Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, returned to the British Houses of Parliament yesterday to deliver the closing remarks at the World Humanitarian Forum (WHF), just six days after being honored as Africa’s First Lady of the Year 2024. Dr. Bio’s address, themed “Addressing Global Crises: The Role of Humanitarian Diplomacy in a Fragmented Era,” emphasized the urgent need for stronger humanitarian diplomacy amid rising global crises.

In a speech hailed as the highlight of the WHF, Dr. Bio called for a coordinated diplomatic approach to address the increasing challenges posed by the aftermath of pandemics, ongoing conflicts, and escalating geopolitical tensions. “There can be no better time for humanitarian diplomacy than now,” she asserted, urging world leaders to prioritize action over dialogue.

Dr. Bio outlined five critical pillars for advancing humanitarian diplomacy: influencing warring parties to protect civilians, ensuring access to aid, advocating for international humanitarian law, fostering partnerships among governments and NGOs, and overcoming bureaucratic hurdles.

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The WHF, recognized as one of the world’s largest humanitarian platforms, featured prominent figures including Qatar’s Minister of International Cooperation, H.E. Lolwah bint Rashid Al-Khater, and Lord Tariq Ahmad, KCMG. The session was moderated by Baroness Shaista Gohir OBE.

Dr. Bio’s impassioned plea for decisive action serves as a call for global unity, as she warned of the catastrophic consequences of inaction, stressing that humanitarian diplomacy is essential to tackling today’s crises.