FREETOWN, Monday 27th October 2026 – Former President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma has pledged to support President Julius Maada Bio by sharing his experience to help strengthen leadership, national unity and Sierra Leone’s continued development.
Koroma made the pledge on Monday at the Freetown International Conference Centre, Bintumani, during the National Unity and Social Cohesion Conference 2026 organised by the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC).
Speaking before a packed hall that included President Bio, Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, Speaker of Parliament Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas, Chief Justice Komba Kamanda, members of the diplomatic corps and political party leaders, Koroma commended President Bio for facilitating the gathering.
“I commend President Bio and assure him that, as a former president, I am ready to share my experience to support his leadership and contribute to the country’s continued progress,” Koroma said.
The former President, who led Sierra Leone from 2007 to 2018 and is Chairman and Leader of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC), said the burden of the presidency is heavy.
“President Bio, I wish you well on this journey. The responsibility of a president is not only to govern, but also to hold the country together. That is no small responsibility,” he stated.
Peace Journey Since 2002
Reflecting on Sierra Leone’s peacebuilding journey, Koroma said efforts to promote peace and national cohesion date back to the end of the 11-year civil war in 2002.
He recalled that after the war, successive governments worked with international partners to rebuild state institutions, disarm ex-combatants, conduct Truth and Reconciliation and promote inclusive governance. He noted that the United Nations had recognised Sierra Leone as a successful peacebuilding story despite the challenges encountered along the way.
“The fact that we are here today, sitting together after a difficult electoral period, shows how far we have come. Peace is not an event, it is a process that must be nurtured every day,” Koroma told delegates.
A Rare Moment of Unity
Koroma’s remarks were seen as significant, coming at a time of political tension following the June 2023 general elections. The conference is the first major national platform where President Bio and his predecessor have shared the same stage to discuss peace since the 2023 polls.
Earlier this morning, Koroma arrived at Bintumani after cutting short his participation in the Tana High-Level Africa Security Forum in Ethiopia. He was received and escorted into the hall by Vice President Jalloh and SLPP National Chairman Jimmy Batilo Songa – a gesture described by many as a symbol of unity.
The two-day conference is being held under the theme: “From Commitment to Action: Rebuilding Trust, Strengthening National Unity and Advancing Social Cohesion.” It is expected to end on Tuesday with the adoption of the Freetown Declaration on National Unity and Social Cohesion 2026.
The gathering also comes exactly three years after the Government and APC signed the Agreement for National Unity (ANU) on 18th October 2023, which ended the APC’s boycott of Parliament and Local Councils and created the Tripartite Committee on electoral reforms.
Koroma’s remarks at the conference highlighted the importance of cooperation across political divides, sustained dialogue and shared responsibility in protecting the country’s hard-won peace.
