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Can Sierra Leone and Guinea "make migration work" for migrants, societies of origin and societies of destination alike?

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  Alarming videos of migrants in distress in Guinea circulated on social media a few days before International Migrants Day. Reports say the Sierra Leone embassy in Guinea discredited the videos being shared on social media. One showed a mob hurling stones at the bodies of severely injured people and setting them alight. Other videos showed Sierra Leonean migrants being assaulted. The situation was so dire that events on the ground precipitated the visit of a Special Envoy to Sierra Leone . According to local news media, Maada Bio expressed his concerns regarding the "poor treatment" of Sierra Leoneans in neighboring Guinea. Ironically, Maada Bio, who's espoused violence in his bid to eliminate all seeking to halt dangerous policies, is now  complaining about the "poor treatment of #SierraLeoneans."  It's a bit rich for him to say migrants in Guinea should return when his cabinet is half-Guinean. Can Sierra Leone and Guinea " make migration work " ...

Xenophobia in Conakry, Guinea, is emerging from the shadows and demanding attention

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Disturbing video footage on social media shows Guineans smashing rocks and huge boulders onto the bodies of people lying on the road. Worrisome footage shows several people looking demonstrably lifeless in the middle of the street in broad daylight. Despite coming into close contact with the gruesome scene, a young boy and several pedestrians are captured strolling past the violence on the street, which commenters believe may be located in Conakry. The bizarre footage mimics an incident in South Africa , where scores of migrant Africans were assaulted or killed, news wires reported at the time. There have been no public statements following the raid on migrant settlements, resulting in unknown Sierra Leonean fatalities. 

Concentrating State Power: Lessons from a Banana Republic

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Mohamed Sorie Forna, a medical doctor who later became a politician, was executed in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on July 19, 1975. Below are excerpts from one of the last letters Forna wrote to Siaka Stevens, who was Sierra Leone's Prime Minister from 1967 to 1971 and President from 1971 to 1985. In his letter, Forna emphasized that when a single individual holds exclusive control over state power, it undermines democracy, centralizes authority, and poses a threat to freedom and justice. Dear Prime Minister, In 1967, Sir Albert brought this country to the brink of political and economic disaster. All right thinking people realized that Sir Albert’s insatiable desire for power and wealth spelt chaos and complete disruption of our social fabric. What he wanted to impose upon this nation was a one-man dictatorship, shrouded by a fraudulent Republican Constitution that concentrated all powers in the hands of a single person. In view of this menace to personal freedom and economic stability...

New report: A Nation's Quest for Development: Sierra Leone and the MCC Compact

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  Executive Summary Since 2007, Sierra Leone has embarked on a transformative journey with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). This independent U.S. foreign aid agency provides large-scale financial help to countries, proving a commitment to democratic governance, economic freedom, and investment in people. This engagement has spanned over a decade of shifting political landscapes, governance reforms, and public sector transformations.   In the first stages of this relationship, a dedicated committee of Sierra Leonean leaders and stakeholders was set up in the diaspora, playing a crucial role in navigating the country’s early involvement with the MCC. This committee, making up a cross-section of experts and civil society representatives, was instrumental in ensuring that Sierra Leone's governance reforms aligned with the MCC’s strict requirements. Our efforts focused on fostering transparency, improving public sector management, and addressing long-standing gover...