Sierra Leone Telegraph: 23 June 2025:
Last Saturday, President Bio of Sierra Leone delivered a call for accelerated regional integration, strategic investment, and inclusive economic growth.
Speaking at the West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) held in Abuja, President Bio commended Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for hosting the summit and praised the organizers for bringing together regional leaders and stakeholders to address common challenges and chart a path for prosperity in West Africa.
He emphasized that West Africa’s vast natural resources and youthful population offer immense opportunities for shared prosperity, but these must be harnessed through effective integration in the face of rising debt, climate vulnerability, food insecurity, and global uncertainties.
“As leaders facing global economic competition, we must take decisive actions to accelerate regional integration programmes vital for economic growth and shared prosperity,” President Bio said.
He highlighted Sierra Leone’s progress in aligning with key ECOWAS and AfCFTA protocols, including the registration of products under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), the implementation of the ASYCUDA WORLD system to modernize customs infrastructure, and advancing the rollout of ECOWAS biometric ID cards to promote regional mobility.
The President called for monetary union, a common regional currency, and greater investment in infrastructure, energy, and digital connectivity to drive down costs and facilitate the movement of people and goods.
He also emphasised the importance of empowering the youth through skills development and entrepreneurial support, calling them “the heartbeat of our continent.”
On financing, President Bio advocated for innovative models to support major regional projects such as the West African Power Pool, while also urging for the harmonization of capital markets, fiscal regimes, and quality standards to strengthen economic convergence.
Reaffirming Sierra Leone’s commitment to regional prosperity, President Bio invited private sector actors, development partners, and African governments to invest in sectors like agriculture, energy, mining, tourism, and the digital economy, pledging Sierra Leone’s readiness to collaborate for a more integrated and prosperous West Africa.
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