SL Co-Hosts High Ambition Coalition Nature Leaders Event at UNGA80

At the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) in New York, Sierra Leone underscored its growing international leadership on climate and environmental issues by co-hosting the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) Nature Leaders High-Level Event. Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Jiwoh Abdulai, represented Sierra Leone at the dialogue, joining ministers, heads of state, development partners, and civil society leaders from across the globe.

The event focused on advancing global action to halt biodiversity loss, strengthen peacebuilding through environmental cooperation, and promote sustainable development as the world works toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

For Sierra Leone, participation in this dialogue is more than symbolic. It reflects President Julius Maada Bio’s strong climate agenda and the Protect Sierra Leone vision, which places environmental stewardship at the center of national development planning. The country has already endorsed global frameworks such as the #30×30 initiative, which seeks to conserve 30% of the planet’s land and oceans by 2030, and is integrating these commitments into national strategies for resilience, sustainability, and inclusive growth.

Minister Abdulai emphasized that protecting biodiversity is inseparable from building peace and security, noting that climate-related shocks and environmental degradation disproportionately affect vulnerable communities. He stressed Sierra Leone’s commitment to developing nature-based solutions that not only preserve ecosystems but also create green jobs, improve food security, and strengthen resilience to climate risks.

By co-hosting this high-level event, Sierra Leone highlighted its dual role as both a nation highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and a determined advocate for global climate action. The government’s efforts to link global ambitions to national priorities demonstrate how small and climate-vulnerable states can serve as powerful voices in shaping the international agenda.

The dialogue also reinforced Sierra Leone’s partnerships with international organizations, donor agencies, and fellow member states of the High Ambition Coalition, a group of more than 100 countries championing bold action for biodiversity and climate. These alliances are expected to translate into stronger technical cooperation, access to climate finance, and knowledge-sharing platforms to accelerate implementation of environmental reforms back home.

As global momentum builds ahead of the next Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Sierra Leone’s co-hosting role at UNGA80 signals its commitment to advancing transformative action on nature conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable growth.

“Sierra Leone is proud to stand with partners in charting a more sustainable path for people and the planet,” Minister Abdulai affirmed. “Protecting our natural heritage is not only an environmental imperative—it is an economic and social one. It is about safeguarding the future of our youth, building resilient communities, and contributing to lasting peace and prosperity.”