President Bio meets with other world leaders at the Summit
By Emma Black
His excellency president Dr. Julius Maada Bio has emerged as a leading voice for transformative global reform, delivering a powerful keynote address at the third Africa high-level forum on South-South and triangular cooperation for sustainable development, currently underway in Freetown.
The forum, taking place from May 7 to 9, 2025, at the International conference centre, brings together ministers, policymakers, development experts, youth leaders, and civil society representatives from across Africa and the Global South. It is hosted by the African peer review Mechanism (APRM) in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), USAID, the Saudi Development Fund, GIZ, and other international organizations
Under the theme The Role of the Global South in Reshaping the New International Order, President Bio called for bold, systemic reforms to global governance structures, which he described as outdated and unjust to Africa and other developing regions.
Africa is not just invited to the table we are building the table and creating opportunities for ourselves, President Bio declared, earning resounding applause from regional leaders and international delegates.
He criticized the current global financial and trade systems for marginalizing African voices, arguing that today’s complex and interconnected challenges expose the deep inequities embedded in the existing world order.
The present system is not only unsustainable it is broken. What we need is not minor adjustments, but transformative, far-reaching change, this forum provides a vital platform not only for voicing concerns but also for crafting solutions, the President emphasized.
Citing Sierra Leone as a case study for reform, president Bio highlighted key national initiatives such as the feed Salone program, the youth employment Scheme, ongoing public sector transformation, and investments in education, digital technology, and infrastructure, he positioned these efforts as both nationally impactful and globally relevant.
Our policies are proof that strategic, homegrown solutions can drive both continental and global ambitions, he said, aligning Sierra Leone’s progress with the African Union’s agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable development Goals (SDGs).
In a show of regional solidarity, the prime minister of Algeria commended Sierra Leone’s leadership and reaffirmed the importance of South-South and triangular cooperation as a model for Africa’s advancement.
This platform is indispensable for fostering regional integration, economic collaboration, peace, and national stability, the Prime Minister said. It is time to intensify our collective efforts and reinforce our solidarity.
As the summit continues, participants are expected to outline actionable commitments to strengthen partnerships across the Global South, promote inclusive development, and advocate for a more equitable international system rooted in justice, representation, and shared prosperity.
Copy right –Printed in the Expo Times News on Friday, May 9th, 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
