Ban lauds Sierra Leone’s advances in firming up stability (15.06.2010)

(Quelle: UN News)

“Sierra Leone is one of the world’s most successful examples of post-conflict recovery, peacekeeping and peacebuilding,” Mr. Ban told reporters in the capital, Freetown, today after meeting with the country’s President, Ernest Bai Koroma.

Sierra Leonean judge re-elected head of UN-backed war crimes tribunal (31.05.2010)

(Quelle: UN News)

Justice Jon Kamanda of Sierra Leone has been re-elected to serve as President of the United Nations-backed war crimes tribunal set up to deal with the worst acts committed during the long and brutal civil war in the West African nation.

War reparations program needs money (24.04.2010)

(Quelle: Reliefweb)

An official with the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission says reparations have been paid to about 20,000 victims of the country's long-running civil war. She says the Commission would like to extend this program to a further 12,000 victims, but lacks the funds needed to provide cash grants and skills training to these people.

Veteran war crimes lawyer tapped as top prosecutor UN-backed court (22.02.2010)

(Quelle: UN News)

A United States attorney, who leads the prosecution against former Liberian president Charles Taylor, has been named by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as the new Prosecutor of the United Nations-backed tribunal trying the worst acts committed during the decade-long brutal civil war in Sierra Leone.

Edging closer to end of mandate, UN-backed court hands over prison to country (16.11.2009)

(Quelle: allAfrica)

The United Nations-backed tribunal trying the worst acts committed during the decade-long brutal civil war in Sierra Leone today transferred its detention centre to the national prison service. The handover of the facility … is the latest step in the completion of the mandate of the Freetown-based Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL), which delivered its last judgment inside the country in October.

Sierra Leonean judge elected head of UN-backed war crimes tribunal (02.11.2009)

(Quelle: UN News)

A Sierra Leonean judge has taken over as the new President of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL), the United Nations-backed war crimes tribunal set up to deal with the worst acts committed during the long and brutal civil war in the West African nation.

UN winds down Sierra Leone court (26.10.2009)

(Quelle: BBC)

A UN-backed court in Sierra Leone has dealt with its last case after seven years investigating atrocities from the country's decade-long civil war.

Security Council extends UN presence in Sierra Leone (15.09.2009)

(Quelle: UN News / International)

The Security Council today extended the mandates for one year of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Liberia and the world body’s peacebuilding office in neighbouring Sierra Leone. … On Sierra Leone, the Council emphasized that the West African nation’s Government “bears primary responsibility for peacebuilding, security and long-term development. For its part, the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL) should continue mobilizing international support for the country, which is rebuilding after a brutal civil war that tore it between 1996 and 2001.

UN names Sierra Leonean to top post in court trying war crimes in his homeland (08.09.2009)

(Quelle: UN News / International)

For the first time a Sierra Leonean is serving as acting prosecutor of the United Nations-backed Special Court trying those accused of violating international humanitarian law and national law in the civil war that tore the West African country apart between 1996 and 2001. Appointed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, senior Sierra Leonean lawyer Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara took up his post today pending the naming of a new prosecutor to replace Stephen Rapp, who resigned earlier this month to become UN Ambassador-at-large for War Crimes.

UN's accolade for Koroma (16.06.2009)

(Quelle: allAfrica / International)

The United Nations Under Secretary General for Political Affairs, Lynn Pascoe, has assured President Koroma that the UN would not only continue to support Sierra Leone but would align its priorities in accordance with the government's 'agenda for change'.

Peace remains fragile (12.06.2009)

(Quelle: allAfrica / International)

Despite some impressive gains in rebuilding Sierra Leone seven years after the end of its brutal civil war, the situation in the West African nation remains fragile, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday. "The outbreak of political violence in March of this year was a wake-up call on challenges that require urgent and continued attention," Mr. Ban told the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission's high-level meeting on Sierra Leone.

Efforts to consolidate peace, prosperity remain fragile – Ban (08.06.2009)

(Quelle: UN News / International)

Despite some impressive gains in rebuilding Sierra Leone seven years after the end of its brutal civil war, the situation in the West African nation remains fragile, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today. “The outbreak of political violence in March of this year was a wake-up call on challenges that require urgent and continued attention,” Mr. Ban told the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission’s high-level meeting on Sierra Leone.

UN envoy praises political leadership in Sierra Leone (08.06.2009)

(Quelle: UN News / International)

Michael von der Schulenburg, the Secretary-General’s Executive Representative for the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL), told the Security Council that the country’s politicians “deserve the highest praise for how they have handled the recent outbreak of political violence in their country when they came together and signed and committed to the Joint Communiqué.” The governing All People's Congress (APC) and the opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) signed that agreement on 2 April, ending violence between the two parties that erupted in early March.

Recent violence underscores need for international support – Ban (29.05.2009)

(Quelle: UN News / International)

President Ernest Bai Koroma and the top leaders of both the governing and main opposition parties were able to prevent a new round of conflict after clashes broke out, underlining the “fragile nature of the nascent democratic process in the country,” Mr. Ban wrote. The governing All People’s Congress (APC) and the opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) signed a joint communiqué on 2 April, which he characterized in his most recent report on the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL) as a “major event.”

Big boost in security sector (19.05.2009)

(Quelle: allAfrica / International)

Vice President Samuel Sam-Sumana has said in Freetown that the training of 17 chiefdom security coordinators was an added advantage to boost security in Sierra Leone.

He made the statement while giving his keynote address at the certification ceremony of the first ever chiefdom security coordinators training at the presidential lounge, National Stadium in Freetown.

