New York, 22 September 2026 – President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone has urged global leaders to reassess priorities, advocating for increased investment in peace and development alongside military spending.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, President Bio highlighted that ongoing conflicts illustrate the inadequacy of military solutions alone in achieving lasting peace.
“Military action may contain a threat, but it cannot, by itself, build lasting peace,” he said, emphasising that insecurity flourishes in conditions of hunger and exclusion. He pointed to a staggering global military expenditure of nearly $2.9 trillion in 2025, marking an eleventh consecutive annual increase, and called out the disparity between resources allocated for war and those aimed at promoting peace.
“The connection between peace and development must therefore move from our resolutions into our budgets,” he insisted. To achieve enduring stability, President Bio argued that the root causes of conflict such as poverty and weak institutions must be addressed. He cited the conflicts in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, along with terrorism in West Africa, as evidence of the grave human cost of inaction.
He also called for fairer representation and economic treatment for developing nations in international financial institutions, stating that Africa’s natural resources must benefit local economies more significantly. He insisted on processing resources locally and creating fair value chains to secure skilled employment and opportunities for the continent’s youth.
Highlighting the link between economic prospects and peace, President Bio warned that young people without job opportunities could be drawn into exploitation or dangerous migration. He stated that employment and education must be integral to peacebuilding efforts.
Drawing from Sierra Leone’s own post-conflict recovery, he reflected that true peace comes from rebuilding communities and restoring public trust. He concluded by asking the international community to re-establish their commitment to multilateral cooperation and ensure that the UN’s theme “For All” translates into real improvements in people’s lives.
“Let this session give them that reason,” he said. “The words ‘FOR ALL’ should not remain at the end of this year’s theme; they must become the measure of our work.”
For media enquiries, please contact the State House Media and Communications Unit at [email protected].
