By Amin Kef (Ranger)
President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Julius Maada Bio, has called for bold, practical and resilient leadership across Africa, urging Governments to build strong institutions capable of withstanding political, economic, climate and technological disruptions.
Delivering the Presidential Keynote Address at the 2026 Oxford Africa Conference held on Sunday, 17 May 2026, at the University of Oxford in Oxford, England, under the theme: “Anchoring Africa: Grounded, Game-Changing Leadership in the Age of Disruption,” President Bio stressed that Africa’s future would depend not only on reclaiming its voice but also on establishing durable systems capable of surviving modern global challenges.
Addressing scholars, policymakers, members of the African diaspora and students attending the conference, President Bio reflected on the need for Africa to move beyond simply asserting its agency and focus instead on ensuring that the gains achieved are sustainable.
“Last year, standing on this same platform, I spoke about African agency,” President Bio said. “This year, we must ask something harder: Can what we define endure? Can it survive shocks and disruption?”
The Sierra Leonean leader emphasized that Africa’s numerous challenges are deeply interconnected and cannot be addressed in isolation, warning that crises often evolve into broader regional and national problems.
“A drought does not stay a drought. It becomes a food crisis. A food crisis becomes a revenue crisis. A revenue crisis becomes a security crisis,” he stated, underscoring the need for Governments to treat constitutional order, economic resilience, security cooperation, climate adaptation, youth opportunities and technological advancement as interconnected priorities.
Speaking in his dual capacity as President of Sierra Leone and Chairman of ECOWAS, President Bio reflected on Sierra Leone’s own experience with civil conflict, the Ebola epidemic, economic hardship and climate vulnerability, describing the country as a testament to resilience and gradual reform.
He noted that since assuming office in 2018, his administration had remained focused on long-term national transformation despite numerous setbacks, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Bio highlighted flagship Government initiatives such as the Free Quality Education Programme and the Feed Salone agricultural agenda, describing them as practical interventions aimed at expanding educational access and strengthening food security.
“Our Free Quality Education programme has expanded access to schooling for millions of children who would otherwise have been excluded, particularly girls,” he said, adding that agricultural reforms under Feed Salone were steadily strengthening domestic production and reducing dependency on food imports.
“These are not perfect outcomes. But they are meaningful ones,” he added. “They show that when policy is sustained and aligned with national priorities, progress becomes tangible.”
On regional stability and governance, President Bio warned that coups and unconstitutional changes of Government in parts of West Africa reflect deeper governance failures and declining public trust in institutions.
“Democracy goes far beyond elections,” he said. “To be meaningful, democracy must work in substance. Our responsibility is not only to defend democracy but to make it mean something in the daily lives of our citizens.”
He further noted that while regional sanctions and diplomatic efforts may help maintain constitutional order, long-term stability can only be achieved through effective governance, accountability and institutions that deliver results for citizens.
President Bio also underscored the importance of regional cooperation, cautioning that instability in one country inevitably spills into neighboring states through conflict, migration, arms trafficking and economic disruptions.
“Regional cooperation is not an optional ideal but a survival strategy,” he emphasized, noting that many African communities remain historically linked through trade, language, culture and shared history.
Turning to Africa’s rapidly growing youth population, President Bio described demography as one of the most defining realities shaping the continent’s future.
“Africa is the world’s youngest continent,” he stated. “If politics does not adapt to demographic reality, frustration will outrun reform.”
He warned that expanding educational systems without corresponding job opportunities and meaningful participation in governance would deepen frustrations among young people, urging Governments to prioritize education, employment, mobility and innovation.
President Bio also drew attention to the growing importance of technological governance, particularly in Artificial Intelligence, warning that Africa risks becoming merely a passive consumer of technologies developed elsewhere.
“Artificial Intelligence is already reshaping economies, governance and society,” he said. “Africa cannot afford to be a passive consumer of these systems.”
Calling for a continent-wide approach, he proposed the establishment of a Pan-African AI governance framework to ensure African countries participate meaningfully in shaping global technological regulations and innovation.
On climate change, President Bio described the crisis as “one of the greatest injustices of our time,” pointing out that although Africa contributes the least to global carbon emissions, it continues to bear a disproportionate burden of climate-related consequences.
He called for fairness in global climate financing while encouraging African Governments to continue investing in resilience, adaptation and sustainable development.
In his closing remarks, President Bio challenged young Africans and members of the diaspora to remain actively connected to the continent and contribute meaningfully to its development.
“To the young Africans here, build where you stand. But stay connected to where you come from,” he urged. “The diaspora is not outside Africa’s story. The diaspora is one of Africa’s most powerful assets.”
Reaffirming his optimism about the continent’s future, President Bio declared that Africa is already shaping its own destiny but stressed that sustaining progress would require courageous reforms, institutional strength and visionary leadership.
“Africa can anchor its own story. We are already doing so,” he concluded. “What remains is leadership steady enough to hold the ground where stability is needed and bold enough to change it where reform is overdue.”
