By Abdul Bero Kamara- Chief
4th July 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with the leaders of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal in Washington, D.C., from July 9 to 11.
According to the White House website, the purpose of this high-profile meeting is to discuss “commercial opportunities.” The White House stated that President Trump believes African nations present incredible commercial prospects that benefit the American people and our African partners.
Many Sierra Leoneans, both at home and abroad, are asking a pressing question:
Why was Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio not among the invited African leaders to the White House?
This concern is particularly significant given that he is the current chairman of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States).
According to information gathered from political analysts, Sierra Leone was not invited to this important three-day business summit due to two main factors: human rights violations and drug trafficking.
Since the Bio SLPP government came to power, both human rights abuses and drug trafficking have increased to the extent that Sierra Leone has frequently made international headlines.
Recently, the U.S. State Department reported on the situation in Sierra Leone, highlighting these issues., Drug trafficking and money laundering remain prevalent, with the country being used as a transhipment point from South America/Asia to Europe and, to a lesser extent, the United States.
It further said that Corruption is a pervasive problem in Sierra Leone that compromises citizens’ access to basic public services and institutions such as health, education, and the police. The criminal justice system is inefficient and backlogged.
Sierra Leone recently made international headlines when it was revealed that one of Europe’s most wanted drug lords, Jos Leijdekkers, found refuge in the country after marrying the president’s daughter.
Additionally, under President Bio’s administration, Sierra Leone has been reported as a leading country for human rights violations, according to the State Department.
According to a recent State Department report, Sierra Leone has faced significant human rights issues. These include credible reports of arbitrary or unlawful killings, harsh and life-threatening prison conditions, and arbitrary arrests or detentions.
The report also highlights the presence of political prisoners and substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly.
Additionally, it points to serious government corruption and extensive gender-based violence, which encompasses domestic violence, sexual violence, child marriage, early marriage, forced marriage, and female genital mutilation/cutting.
Finally, President Bio should have been included among the invited leaders, considering that he is the current chairman of ECOWAS. By not inviting him, it is a significant embarrassment for both the SLPP government and Sierra Leone.