action, urging stakeholders to transform dialogue into tangible results. “Together, through solidarity, partnership, and determination, we can build an integrated, peaceful, prosperous, and resilient Africa for present and future generations,” she concluded.
