By: Mohamed Sheriff
Information Attaché | Geneva, Switzerland

His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has concluded a highly productive first official visit to Geneva, Switzerland, where he participated in a series of high-level engagements that reinforced Sierra Leone’s growing role in international dialogue on peace, regional cooperation, democratic governance and global health.

President Bio was accompanied on the visit by the First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, alongside other members of his delegation.

Upon arrival in Geneva, His Excellency was received by Ambassador Thomas Gurber, Permanent Representative of Switzerland; Mr. Samy Bensalem, Deputy Chief of Protocol of the Canton of Geneva; and His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Lansana Gberie, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva.

A major highlight of the visit was President Bio’s participation in the High-Level Opening of the Geneva Peace Forum at the Centre International de Conférences Genève (CICG), where he delivered a keynote address.

His participation provided an important platform for Sierra Leone to contribute to global conversations around sustaining peace and strengthening international cooperation. Sierra Leone’s own journey of peace consolidation gave relevance to the President’s engagement in discussions on creating and sustaining peaceful societies.The engagement also provided an opportunity to further project Sierra Leone internationally as a country contributing its experiences and perspectives to conversations on peace and international cooperation.

President Bio also delivered a keynote lecture at the Geneva Graduate Institute as part of the Director’s Global Leadership Series, speaking on the theme: “Building Lasting Peace in Africa: The Catalytic Role of ECOWAS.”

Drawing on Sierra Leone’s experience in peace consolidation, President Bio underscored the critical role of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in strengthening conflict prevention, mediation, democratic governance and sustainable peace across the African continent.

The lecture placed particular emphasis on regional cooperation as an important component of addressing peace and security challenges in Africa while promoting stronger democratic institutions and sustainable development.

Through the various engagement, President Bio shared Sierra Leone’s perspective on the importance of collective regional action and strong multilateral cooperation in addressing contemporary peace and security challenges.

Strengthening Sierra Leone’s Partnership with Gavi

Beyond peace and regional diplomacy, the President’s programme in Geneva also focused on strengthening cooperation in global health.

President Bio held a bilateral meeting with Dr. Sania Nishtar, Chief Executive Officer of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, during which discussions centred on strengthening Sierra Leone’s cooperation with Gavi in immunisation and health systems.

The discussions also covered the country’s continued partnership with Gavi in protecting child health and advancing universal health coverage, underscoring the importance of international partnerships in strengthening Sierra Leone’s health sector.

As part of his official engagements, President Bio met with staff of the Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone in Geneva.

During the meeting, the President expressed profound appreciation to the Mission for the warm hospitality, excellent coordination and protocol arrangements provided throughout his visit.

He commended the staff for their dedication and service to the country, while encouraging them to continue working together as a cohesive team to protect Sierra Leone’s interests and positively project the country’s image internationally.

The interaction further highlighted the important role Sierra Leone’s diplomatic missions play in strengthening bilateral and multilateral relationships and advancing the country’s interests on the international stage.

President Bio’s first official visit to Geneva brought together critical areas of Sierra Leone’s international engagement, ranging from peacebuilding and regional cooperation to global health and multilateral diplomacy.

Accompanied by First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, the President’s participation in prominent international engagements provided another opportunity for Sierra Leone to share its perspectives and strengthen relations with key international institutions and partners.

The President departed Switzerland on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, for Freetown, Sierra Leone, ending a high-level visit focused on advancing the country’s diplomatic engagement and international partnerships.