Luanda, Angola, 23 November 2025 – Sierra Leone’s President and Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Julius Maada, has urged African and European leaders to embrace a renewed partnership anchored in mutual respect, shared responsibility, and genuine equality.
He made the call today while addressing the 7th African Union–European Union Summit in Luanda, Angola.
President Bio expressed profound appreciation to the Government and people of Angola for their warm hospitality and commended both the African Union and the European Union for convening the Summit at what he described as a critical moment in global affairs.
He warned that although the world is more interconnected than ever, it is also increasingly fragile and requires deeper collaboration across continents.
Highlighting Africa’s steady progress in democratic governance, President Bio reiterated that the continent still faces significant challenges, including institutional fragility and unconstitutional changes of government.
He reaffirmed ECOWAS’ zero tolerance for coups and stressed that sustaining stability requires more than condemnations.
“Sustainable stability demands credible nationally owned transitions, resilient institutions, and renewed trust between citizens and the state,” he declared, noting that West Africa is determined to shape a future defined by resolve, not crisis.
The President drew attention to the escalation of terrorism and violent extremism across Africa, reminding the Summit that the continent recorded the highest number of terrorism-related deaths globally last year.
He emphasized Sierra Leone’s leadership at the United Nations Security Council in elevating issues such as small arms proliferation, conflict-induced hunger, and peace in West Africa to the global agenda.
“But one truth remains constant: peace cannot be enforced by bullets alone. It must be nourished by inclusion, opportunity, justice, and a state that people trust,” President Bio said.
As Coordinator of the African Union Committee of Ten (C-10) on United Nations Security Council Reform, President Bio emphasised that restructuring the global governance system is essential to ensuring fairness and legitimacy.
“The reform of the Security Council is not a favour to Africa; it is a long-overdue correction to history,” he stated firmly. He added that Africa’s sovereignty is non-negotiable and rejected any partnership that perpetuates outdated hierarchies or remnants of colonial dominance.
President Bio acknowledged the longstanding cooperation between Africa and Europe but argued that the partnership must now shift from promises to measurable impact.
He outlined Africa’s priorities, including climate resilience, digital innovation, industrialisation, youth empowerment, and expanded investments in value addition and energy transition.
He reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s strong support for UN Security Council Resolution 2719, which guarantees predictable financing for African Union-led peace operations, but stressed that financing alone will not be enough without deep structural investment in Africa’s economic engines.
In concluding his statement, President Bio underscored that Africa is not seeking pity but partnership, one rooted in dignity, sovereignty, fairness, and shared prosperity.
“Our people deserve a world where dignity is non-negotiable, opportunity is accessible, and hope is a right,” he said. “Let us choose cooperation over competition, law over force, and hope over fear and let us choose each other as equal partners in shaping a safer and more prosperous world.”
