By Emma Black
Sierra Leone’s minister of transport and aviation, Alhaji Fanday Turay Esq., delivered a powerful address at the International Civil Aviation organization (ICAO) facilitation panel (#FALC2025) in Doha, showcasing the nation’s aviation strides and urging global leaders to turn dialogue into action, representing Sierra Leone, Turay highlighted transformative milestones and positioned the country as a rising force in shaping a safer, more inclusive global aviation future.
addressing delegates from over 190 nations, Turay detailed Sierra Leone’s aviation progress: the 2024 commissioning of the new Freetown International Airport terminal, expanded routes with five new international airlines in 2024, and enhanced national coordination through the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA, these efforts boosted passenger traffic by 20%, per 2024 SLCAA data, signalling economic promise. Sierra Leone is ready to lead with action and collaboration, Turay declared, his voice resonating in the plenary hall.
He called for bold steps beyond rhetoric, the skies demand vision, integrity, and resolve dialogue alone won’t suffice, he urged, the future of aviation is now, and we must shape it together, his message aligned SLCAA’s priorities with ICAO’s goals: streamlined border processes, enhanced security, and improved passenger experiences. A 2024 SLCAA initiative, for instance, cut immigration wait times by 30% using biometric systems, a model Turay pitched for global adoption.
Turay emphasized people-centric investments, we’re building infrastructure, yes, but also systems and partnerships for sustainability and resilience, he said, citing training for 200 aviation staff in 2024. Partnerships with Turkish Airlines and Brussels Airlines, secured last year, underscore Sierra Leone’s growing connectivity, with flights up 15%, per airport records.
Sierra Leone’s proactive role at FALC 2025 reflects its commitment to ICAO standards, vital as global air travel rebounds 7 billion passengers projected by 2030, per ICAO forecasts, Turay’s push for cross-sector collaboration resonated with delegates, earning praise from Uganda’s aviation chief, Sarah Okello, Sierra Leone’s clarity inspires us all.
Public reactions in Freetown buzz with pride. our airport’s world-class now Turay’s showing it off, said taxi driver Mohamed Kamara, whose X post gained 800 likes, yet, challenges linger: high airfares, up 10% in 2024, per consumer reports, and rural airstrip neglect frustrate locals, fix the provinces too, tweeted student Aminata Sesay. Turay acknowledged these, pledging $5 million for regional upgrades by 2026, per ministry plans.
Opportunities abound tourism, spurred by better aviation, rose 12% in 2024, adding $50 million to GDP, per tourism board data. Community leaders like Imam Abdul Conteh see hope, Better skies mean better lives, the ICAO panel, a hub for refining air travel standards, offered Turay a stage to secure technical aid, with talks underway for EU-funded security tech, per delegation sources.
