Freetown, 27th October 2026- Sierra Leone’s Vice President, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, has joined His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio and former President Ernest Bai Koroma at the historic National Unity and Social Cohesion Conference at the Bintumani Conference Centre in Freetown.
The gathering also brought together representatives of the United Nations and ECOWAS, and other stakeholders to reflect on Sierra Leone’s peacebuilding journey and identify practical measures to consolidate national cohesion.
Discussions focused on implementing the Agreement for National Unity, strengthening democratic institutions, promoting reconciliation and addressing the underlying causes of conflict and division.
In his address, President Bio acknowledged the progress Sierra Leone had made since the end of the civil war but stressed that important obligations remained, particularly towards survivors and families affected by the conflict.
“Peace must become part of our national culture,” the President declared, calling for peace to be reflected in the country’s laws, institutions and everyday relationships among citizens.
President Bio also apologised on behalf of the state to survivors of wartime atrocities, families who lost loved ones, amputees and others who continued to suffer the consequences of the conflict. He directed the relevant national institutions to review and strengthen reparation programmes and called for a public report on the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendations to be presented by the end of January 2027.
Former President Ernest Bai Koroma urged political leaders, government and opposition parties to protect Sierra Leone’s peace through dialogue, mutual respect and constructive engagement across political divides. He emphasised that sustaining national unity was a shared responsibility requiring leaders and citizens to put the country’s interests above partisan considerations.
The United Nations and ECOWAS representatives commended Sierra Leone’s progress in maintaining peace and democratic stability, while reaffirming the importance of continued regional and international support in consolidating national unity. They called for the full implementation of the Agreement for National Unity, strengthened democratic institutions, inclusive governance and sustained dialogue among political leaders and citizens to promote reconciliation and prevent conflict across Sierra Leone and the West African region.
The conference concluded with renewed calls for concrete action on national unity and social cohesion, including clear institutional responsibilities, implementation timelines and mechanisms for monitoring progress. Participants stressed that preserving Sierra Leone’s peace required continued collaboration among government, political parties, traditional and religious leaders, women, young people, civil society and development partners.
