By: Sheku Lexmond Koroma
Sierra Leone’s Voice, Heard Around the World, as the World Admires President Bio’s Leadership!
In a single week, President Julius Maada Bio carried Sierra Leone’s vision to some of the world’s most influential stages, from the Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge to the 81st UN General Assembly in New York.
A landmark address at Harvard!
Delivering the keynote at the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum on “Africa in a Shifting Geopolitical Landscape: Leadership, Democratic Resilience, and Strategic Choice,” President Bio opened with a date: 27 April 1961, the day Sierra Leone’s flag rose for the first time. He recalled the Peace Corps volunteers who soon arrived to teach in Sierra Leonean schools, a reminder of a long friendship with the United States.
He then asked the world to change its question. Instead of “What should we do about Africa?” he asked, “What will Africans do with our growing power?” With one in four people on Earth set to be African by mid-century, he said, prosperity will depend on the choices Africans make: how we lead, how we govern, and how we engage the world.
On leadership, he spoke of 1996, when, as a young soldier serving as Head of State, he handed power to an elected civilian government, and affirmed his commitment to a democratic handover again in 2028. Leadership, he said, should be judged by what remains when the leader leaves. He pointed to Free Quality School Education and the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act as steps toward a country where every child can go further than their parents.
On Africa’s place in the world, his answer was clear: Africa will be pro-African. He offered four questions for every partnership: Does it build skills? Does it create jobs and strengthen local businesses? Does it help develop our industries? Does it strengthen our ability to make our own decisions?
He called for the continent to share fairly in the value of its critical minerals, highlighted the promise of the African Continental Free Trade Area, and urged students to take Africa seriously, read African scholars and work with African institutions. To young Africans, he said: bring your skill and integrity to building the continent you want to inherit.
Leading the AI conversation!
At the UNGA81 roundtable on “AI Middle Powers: Shared Sovereignty in the AI Era,” co-hosted by Kenya’s President William Ruto and Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, President Bio said Africa must help build, govern and benefit from AI rather than remain a consumer of technologies developed elsewhere. He advanced the idea of regional data banks: trusted arrangements allowing countries to host critical public data across borders while retaining legal jurisdiction and sovereignty over it, a practical example of shared sovereignty.
Building Partnerships across Continents
On the margins of UNGA81, the President held a series of productive meetings: with Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, he focused on strengthening ties across the Atlantic in pursuit of shared prosperity; he met President Mamady Doumbouya and invited him to the West Africa Integration and Investment Summit (WAIIS) in Lungi, at the Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre; UNFPA-With Executive Director Diene Keita, he welcomed the organisation’s longstanding partnership for women, girls and young people, and its support for an inclusive, transparent and high-quality December 2026 Census.
Standing with Global Leaders
President Bio and the First Lady were hosted by former US President Bill Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative dinner, in support of an important project and a shared commitment to meaningful change. They also attended the Unstoppable Africa Dinner celebrating Madam Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and a global champion for women’s leadership.
A Shared History of Freedom
The President and First Lady also visited the Adams National Historical Park in Massachusetts, where the Mende Bible is on display, a powerful link between Boston and Bonthe, the President’s home. It recalled the courage of the Africans aboard the Amistad, the story of Sengbe Pieh, and the conviction of President John Quincy Adams, a shared chapter in the struggle for freedom and human dignity.
A Leader the World wants to hear from
From the lecture halls of Harvard to the rooms of the UN General Assembly, President Bio was invited to speak, co-host and convene. At every stop, his message was the same: Africa’s future will be shaped by Africans, and success will be measured in the lives of its people! For me and to many, he is the best President Sierra Leone has ever produced.
