Former President Ernest Bai Koroma has urged Sierra Leone’s Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion to prioritize early warning and preventive action, identifying risks and addressing grievances before they escalate into conflict.
Former President Koroma appealed on Thursday, 12 September 2026, during a meeting with a high-level Peace Commission delegation shortly after his return to the country.
Led by Board Chairman Rev. Shodankeh Johnson, the delegation included Executive Secretary Hawa Sally Samai, Director of Conflict Prevention Adikalie Sheku Kamara, and Deputy Director of Communications and Outreach Hawa Barrie.
Speaking at the meeting, Koroma said he had returned “as a retired president” with no official role, and that his focus would be on peace, national cohesion and development.
He argued that periods of calm provide the best opportunity to spot early warning signs and resolve underlying tensions.
“Peacebuilding should not receive attention only when tensions or crises emerge,” Koroma stated, cautioning against a “fire brigade” approach to conflict resolution.
“Periods of calm, he argued, offer the best chance to spot early warning signs, address grievances and strengthen relationships before disputes escalate”.
The former president encouraged the Commission to strengthen robust early-warning and prevention mechanisms rather than waiting for crises to erupt. He also drew on regional experience, noting the role retired Heads of State play across West Africa in supporting dialogue and mediation through platforms such as the West African Elders Forum.
Commission officials welcomed Koroma’s backing. Rev. Johnson thanked him for remaining engaged with government and national actors, and said the Commission values partnerships with experienced leaders to deepen cohesion.
Executive Secretary Hawa Sally Samai presented the Commission’s Annual Report and outlined its shift from reactive conflict response to preventive peacebuilding. She highlighted existing tools including Peace Monitors, Peace Mediators, Paramount Chiefs, district peace coalitions, and the Commission’s 898 toll-free hotline as key early warning and response mechanisms.
Both sides agreed to establish formal avenues for collaboration centered on early warning, structured dialogue, and long-term national reconciliation.
Former President Koroma also disclosed plans to set up a foundation dedicated to peace, good governance and democracy, an initiative he said he has already discussed with President Julius Maada Bio. He suggested the foundation could serve as a direct partner to the Peace Commission.
The meeting comes as the Commission continues to push for dialogue and unity across political and community lines. In recent months, it has emphasized that maintaining peace is a collective responsibility requiring input from political parties, civil society, traditional leaders and citizens.
With Sierra Leone having made “relative stability” in recent years, former President Koroma’s message centered on using that stability to do the preventive work now.
“Let us move away from reactive crisis management toward proactive, preventive interventions,” was the central theme of the discussions.