Riyadh, Thursday, 17 September 2026 Sierra Leone’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice on Wednesday paid a courtesy visit to the leadership and staff of the Sierra Leone Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Introducing him, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Mohammed Barrie, on behalf of the Mission, commended the Attorney-General for making time to visit the Embassy despite his tight schedule in Riyadh, where he is participating in the 4th UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. Ambassador Barrie described Hon. Sesay as a young and humble public servant with a distinguished record, including service in the International Justice System, who has accomplished much since his appointment by His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio as the Government’s principal legal adviser. “One of his remarkable achievements as Attorney-General is the introduction of constitutional amendments enabling Sierra Leoneans with dual citizenship to contest as Members of Parliament without having to permanently renounce their foreign passports, thereby expanding political participation for the diaspora,” Ambassador Barrie said. In his remarks, Hon. Sesay said he was delighted to visit the Chancery on his first trip to the Kingdom and to interact with the staff of the Mission. He thanked Ambassador Barrie, Deputy Amb. Abdul Aziz Turay and the entire staff for the warm reception accorded to him and his State Counsel on arrival at the airport. The Attorney-General outlined some of the legal reforms contained in the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Act 2025. He referred in particular to the amendment highlighted by Ambassador Barrie, noting that it allows dual citizens to stand for Parliament without permanently renouncing their foreign citizenship, thereby expanding political participation “for our people in the diaspora”.
He explained, however, that the provision is not intended for transient members of the diaspora. It requires dual citizens to have resided in Sierra Leone for at least 24 months and to have paid local taxes for a period of five years. He also spoke about the introduction of the Proportional Representation system, which he described as the most debated provision in the Act and one that has generated considerable controversy in Sierra Leone. He noted that the matter has been referred to the Supreme Court for interpretation, adding that the system is intended to enhance regional cohesion and broaden the democratic space. The Attorney-General further outlined other key provisions in the Amendment Act, including the presidential threshold, which lowers the first-round winning requirement from 55 per cent to 50 per cent plus one vote. He also highlighted the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act, which not only guarantees women’s right to acquire property in Sierra Leone, but also seeks to address gender imbalances by providing for increased elective positions for women in all political parties and promoting gender equality in employment, among other measures.
Concluding, Hon. Sesay informed the meeting that he and his State Counsel, Alpha Amadu Bah, were in Riyadh on a four-day visit for the 4th UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI (GFEAI 2026). He said Sierra Leone’s position at the Forum was that the country had chosen not to rush into enacting an AI law. “We want to get it right,” he said, stressing that Sierra Leone needed to be properly informed and guided before legislating. Earlier, the Minister Counsellor and Head of Chancery, Alhaji Ahmed Tejan Kabba, delivered the welcome remarks, while Counsellor Victor Kamara gave the closing courtesies. At the end of the meeting, Ambassador Barrie presented the Attorney-General with copies of the 5th Edition of the Embassy Newsletter and Volume 2 of Goodies of the Bio Presidency. The Attorney-General thanked the Ambassador and the Mission, describing the publications as commendable and a valuable record of the Embassy’s outreach and the Government’s achievements.
