The Chief Minister of the Republic of Sierra Leone delivered a powerful keynote address on the opening day of the Sierra Leone–Canada Trade, Investment and Cultural Show 2025, calling for deeper partnerships anchored in digitization, innovation, and radical inclusion. The forum — held in Toronto — brought together investors, policy thinkers, Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora, and international partners to explore new trade and investment opportunities between Sierra Leone and Canada.
In his remarks, the Chief Minister welcomed dignitaries, partners, and participants, expressing appreciation for the strong turnout and the organizers’ commitment to Sierra Leone’s international engagement. “It is truly encouraging to see this room full at the start of this important summit — a testament to the dedication and vision behind this initiative,” he said.
He emphasized that forums like this are directly aligned with Sierra Leone’s national strategy to engage global partners in support of President Julius Maada Bio’s “Big Five Game Changers”, which prioritize human capital development, agriculture, infrastructure, technology, and energy.
The Chief Minister’s keynote focused on digitization as a transformational tool, with technology now playing a central role in healthcare, education, governance, and justice in Sierra Leone. He underscored the importance of creating inclusive systems that ensure even the most remote communities — such as Koindu, in the far east of the country — are connected and empowered.
“Innovation is not just about gadgets or software — it’s about service delivery that improves lives. It’s about building systems that ensure no child, no woman, no community is left behind,” he said. Referencing his recent trip to Koindu with the Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation, he noted that more than 90% of cellular sites in Sierra Leone now have 3G coverage, with 4G and even open 5G networks expanding nationwide.
“This is not a luxury. It is essential. That young a girl in Koindu deserves the same access to technology and opportunity as anyone in Freetown or Toronto,” he said. He tied this vision to a Memorandum of Understanding signed with a Canadian university, reinforcing the importance of infrastructure that enables cross-border educational and research collaboration.
The Chief Minister highlighted how innovation has helped reduce maternal mortality by 79% over the last decade, the fastest recorded reduction globally during that period. He credited this to digital systems that help register and monitor pregnant women across Sierra Leone, in partnership with nurses and healthcare workers.
Reflecting on his own background as Sierra Leone’s first Chief Innovation Officer, he described how his team created the “468” SMS platform, enabling parents to access examination results from anywhere in the world — a simple but impactful solution to a national challenge in education access and transparency.
He also outlined major reforms in the justice and legal access, including the recent rollout of the Criminal Procedure Act 2024, which introduces non-custodial sentencing options such as community service and suspended sentences, particularly benefiting vulnerable populations.
“Until just days ago, if you were poor in Sierra Leone, you could be imprisoned simply because you could not pay a fine. Now, for the first time, we have alternatives to incarceration,” he explained. He also praised President Bio’s repeal of the criminal libel law, which once suppressed free speech in the country.
On transitional justice, he emphasized Sierra Leone’s renewed implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) recommendations, which had stalled after the era of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. “Since President Bio came to office, we have reactivated the process and delivered on long-standing promises. The world is now looking to Sierra Leone for lessons — not only in peacebuilding, but in justice,” he said.
The Chief Minister framed the summit in Toronto as part of a broader international outreach effort, with similar investment forums held in Japan, the United States, and Morocco, and another planned in London. He underscored that Sierra Leone’s future lies in innovation-driven, inclusive growth, and that international partnerships are essential to achieving that goal.
“This summit is more than a showcase — it’s a platform for action,” he concluded. “Let us work together so that innovation and investment reach the farthest corners of Sierra Leone. Only then can we deliver on our promise of transformation.”
The Sierra Leone–Canada Trade, Investment and Cultural Show 2025 is a high-level platform for displaying Sierra Leone’s economic potential, cultural heritage, and reform-driven governance model. This year’s edition placed special emphasis on digitization as a tool for inclusive development, aligned with President Bio’s national development strategy. Office of the Chief Minister (OCM) Communications Unit
