The president of the United States, Joe Biden has on Wednesday, 14 December 2022 held a private meeting with Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio and leaders of five other African nations facing elections in 2023 and urged them to ensure that the elections are conducted in a free and fair manner.

The meeting was held during the three-day US-Africa Leaders Summit which has brought together delegations from nearly 50 countries as well as the African Union.

According to reports, from White House, President Biden met with the leaders from Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria, and Madagascar to discuss elections and democracy in Africa.

It is reported that the press was not allowed access to the meeting and the White House did not release a statement.

However, earlier today, President Biden twitted that he met the six African leaders to discuss their upcoming elections in 2023, the democratical challenges they are faced with, and the need to hold a free and fair elections.

“I met yesterday with Presidents of the DRC, Gabon, Liberia, Madagascar, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone to discuss their countries’ upcoming polls in 2023 and challenges and opportunities facing democracies,” he twitted.

“We discussed the importance of holding free, fair, and transparent elections, and of working together to strengthen democracy globally. The United States plans to provide over $165 million to support elections and good governance in Africa in 2023,” he added.

It is reported that the Biden administration intends to reassure African leaders the US is committed to working with them on trade and other issues, even as China and Russia deepen their economic and diplomatic ties to the continent.

Sierra Leone’s general elections slated for June next year is expected to be tightly contested by the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) and the main opposition, All Peoples Congress (APC). President Bio is contesting for a second term having elected in the second reconds of voting in 2018.