By Abdulai Fofanah
Freetown, 24th September, 2026– Sierra Leone will take centre stage in the global conversation on information integrity as the Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC), in partnership with UNESCO, prepares to host the 17th International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC) alongside the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI).
The three-day event, themed “Upholding Information Integrity in the Digital Age: The Role of Access to Information in Addressing Information Disorder,” will open with a welcome cocktail on Sunday, 27th September, before the main sessions run from 28th –30th September at the Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre in Lungi.
RAIC Chairman and Information Commissioner, Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw, told journalists that the conference will draw between 200 and 300 international guests from 42 countries, including policymakers, media experts, civil society leaders, and governance specialists.
Keynote addresses will be delivered by Dr. David Guillier of the University of Florida and Professor Stuart Russell of the University of California, Berkeley. More than 40 speakers are confirmed, representing institutions such as the OECD, OGP, UNESCO, ANIC, and Transparency International.
Local voices will also feature prominently, with contributions from Dr. Francis Sowa, Dean of the Faculty of Communication, Media and Information Studies at Fourah Bay College, and Dr. Tonya Musa, Director of Communication and External Relations at the University of Sierra Leone.
“Information is the first line of defence against information disorder. In an age where misinformation and disinformation can travel across borders in seconds, access to timely, credible and reliable information is no longer simply a right – it is a critical tool for protecting democracy, strengthening accountability and building resilient societies,” Dr. Shaw emphasized.
Speaking at the RAIC’s Office, 6B Middle Hill Cut Road, Freetown, on Thursday, 24th September, Dr. Shaw stated the Expected Outcomes of the ICIC-IDUAI Conference 2026, highlighting the Freetown Declaration on Information Integrity and Access to Information, strengthened collaboration among international information commissioners, enhanced global visibility of RAIC(SL), ICIC, and IDUAI, greater capacity among participants on access to information and information integrity and a formal post-conference Report.
Discussing the conference budget, Dr Shaw said that of the NLe5 million requested, only NLe3.5 million has been approved by the government, leaving a NLe1.5 million shortfall. He stated that they also received some funding from UNESCO, which he said is about $65,000, and that they are using it to support various aspects of the conference, including financing delegates’ travel and hotel accommodations. “We are hoping that after the conference, we are going to chase them [government] and see if they can approve that shortfall,” he said.
Discussing the benefits of hosting the conference in Sierra Leone, Dr. Shaw said that it increases international visibility and positions the country within the global information rights society; expected to boost the local economy by increasing tourism and providing jobs for people in Lungi and Freetown; it serves as a learning opportunity for local experts and participants, among others.
