Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio Joins Colleagues and Other Global Leaders at the Opening of the 78th Session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)

His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio today joined colleague Heads of State and Government with other distinguished global leaders at the welcome reception and opening of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, traditionally the first day of the General Debate.

“Today, I joined other global leaders for the welcome reception and opening of UNGA78 under the theme, ‘Rebuilding Trust and Reigniting Global Solidarity: Accelerating Action on the 2030 Agenda and Its Sustainable Development Goals Towards Peace, Prosperity, Progress and the Sustainability For All’.”

He noted that the largest annual gathering of members states was at a crossroads in history to address global issues, emphasising that the path ahead would be decisive in determining the future of the current generation and that of generations to come.

“I look forward to a robust engagement and presenting Sierra Leone’s National Statement during the second day of the high-level General Debate,” President Bio stated in a tweet.

The General Assembly, also known as UNGA, is the main forum for all 193 Members of the UN to discuss international issues in line with the UN Charter. The Assembly meets in regular sessions from September to December each year. These meetings resume in January until all issues on the agenda are addressed, which is often just before the next session starts again in September the other year.

Between 2023 and 2024, the Assembly meeting for the 78th time and the ongoing session officially opened on Tuesday 5 September 2023.

As part of the Assembly’s annual session, a General Debate is held each September, which is typically attended by Heads of State and Government, and this year’s General Debate would run from today Tuesday, 19 September 2023 until Tuesday, 26 September 2023.