By Princetta Williams, Information Attaché
Sierra Leone High Commission, Accra
The President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, His Excellency Retired Brigadier Julius Maada Bio, has, during a visit to President John Dramani Mahama of the Republic of Ghana, expressed solidarity following the devastating flooding in parts of the country, particularly in Accra.
The high-level diplomatic engagement between the two leaders was held at the Jubilee Lounge and focused on the impact of the disaster.
President Bio, on behalf of the Government and people of Sierra Leone, as well as ECOWAS, conveyed condolences to the people of Ghana over the disaster.
Together with his Ghanaian counterpart, the leaders discussed issues relating to climate resilience, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response strategies.
President Bio assured President Mahama that Sierra Leone and the wider ECOWAS community stand with Ghana during this difficult period.
“In West Africa, when one nation suffers, all others feel the pain. As a region, we must remain committed, responsible, and focused,” President Bio stated.
President John Dramani Mahama briefed President Bio on the scale of the disaster, noting that torrential rains had displaced approximately 48,000 people, resulted in 12 deaths, and left seven people unaccounted for.
On disaster management, both leaders discussed practical measures to strengthen cross-border cooperation in infrastructure planning, climate resilience, and emergency humanitarian response, especially as other countries in the region face similar challenges.
Also present at the meeting were officials from the Governments of Ghana and Sierra Leone, including Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Timothy Musa Kabba; former Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Sidie Tunis; and Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Mohamed Hassan Kaisamba.
President Julius Maada Bio also briefed President Mahama on the upcoming ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit, which will be hosted in Lungi, Sierra Leone, from 12th to 19th July 2026.
The summit is expected to bring together regional leaders to discuss and address pressing issues affecting West Africa.
