Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Tuesday, 3 February 2026 –

Shaikha Alnuwais, new Secretary-General of UN Tourism and first woman to assume the role, held a productive meeting with His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit, where she pledged her support for the development of Sierra Leone’s tourism sector.

In their discussions, Shaikha Alnuwais outlined her five key strategic priorities: sustainable and responsible growth; digital transformation and data-driven tourism; economic inclusion and local empowerment; infrastructure, connectivity, and tourism enablers; and governance, transparency, and global trust.

She emphasized the immense potential Sierra Leone possesses in its tourism sector and expressed her commitment to working closely with the government to unlock these opportunities. Additionally, Shaikha Alnuwais updated the President on her recent engagement with Madam Nabeela F. Tunis, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, lauding the Minister’s visionary approach toward advancing the sector.

President Bio extended his congratulations on her election and noted the strong bilateral ties between Sierra Leone and the UAE, which played a crucial role in supporting her candidacy.

Highlighting both the opportunities and challenges facing the sector, President Bio stressed that intensified cooperation between UN Tourism and Sierra Leone would drive significant progress. He praised Minister Tunis for the remarkable strides made under her leadership and assured the Secretary-General of Sierra Leone’s full backing during her tenure. He also reaffirmed his personal dedication to accelerating the sector’s development.

In closing, the UN Tourism Secretary-General expressed her intention to visit Sierra Leone in the near future.

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