In a compelling address at the inaugural Geneva Peace Forum, Sierra Leonean President Dr. Julius Maada Bio challenged world leaders to fundamentally realign international priorities by pivoting from post-conflict reconstruction to proactive prevention. 

Speaking at the International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG) under the theme “Choose Peace,” President Bio argued that while the global community excels at managing the aftermath of wars, it drastically underinvests in the early interventions needed to stop them before they erupt.

Drawing from his unique background as a former soldier, a military leader who oversaw a democratic transition, and a democratically elected president, Bio emphasized that true peace requires unwavering political will. 

He proposed a landmark "Geneva Commitment to Prevention," urging governments to progressively dedicate a higher share of international assistance to conflict prevention and to establish transparent reporting mechanisms to track early warnings and subsequent actions.

From post-war recovery to sustainable peace

Reflecting on Sierra Leone’s own harrowing history, President Bio invoked the broken-legged wooden chair monument at Geneva’s Place des Nations, a poignant symbol of landmine victims. 

He noted that the scars of conflict linger long after the guns fall silent, affecting generations of survivors and communities.

When Sierra Leone declared “Di wor don don” (the war is over) in January 2002, the nation recognized that silencing weapons was only the first step. 

Through the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Special Court for Sierra Leone, the country learned that sustainable recovery requires a delicate balance of justice and reconciliation. 

Today, having transformed from a recipient of international peacekeepers into a major contributor to global peacekeeping and a voice on the United Nations Security Council, Sierra Leone stands as a testament to what resilient societies can achieve.

President Bio pointed to ongoing conflicts across the globe, from Sudan and the Sahel to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the Middle East, and Ukraine as tragic reminders of a reactive international system. 

He stressed that early warning signs such as systemic inequality, exclusion, and broken trust are consistently ignored until they boil over into violence.

Furthermore, modern threats like climate-induced disasters, cyberattacks, the misuse of artificial intelligence, and rampant misinformation continue to erode public trust and exacerbate poverty. 

To counter these challenges, Bio called for equitable climate financing, inclusive technological governance, and deep-seated investments in education, youth opportunities, fair judicial systems, and credible elections.

Insisting that Africa offers vital blueprints for stability rather than just seeking aid, President Bio drew on his experience as Chair of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS. 

He advocated for regionally owned and internationally supported frameworks, urging sustained dialogue with nations like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to preserve shared markets and common futures.

Concluding his address with a call for leaders to act earlier, engage in prolonged dialogue, and include marginalized voices, President Bio left the international community with a defining challenge: "Because the greatest victory of peace is not the war we end. It is the war we never allow to begin."