UN Resident Coordinator Celebrates S/Leone’s Youth
By John Kelly Marah
Freetown, 12 August 2025 — UN Resident Coordinator for Sierra Leone, Seraphine Wakana, has celebrated the potential and contributions of Sierra Leone’s young people during this year’s International Youth Day, calling them “active agents of change, innovation, and leadership” in the nation’s development journey.
Speaking at the commemoration event, Wakana, representing the UN Country Team, noted that youth aged between 15 and 35 make up more than 35% of Sierra Leone’s population — a demographic she described as “crucial to the country’s progress.”
This year’s global theme, “Local Youth Actions for Sustainable Development Goals and Beyond” in addition to the national theme, “Empowering Sierra Leonean Youth to Localize the Sustainable Development Goals”, underscore the transformative role of young people in turning the SDGs into reality.
“We do not see young people merely as beneficiaries of development, but as active partners,” Wakana stressed, highlighting UN initiatives in Sierra Leone ranging from digital innovation and vocational education to business training and adolescent health.
The UN Resident Coordinator linked the celebration to global commitments such as the Pact for the Future and the Declaration on Future Generations, adopted in September 2024, which call for meaningful youth engagement at the heart of sustainable development. Sierra Leone, she noted, is among the fast-track countries implementing the second phase (2025–2030) of the UN Youth 2030 Strategy.
Wakana also commended the Government of Sierra Leone for prioritising youth in the new Medium-Term National Development Plan and for launching the first-ever Status of Youth Report, presented to President Julius Maada Bio in July 2025.
Quoting UN Secretary-General António Guterres, she concluded by saying: “In every corner of the world, young people are leading the way. They are driving sustainable development, building more inclusive communities, and demanding a fairer, greener, and more just future. Young people are bold innovators, resilient organizers, and essential partners in achieving sustainable development.”
