By: Saidu Jalloh
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, has addressed the 10th edition of the Knowledge Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where she underscored the critical role of research, data, and technology in accelerating national development, shaping policy decisions, and creating sustainable opportunities.
The Knowledge Summit is a global platform dedicated to advancing knowledge production in support of sustainable development. The 2025 edition, held under the theme “Knowledge Markets: Developing Sustainable Communities,” highlights the growing importance of knowledge markets as economic and social drivers capable of promoting growth, reducing inequalities, and empowering communities.
Dr. Wurie described knowledge as a powerful catalyst that enables nations to transition from vulnerability to sustainability and from dependency to global competitiveness, while forging equitable international partnerships. However, she noted that developing countries continue to face significant challenges particularly chronic underfunding for research and data-driven initiatives. She therefore urged greater investment in research, innovation, industrialization, and sustainable practices to build the strategic partnerships needed for progress.
She emphasized that developing nations must strengthen ecosystems that support both research and innovation, leverage emerging technologies for reliable data generation, and build systems that enhance efficiency, accountability, and transparency to produce credible evidence for national planning.
The Minister further highlighted the importance of collaboration among institutions, stressing that there should be no disconnect between evidence generators and policymakers. She called for deeper partnerships between higher education institutions and ministries, departments, and agencies to promote research that addresses contemporary national challenges across all sectors.
As part of Sierra Leone’s commitment to gender equality, Dr. Wurie showcased ongoing efforts to increase women’s participation in fields traditionally dominated by men such as science, technology, engineering, agriculture, and mathematics. She disclosed that the government is developing a grant-in-aid policy aimed at removing financial barriers for young women to access training opportunities and position themselves for future leadership roles.
Dr. Wurie was accompanied at the Summit by Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Rashid Sesay.
