The Goals, that all the UN Member States have agreed to try to achieve by 2015, address poverty and hunger, education, gender equality, child mortality, maternal health, combating AIDS, malaria and other diseases, environmental sustainability as well as developing a global partnership for development.

The MDGs were launched whilst Sierra Leone was still in conflict, and as a result, comparatively less time has been spent on implementing these objectives. The Government, however, has been working tirelessly with international organisations and civil society groups to speed up the processes, many of which form the Government’s Agenda for Change.

Now, during the last 1,000 days until the end of 2015, the United Nations is working with partners around the world to build momentum and accelerate progress.

Read more:
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Sierra Leone

To mark the occasion, President Dr Ernest Bai Koroma and the First Lady, Madam Sia Nyama Koroma, drew in a high-powered delegation from around the world, led by the Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Dr Kandeh Yumkella, and his team, to engage with a broad range of stakeholders on critical issues facing women in Sierra Leone, as well as highlight realities of other global development challenges including health, energy access, climate change and the post-2015 Development Agenda.

Madam Cherie Blair flew in to launch the Organization of Women’s Network for Entrepreneurs (OWNERS), an initiative by her very own foundation for women alongside the African Foundation for Development Sierra Leone (AFFORD-SL).

International Women’s Day, whose theme for 2013 has been “The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum”, has been declared as a public holiday in Sierra Leone. The President added to the occasion by introducing a range of changes that address the various gender issues, including representation in parliament.

Read more:
• Women’s Situation Room Sierra Leone
• United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) – WARO

The West African Relief team put on the special day at The Farm in Newton, which forms a central point of assistance and goodwill for the local community.

The sustainable initiative is a recent joint venture with Andy Richardson, the founder of the UK based Phoenix Resource Centre, an environmental charity that works directly with UK Ministry advisors regarding the collection and recycling of clean usable waste. Those include off-cuts of material, wood, card, surplus stocks, end of lines and unwanted goods from industry and local businesses.

The day marks the first of two containers from the newly formed partnership, which will help to facilitate the finishing of a partly constructed orphanage in Newton as well as retrain, restructure and restock the region’s only local clinic.

However, West African Relief’s future goal is to create sustainable workshops for the youth of Sierra Leone and across West Africa by designing and manufacturing quality bags, shoes, jewellery, household items and decorations from the materials saved from the UK’s landfills.

Author and illustrator Paul Glynn, has turned Bruno’s astonishing story into a children’s book. Written for 9-12 year olds, and with over forty detailed illustrations, “King Bruno” tells of Bruno’s relationship with Bala Amarasekaran (the man who adopted him), his adventures in the human world and his journey to freedom. It educates young people about chimpanzees, conservation and development as well as touching on deeper themes of family, identity and growing up that children of all ages can relate to. A portion of the proceeds from “King Bruno” will go towards supporting the sanctuary.

“King Bruno” is currently on sale on www.kingbruno.com (and also via Amazon in the UK).

Sowei masks – unique to the region around Sierra Leone – are worn by senior members of the all-female Sande Society during rite-of-passage ceremonies that signify a girl’s transition to adulthood. They are carved expressions of local ideals of feminine beauty, health and serenity that vary widely in their detail.

The video shows a special naming ceremony of a mask held recently at the British Museum prior to its installation in the exhibition.

Masquerade performances play an important symbolic role in the Sande Society. The mask is worn by the ndoli jowei (“the sowei who dances”) along with a black raffia and textile costume which completely conceals her identity. Traditionally, the ndoli jowei appears at specific stages of the period of transition at ceremonies that are accompanied by music, dancing and singing.

A number of related events are also being held, including a special performance in the British Museum Great Court on 16 February of the ndoli jowei masquerade, with speeches from the Sierra Leonean High Commissioner and other dignitaries to mark the opening of the exhibition.

There will also be a series of gallery talks, a related academic symposium, and a special event on 27 April, organised with the Sierra Leone High Commission, to mark the closing of the exhibition and to celebrate Sierra Leone’s Independence Day.

Admission is free.

The charismatic group have risen fast through the ranks of the world music scene, and have acted as great ambassadors, showing a new image for Sierra Leone through their highly infectious and uplifting music.

The band have enjoyed rave reviews, from “The New York Times” to “Newsweek” magazine, a spot on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and a showering of praise from the likes of Angelina Jolie, Ice Cube, Paul McCartney, and U2.

During their multiple stop tour across Europe, USA and Canada promoting the release of their third album “Radio Salone”, we caught up with Reuben Koroma, one of the original founders of the group, at the Mar de Musicas festival, in Cartagena, Spain.

