Ambassador Rashid Sesay Reaffirms Sierra Leone’s Commitment to Global Energy Transition

by Chrispus C. Macauley

Director General of IRENA Francesco La Camera

Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Permanent Representative to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Rashid Sesay, has reaffirmed his country’s strong commitment to the global energy transition. The statement was made during the IRENA Embassy Briefing held Thursday in Abu Dhabi.

Addressing representatives from across the international renewable energy community, Ambassador Sesay expressed gratitude to IRENA for convening the high-level dialogue and for its pivotal coordination of the Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA). The platform, launched by a coalition of African nations including Sierra Leone, aims to fast-track renewable energy development across the continent.

“Sierra Leone, under the leadership of the Office of the President, has fully embraced APRA as a strategic vehicle to drive our national energy transition and green industrial agenda,” Ambassador Sesay stated. He emphasized the government’s alignment with APRA’s vision, noting the progress made through national consultations and the development of a tailored APRA Action Plan.

Highlighting tangible outcomes from the partnership, Ambassador Sesay announced that IRENA had facilitated a $45 million investment commitment from the OPEC Fund for the Bumbuna II hydropower extension project. The deal was catalyzed through IRENA’s presentation of the project at the inaugural APRA Investment Forum held last year in Kenya.

In addition to large-scale infrastructure, APRA is also working with Sierra Leone to expand rural energy access through mini-grid electrification, supporting local economic development and community resilience.

Ambassador Sesay concluded by announcing that Sierra Leone will host the second APRA Investment Forum in Freetown later this year. “This will be a key moment to showcase emerging opportunities and deepen international cooperation in pursuit of the commitments made by our Heads of State in the Nairobi Declaration,” he said.

IRENA Director General Francesco La Camera also addressed the gathering, underscoring the agency’s central role in tracking the global energy transition following the COP28 UAE Consensus. He revealed that renewables accounted for more than 93% of new power capacity added globally in 2024, marking another record-breaking year.

“As custodian of the global tripling target, IRENA is committed to supporting regional initiatives such as APRA, the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative, and APRECA. These partnerships are critical to driving context-specific, long-term transformation,” said La Camera.

IRENA, with 170 member countries, serves as the leading international agency supporting nations in the shift to sustainable energy systems. It plays a key role in global policy coordination, investment mobilization, and knowledge sharing on renewables.

The upcoming APRA Forum in Freetown is expected to draw global investors, development partners, and energy stakeholders, further positioning Sierra Leone as an emerging hub for clean energy investment in West Africa.