New York, USA Thursday 21 September 2023 - His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio and President of Slovenia, Her Excellency Nataša Pirc Musar have met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA78, as two countries getting ready to take up leadership at the United Nations Security Council.

"Slovenia and Sierra Leone will assume Non-Permanent membership of the UN Security Council for 2024-2025. The meeting allowed our two nations to harmonise thoughts toward confronting shared challenges and contributing to global peace, prosperity and progress.

"We also discussed areas of shared interests and mutually beneficial partnerships to deepen economic ties, including the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies, with a focus on good governance, gender equality, water supply, agriculture, science and high-quality education," President Bio said.

Sierra Leone is expected to assume the UN Security Council Presidency in August 2024. The country, voted for by 188 countries out of 193 UN member states on 6 June 2022, is returning to the Council in that category after 53 years, a demonstration of respect for the small West African nation.

Sierra Leone is now among other countries like Algeria, Guyana, Republic of Korea and Slovenia to join the premier body for maintaining international peace and security.

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