By Kadiatu Sankoh
The Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund, Adekunle Adeniyi, on Thursday, 27th November 2025, paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Information and Civic Education, Hon. Chernor Bah, at the Ministry’s office at Youyi Building in Freetown.
The visit reaffirms Sierra Leone’s longstanding partnership with UNFPA and highlights shared priorities in advancing national development.
Welcoming the UNFPA Country Representative, Minister Cee Bah expressed appreciation for the continued support to Sierra Leone and conveyed optimism about deepening collaboration.
“I want to warmly welcome you to Sierra Leone. I’m excited that you are here, and even more excited listening to you. Your sense of urgency and appreciation of the national context is unique. It is not often that we have that within international organisations,” Minister Bah said.
In his remarks, Mr. Adeniyi commended the Minister for his remarkable work and expressed confidence in the partnership ahead.
“I knew my job was cut out for me coming to Sierra Leone. It is not often that you walk into a Minister’s office and meet someone who fully understands both what you are doing and what you intend to do. Sierra Leone has a critical mass of young people, which makes the youth agenda a major focus for us. Likewise, the women’s agenda and Resolution 1325 remain central to our work,” he stated.
Discussions during the meeting covered several key areas, including the national census, the fight against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Child Marriage Prohibition, Youth Empowerment, and safe motherhood. Mr. Adeniyi commended Sierra Leone’s progressive steps in promoting women’s and children’s rights, as well as broader development reforms benefiting young people.
A major highlight of the engagement was the upcoming pilot phase of the national census. The UNFPA Representative praised the Sierra Leone government for committing substantial resources to this national exercise despite fiscal constraints. He reiterated UNFPA’s commitment to supporting the process with technical expertise and capacity strengthening.
Minister Bah expressed confidence in the renewed partnership, noting that the Ministry looks forward to working closely with UNFPA on initiatives that directly benefit the people of Sierra Leone.
“We are excited about the opportunity to work with UNFPA. This partnership holds great promise for supporting national priorities and improving lives,” he concluded.