Sierra Leone’s Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Hon. Mohamed Rahman Swaray, has met with his UAE counterpart, His Excellency Dr. Abdulrahman Abdulmannan Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit (WGS) 2026 in Dubai on Thursday, 5 February 2026.
During the meeting, Minister Swaray expressed gratitude to the United Arab Emirates for its longstanding support to Sierra Leone across various sectors. He highlighted the strong bilateral relations between the two countries, referencing the 2021 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which provides a framework for cooperation in labour migration.
Minister Swaray commended the UAE for its progressive labour reforms and noted that Sierra Leone is keen to learn from the UAE’s experience. He underscored the Government of Sierra Leone’s commitment to tackling unemployment, particularly among young people.
“His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has an ambitious plan to create jobs for our young people who are ready to work. We are determined to address joblessness and the shortage of middle-level manpower. With a population eager to learn and work, we would welcome cooperation in technical and vocational training, as well as other capacity-building initiatives, to equip our people with the skills needed to compete in the rapidly changing world of work,” Minister Swaray stated.
In response, Dr. Al Awar commended Sierra Leone’s efforts to create employment opportunities and invest in the wellbeing of its citizens. He highlighted the UAE’s vibrant private sector and the reforms implemented to protect workers and enhance their skills. He also outlined potential areas for collaboration between the two countries, particularly in sectors experiencing growth and high demand.
As a direct outcome of the meeting, both ministers agreed to establish a Joint Technical Working Group to develop and implement skills development and training programmes aimed at strengthening the Sierra Leonean workforce across various labour markets.
Earlier, Minister Swaray participated in the Future of Work Forum, where global labour leaders convened to discuss emerging trends and challenges shaping the future of the global workforce.
