His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio on Friday 23rd September 2022 officially launched Sierra Leone’s bid for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council for the 2024-2025 term.

It would represent a significant boost for the country’s foreign relations reputation and underline its ability to operate within the world’s most powerful decision making body on the maintenance of international peace and security – the UN Security Council.

In his pre-recorded message on the occasion the formal launch, President Maada Bio paid tribute to the subregional group, ECOWAS and the African Union for their endorsement of Sierra Leone’s candidacy and, adding that by so doing, “Sierra Leone is once again on the verge of ascending the primary decision-making organ on peace and security matters at the United Nations.”

It is against this backdrop that the Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the United Nations.

Ambassador Alhaji Fanday Turay on the 20th October 2022, delivered a talk to students of the Harvard University, School of Government on the the Priorities of Sierra Leone in its bid for United Nations Security Council.

 

Ambassador Turay outlined the 7 priority areas including Security Council reform, tackling terrorism, pursuing the Women Peace and Security Agenda and engagement in Peacebuilding and peacemaking issues among others as priority to Sierra Leone.

He further intimated the students that it was against this backdrop and the government’s commitment to promoting Justice for women who are victims of sexual abuse that Sierra Leone sponsored and pursued the successful adoption of the resolution on “Access to justice for survivors of sexual violence” in the United Nations General Assembly.

He further informed the students that he was tasked by His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio President of the Repubilic of Sierra Leone, to facilitate the adoption of the resolution adding that President Bio is on record as the first Head of State to declare rape as a national emergency while also reiterating the bold step underhis leadership to amend laws to punish perpetrators of rape in Sierra Leone more severely.

The session was held in a hybrid format with the students in person in their class and the Ambassador delivering thue talk virtually.