Chief Minister Builds Ties with Sierra Leoneans in Maryland
Maryland, USA September 27, 2025 Fresh from a week of high-level engagements at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Sierra Leone’s Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, traveled to Maryland to engage directly with Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora. The highlight of the visit was a friendly football match an event that transcended sport to symbolize unity, dialogue, and partnership between the government and its citizens abroad.
The gathering was carefully designed to bridge formal diplomacy with informal community connection, underscoring President Julius Maada Bio’s commitment to radical inclusion and diaspora engagement. While football brought laughter and camaraderie, the deeper focus was on strengthening the bond between Sierra Leone’s government and its global citizens.
Dr. Sengeh reminded the Maryland community that the diaspora is not a peripheral audience but a strategic partner in nation-building. Beyond the billions of dollars in remittances sent each year, he highlighted the reservoir of skills, knowledge, and networks that Sierra Leoneans abroad brought to the table.
President Bio’s vision unites Sierra Leoneans everywhere. Whether at home or abroad, we are one nation with a shared responsibility to drive development. The diaspora is not on the sidelines you are key players in our collective progress,” the Chief Minister emphasized.
The event also provided a platform to align the diaspora’s contributions with the government’s “Big Five Game Changers” a flagship agenda centered on human capital development, food security, technology and infrastructure, youth empowerment, and public service reforms. By linking sportsmanship to teamwork and national pride, the football match offered a creative way to connect these policy priorities with lived experiences.
Community leaders praised the Chief Minister’s outreach, describing it as both refreshing and inspiring after his demanding week of international diplomacy. They said the visit reinforced their sense of belonging and renewed their motivation to contribute toward Sierra Leone’s social and economic progress.
For many participants, the Maryland engagement symbolized the true spirit of radical inclusion: a government that not only negotiates on the world stage but also sits, listens, and shares moments of joy with its people abroad.
As the sun set over Maryland, the football match ended not just with a scoreline but with renewed optimism and stronger partnerships. It was a reminder that national development thrives on unity, collaboration, and shared purpose values that Sierra Leone continues to champion both at home and in the diaspora.