The group broke with the norms of modern music production, choosing vintage analogue instead of digital to record their new album.

The new album is the band’s best to date, successfully continuing to build on the authentic fusion of traditional Sierra Leonean music delivered with both humour and a strong social message.

“Eat all the meat and leave the bone”, the funny video and thought provoking lyrics from the track “Big Fat Dog”, caught the attention of an aid agency for use as part of an awareness campaign.

The band’s indubitable talent and charisma has seemingly set off a worldwide interest in Sierra Leonean music and culture and today there are many rising stars now contributing to offer a richer vision of the country.

The Borderless Alliance, an initiative launched in 2011 to increase trade throughout West Africa, has recently announced its annual conference, Borderless 2013: Connecting Markets, to take place on the 14th and 15th February 2013 in Ougadougou, Burkina Faso.

Private sector stakeholders from across West Africa will participate in the event, including the region’s leading trading companies, transport and logistics companies, banks and other financial institutions. ECOWAS and UEMOA, the regional bodies that obtain consensus on trade policy from West African states, will also participate along with representatives of ministries from West African states.

“West Africa is experiencing unprecedented economic growth and development,” said Borderless the Alliance President Ziad Hamoui. “Removing trade barriers is critical to harnessing that growth and development and ensuring that all of West Africa’s 300 million citizens benefit from it.”

“The Borderless Alliance serves as a platform to identify and address the problems that affect regional trade,” said Justin Bayili, managing director of the Borderless Alliance. “We are coordinating the implementation of a comprehensive strategy with private sector stakeholders across West Africa. The conference will allow stakeholders to collaborate on the strategy and build the momentum to driving further change.”

Online registration for Borderless 2013 is now open at www.borderlesswa.com.

IFC, IFC’s Conflict Affected States in Africa Initiative (CASA), and “This Is Africa”, a Financial Times publication, are hosting Business After Conflict in Nairobi on November 28, 2012.

This one-day conference will bring together high-level representatives from government and business to discuss investment opportunities in countries recovering from conflict, with a focus on Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea and South Sudan.

Bringing together investors, risk analysts and senior politicians, the event will address risk perception and reality, and how it affects financing and insurance. The programme will also offer insight into investment dynamics, reform ‘credibility’, the donor tools available to support investment and conflict-sensitive business practices. Participants will hear success stories from businesses that have flourished in post conflict states.

To help publicize the event, IFC has launched a photo competition open to African nationals that is seeking images of the private sector benefiting communities in post conflict countries.

WACEE 12 will comprise a three day conference with an exhibition on each day and will provide a platform for power providers, technology suppliers, investors, industry experts as well as political and economical decision takers to discuss matters and opportunities in the area of clean energy. The conference will feature experts from the governmental, industrial and scientific sectors to provide input through participation in speech delivery, workshops or panels.

It  will therefore amount to a platform to bring together the knowledge and experience from the following sectors:
• Conventional energies in West Africa: oil, gas and hydropower
• Renewable energies in West Africa: wind, gas and biomass
• Recycling and water treatment

The exhibition, as an international event for West Africa, will represent all key players within the industry, presenting their company and newest technology focused on clean energy and environment.

The exhibition will feature domestic and international exhibitors from the following sectors:
• Oil and gas
• Hydropower
• Renewable energies (solar, wind, biomass)
• Energy efficiency
• Water and wastewater management
• Waste management

Every 2 years, SIAO promotes African business of handicraft providing a framework to facilitate the access for professionals of fashion, decoration, design, fine arts, and furniture in international markets.

As a trusted partner for SIAO 2012, the USAID West Africa Trade Hub will present workshops under AfricaNow!, the international brand supported by the USAID Trade Hub and the AfricaNow! network of producers, exporters and buyers.

“Exporters often need help working with international buyers – as do the buyers,” said Elaine Bellezza, the USAID Trade Hub home décor and fashion accessories advisor. “Agents provide that help – facilitating the relationship between buyer and producer. This workshop specifically focuses on the important role they play.”

Handcrafts exporters from across West Africa will discuss how to facilitate deals with international buyers during the two-day workshop facilitated by AfricaNow!, an international network of handcrafts producers and buyers managed by the USAID West Africa Trade Hub.

Consolidating export agents are key actors in the handcrafts sector, facilitating exports to international markets. The workshop is looking specifically at the critical role agents play and helping them gain knowledge and skills to develop, and to build their networks with partners and increase exports to international buyers.

Facilitators include a U.S.-based buyer’s agent and regional sector leaders.

Over two days, artisanal sector experts will cover:
• How to grow their consolidation businesses.
• Regional collaboration opportunities.
• Buyer expectations.
• Best practices in consolidating and export.