President Julius Maada Bio has issued a historic apology to survivors and families of victims of Sierra Leone’s 11-year civil war, while proposing a transparent National Peace Fund and a 90-day National Action Plan to consolidate peace and national cohesion.
The President announced a high-level national dialogue on peace and reconciliation held at State House, Freetown, over the weekend, bringing together war survivors, victims’ families, civil society, political leaders and international partners.
In an emotional address, President Bio acknowledged the deep and lasting wounds of the brutal conflict which claimed over 50,000 lives, displaced millions and left thousands amputated and traumatized between 1991 and 2002.
“As President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, I apologise to every survivor, every amputee, every widow, every child who lost parents, and every family who bore the brunt of our civil war. You were failed. And on behalf of the state, I say we are sorry,” President Bio declared.
The apology, the first of its kind by a sitting President in over two decades, was received with tears and applause by survivors present, many of whom said they had waited for years to hear such acknowledgement from the state.
Beyond the apology, President Bio unveiled three concrete measures aimed at addressing the unfinished business of post-war justice and reconciliation.
Firstly, he proposed the establishment of a Transparent National Peace Fund to provide sustained support for war victims, including medical care, education for children of victims, livelihood support and psychosocial services. He stressed that the fund would be independently managed, publicly audited and open to contributions from government, development partners and private sector.
Secondly, he announced a 90-Day National Action Plan on Peace and Cohesion, which will focus on community dialogues, tackling hate speech, strengthening early warning mechanisms and promoting inter-party tolerance ahead of the 2028 elections.
Thirdly, and most significantly, the President directed the Ministry of Justice, the Human Rights Commission and the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) to produce a comprehensive status report on the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Recommendations by January 2027.
The TRC, which submitted its final report in 2004, made over 200 recommendations, including reparations, institutional reforms, youth empowerment and good governance measures. But more than 20 years later, many victims and civil society groups say implementation has been slow and selective.
“We cannot continue to cite the TRC in speeches while its recommendations gather dust on shelves. I want a clear report by January 2027 on what has been done, what has not been done, and what we must do,” President Bio ordered.
Civil society groups and victims’ representatives have welcomed the move, describing it as “long overdue but bold.”
Head of the War Wounded Association, Jusu Jaka, said, “We have been crying for this for 20 years. If this Peace Fund is truly transparent and not politicized, it will restore our dignity.”
Political analysts say the President’s move is both moral and strategic aimed at healing national wounds, boosting Sierra Leone’s post-conflict credentials internationally, and setting the tone for a peaceful transition to the 2028 elections.
The 90-day action plan is expected to kick off next month with district-level consultations led by the Ministry of National Cohesion and Peace.
State House says President Bio will also extend invitations to former President Ernest Bai Koroma and other political leaders to endorse the peace fund and action plan in the interest of national unity.