UN lauds Sierra Leone move to create new independent broadcaster (04.05.2009)

(Quelle: UN News / International)

The United Nations welcomed Sierra Leone’s announcement on World Press Freedom Day that it will relinquish control of its state-run broadcaster, in a move to support the creation of a new, independently-governed public broadcasting corporation.

Historisches Tribunal verfehlt sein Ziel (Historic tribunal misses target) (15.04.2009)

(Quelle: taz / Germany)

In Sierra Leone ist der letzte Kriegsverbrecherprozess vor dem UN-Sondertribunal zu Ende gegangen. Aber die wichtigsten Täter standen nicht vor Gericht.

Special Court receives funding reprieve (14.04.2009)

(Quelle: Irinnews / International)

The Special Court for Sierra Leone has received US$6.5 million in new contributions – enough, court registrar Herman von Hebel says, to avoid a shortfall that could have enabled former Liberian leader and war crimes defendant Charles Taylor to go free. In March the court forecasted that funds would run out at the end of April, leading to concern that Taylor’s trial could be delayed or discontinued, according to Special Court (SCSL) prosecutor Stephen Rapp.

UN-backed court hands Sierra Leone rebels long jail terms (08.04.2009)

(Quelle: AltertNet / International)

Sierra Leone's U.N.-backed Special Court sentenced three former rebel commanders to lengthy jail terms of between 25 and 52 years on Wednesday for their role in the country's 1991-2002 civil war.

Radio stations banned for inciting violence (20.03.2009)

(Quelle: allAfrica / International)

Sierra Leone's vice president, Samuel Sam-Sumana, on Mar. 13 ordered an indefinite ban on radio stations owned by the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) and its main rival, the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP). This comes in the wake of a wave of politically-motivated clashes between rival party militants across the country these past two weeks. The situation has deteriorated so much so that by-elections in Gendema, a remote town bordering Liberia, had to be put on hold.

Clashes in Sierra Leone capital (17.03.2009)

(Quelle: BBC / UK)

Police in Sierra Leone have used tear gas to disperse supporters of the two main political parties after clashes in the capital, Freetown. There are reports that several women were raped during the violence, which has escalated in recent days. There is a great rivalry between the two main political parties.

Sierra Leone trio guilty of war crimes (25.02.2009)

(Quelle: BBC / UK)

An international tribunal has found three Sierra Leone rebels guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity. … The Freetown trial of the RUF rebel leaders, related to Sierra Leone's 10-year civil war, began in mid-2004.

Country holds national forum on UN Resolution 1325 (24.02.2009)

(Quelle: allAfrica / International)

A two-day national consultation forum to develop a 'national action plan' on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 for Sierra Leone wraps up today in all the regions of the country, including the western area. The purpose of the forum is to develop an action plan for the implementation of the resolution and also to discuss the important role women play in the prevention and resolution of conflict and peace-building generally.

Small arms threaten national security (13.02.2009)

(Quelle: allAfrica / International)

Deputy director of the Sierra Leone small arms commission on Wednesday acknowledged that the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the sub-region poses is a serious threat to security in the country. … He said plans are underway by the government to stem the increase rate of armed robbery incidences in the Western Area.

Building peace in Sierra Leone requires both patience and urgency – UN envoy (09.02.2009)

(Quelle: UN News / International)

The daunting challenges that still face Sierra Leone, seven years after a brutal civil war, require both urgent action and patience on the part of the international community, the head of the United Nations operations in the West African country told the Security Council today. “Finding the right balance may largely determine our success in peacebuilding,” Michael von der Schulenburg, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Executive Representative for the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL) said, as he introduced the first report on the office since its October opening.

International drug trafficking poses biggest threat to Sierra Leone, UN warns (03.02.2009)

(Quelle: UN News / International)

Although Sierra Leone continues to progress in consolidating peace six year after a devastating civil war, more remains to be done to make the achievements irreversible, with international drug trafficking posing a critical threat to stability in the impoverished West African country and the region at large, according to a United Nations report released today.

Secretary-General names new UN envoy (07.01.2009)

(Quelle: UN News / International)

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has informed the Security Council of his intention to appoint … Mi-chael von der Schulenburg as his Executive Representative for the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Of-fice in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL). … Mr. von der Schulenburg, who replaces Victor Da Silva Angelo, is currently Acting Executive Representative for the UN Office in Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone president declares assets (01.09.2008)

(Quelle: BBC) President Ernest Bai Koroma has become the first head of state in Sierra Leone to declare his assets to the country's Anti-Corruption Commission. Under a new law, the president and other public officials must declare their assets and update them annually, and when they leave office. The president said the move was a watershed, and a step to rid the country of corrupt officials.

UN creates new peacebuilding office in Sierra Leone (04.08.2008)

(Quelle: UN News) The Security Council today authorized the creation of a new peacebuilding office in Sierra Leone to assist the country’s continued recovery following the civil war that wracked the West African nation during much of the 1990s. Starting 1 October, the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL) will replace the existing UN political office in the country (known as UNIOSIL) under a resolution adopted unanimously by Council members. It will have an initial mandate of 12 months.

Sierra Leone: a new era of reform? – new ICG report (31.07.2008)

(Quelle: International Crisis Group (ICG)) Sierra Leone has made much progress since the civil war ended in 2002, but it must still defuse social and economic time bombs to solidify peace. „Sierra Leone: A New Era of Reform“, the latest report from the International Crisis Group, assesses the fundamental political challenges and post-war social changes facing the country’s new government.