Freetown, 01 May 2024 – The Government of Sierra Leone hosted the g7+ Senior Officials Meeting from 30 April to 01 May 2024, welcoming representatives from g7+ member countries. The gathering aimed to bolster g7+ membership and strategize towards advancing peace and sustainable development within member countries, positioning the g7+ effectively in the current global era.
In her opening remarks, H.E. Kenyeh Barlay, Minister of Planning and Economic Development of Sierra Leone and Chair of g7+, warmly welcomed the Focal Points to Freetown and lauded the significant achievements of the g7+. Minister Barlay urged member states to further consolidating membership by ratifying the g7+ charter and intensifying political commitment to address fragility and foster peace.
Coinciding with the 14th anniversary of g7+’s establishment, Dr. Helder da Costa, General Secretary, expressed gratitude to the Government of Sierra Leone for its exemplary leadership since 2014. Sierra Leone’s steadfast commitment, under various Ministers chairing the group, has played a pivotal role in guiding and advancing the g7+ agenda.
In his keynote address, Hon. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, Vice President of Sierra Leone, emphasized the timeliness of the meeting amid heightened fragility challenges regionally and globally. Hon. Jalloh called for expanded engagement and stressed the importance of state capacity to deliver good governance and development to overcome fragility. He underscored the critical role of the g7+ in addressing prevailing geopolitical tensions worldwide. He highlighted Sierra Leone’s role as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, amplifying the collective voice of the group to promote international peace and cooperation.
During the two-day meeting, the first in-person gathering of its kind since the onset of Covid-19, member states acknowledged the progress achieved over the years and deliberated on the challenges faced by g7+ members, exacerbated by current geopolitical and geo-economic dynamics. Recognizing the g7+’s active participation in global dialogues on security, justice, development, humanitarian aid, and climate change, representatives emphasized the need to expand and deepen collective advocacy efforts to promote peace, resilience, stability, and development in conflict-affected countries. They reiterated the importance of upholding the principles of the g7+, including the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States, as guiding frameworks for peacebuilding, state building, and development.
Member countries reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing political buy-in, ratifying the charter, and strengthening engagement with multilateral organizations. They also pledged to collectively advocate for g7+ initiatives on the international stage to address fragility more effectively. Additionally, member states agreed to elevate the profile of the g7+ at the highest levels of the United Nations and other relevant forums.
Contact:
Helche Silvester
Media and Communication Manager,
The g7+ Secretariat, Dili, Timor-Leste
Helche.silvester@g7plus.org