Foreign Minister Kabba Pushes for Expanded Sierra Leone–US Academic Cooperation

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Alhaji Timothy Musa Kabba, has called for stronger educational and academic partnerships between Sierra Leone and the United States, stressing that education and human capital development are central to the country’s long-term development agenda.

He made the call during a meeting with a delegation from the African American Male Education Network and Development (A2MEND) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Freetown.

Minister Kabba said Sierra Leone’s historical links with people of African descent in the Americas provide a strong foundation for expanding cooperation in education, research, and cultural exchange. He traced this connection to the settlement of freed Africans, including formerly enslaved people from Britain, Nova Scotia, Jamaica, and the Caribbean, who founded Freetown in the late 18th century, noting the Cotton Tree as a symbol of national identity and resilience.

He also reflected on his experience during Sierra Leone’s eleven-year civil war and highlighted the country’s transformation into a peaceful and democratic state, including its recent service on the United Nations Security Council.

Kabba further emphasized President Julius Maada Bio’s Free Quality School Education programme as a key pillar of human capital development, expanding access to learning nationwide.

He also referenced Sierra Leone’s historic academic legacy, pointing to Fourah Bay College, established in 1827 as the first Western-style university in British West Africa, which earned the country the title “Athens of West Africa.”

He urged the A2MEND delegation to move beyond ceremonial engagement and focus on sustained academic partnerships, including student exchanges, research collaboration, and institutional cooperation.

The A2MEND delegation, comprising education leaders and students, expressed appreciation for the visit and reaffirmed their commitment to long-term educational cooperation with Sierra Leone.