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Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio Courts Investors at the 2024 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue
Iowa, United States, Thursday, 31 October 2024 – President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone engaged business leaders, innovators, agricultural entrepreneurs, and international organizations at the 2024 World Food Prize Foundation’s Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue. This year’s theme, “Bold Measures to Feed Africa,” set the stage for an inspiring conversation on advancing food security in Africa.
Moderated by Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group, the session spotlighted President Bio’s Feed Salone Agenda. President Bio highlighted Sierra Leone’s progress in tackling food security challenges and presented numerous investment opportunities within the country’s agriculture sector.
Explaining the Feed Salone Agenda, President Bio stressed its focus on addressing food insecurity, creating job opportunities for young people, and driving economic growth. He acknowledged climate change as a pressing challenge and emphasized the need for climate-smart agricultural methods to adapt and sustain food production.
President Bio assured attendees of his administration’s commitment to building an investment-friendly environment in agriculture through supportive policies, infrastructure, and various incentives. “I am here to share Sierra Leone’s vision and welcome partnerships with reputable investors,” he stated.
Additionally, President Bio reaffirmed his commitment to empowering women and youth, discussing specialized financing, incentives, and policies aimed at engaging them in agriculture as part of a broader human capital development strategy. He highlighted the essential role of education in his approach to sustainable development.
As he looked to the future, President Bio expressed his hope to be remembered as a “human capitalist” leader by the end of his second term, underscoring his dedication to fostering human development.
In a subsequent press conference, President Bio joined President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania and Dr. Adesina. Together, they underscored the importance of policies, technological advancements, and strong political will to advance agricultural progress and food security across Africa.
For Additional Information:
State House Media and Communications Unit
info@statehouse.gov.sl.
African Markets Hub Names Naira as Third Best-Performing Currency in the Continent
AfricanMarkets.com, a regional research hub, has recognized the Nigerian Naira as the third best-performing currency in Africa. This accolade comes as Nigeria experiences a significant surge in foreign investments, rising from $1.6 billion in 2023 to $2.1 billion this year.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has played a pivotal role in this achievement through strategic measures that have propelled the Naira from its year-low position. Initiatives such as increasing interest rates and direct selling of dollars in foreign exchange markets have contributed to this positive trend.
Recent data from the FMDQ website indicates a remarkable resurgence of the Naira, marking a notable recovery from its decline beyond N1,500 earlier in the year. The currency closed at N1,255.07 per dollar at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) window at the close of trading on Thursday, April 4. In parallel, the Naira closed at N1,260 per dollar in the informal market.
This renewed strength of the Naira reflects positive economic indicators and investor confidence, positioning Nigeria’s currency as a standout performer on the continent.
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