By Judith Ahmed
Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio on Friday called for
stronger and more focused engagement between Europe and the Sahel, warning that geopolitical rivalries risk distracting from urgent security and development challenges in the region.
Bio made the remarks during a panel discussion titled “Point of Return: Reengaging with the Sahel” at the Munich Security Conference 2026, where global leaders and policymakers gathered to address pressing international security concerns.
Speaking in his capacity as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Bio said meaningful cooperation was needed to stabilise the Sahel, where insurgencies and political instability have intensified in recent years.
He said efforts under his leadership had sought to deepen dialogue between the three Sahelian countries and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), stressing the importance of coordinated strategies that prioritise civilian protection, economic opportunity and youth empowerment.
“The Sahel requires genuine and effective engagement,” Bio said, according to a statement from State House. He cautioned against allowing broader geopolitical tensions to overshadow practical solutions to insecurity in the region.
Bio shared the panel with senior international officials, including João Gomes Cravinho, the European Union Special Representative for the Sahel at the European External Action Service.
The Sierra Leonean president said renewed international partnership was critical to addressing terrorism, governance deficits and economic fragility across the Sahel.
Bio’s participation at the Munich conference underscores Sierra Leone’s growing diplomatic role within West Africa and its push to keep global attention on the region’s security challenges.
