,,iv  #aah? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #edh  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,june #bc1 #bjbc,mr4  
,allr$ 7= himself & ,ms4 ,kamlag]-,dove7
 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0    
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign        
,affairs  ,,resolution  ,enc\rag+ !     
,gov]nm5t ( ,si]ra ,leone to abide by _!
 promise to a peaceful & cr$ible        
electoral process4  ,:]eas ,si]ra ,leone
 held f\r successful elections1 includ+ 
two transf]s ( p[] to ! opposition s9ce 
#bjjb1 foll[+ ! end ( a decade-long     
civil w> t claim$ m ?an #ej1jjj lives & 
c\ntless casualties2 ,:]eas ! p ( ,si]ra
 ,leone w return to ! polls 9 #bjbc = ! 
c\ntry's fif? g5]al election1 :i* w     
include a ,presid5tial1 p>liam5t>y1 &   
local c\ncil races2 ,:]eas ! upcom+     
elections w take place amid ! c\ntry    
fac+ economic *all5ges & ris+ inflation2
 ,:]eas ! ,african ,developm5t ,bank    
7,af,d,b7 report$ ,si]ra ,leone's       
inflation rose to #bf4a p]c5t 9 #bjbb f 
#aa4i p]c5t 9 #bjba1 driv5 by food &    

fuel inflation1 & depreciation ( ! leone
 z a function ( ,russia's invasion (    
,ukra9e & ! ,,covid-#ai p&emic2 ,:]eas  
,si]ra ,leone has a long hi/ory (       
politicization along e?nic l9es )       
e?nopolitical cleavages id5tifi$ 9      
electoral results2 ,:]eas ! ,afrob>omet]
 report$ a noticeable decl9e 9 welcom+  
attitudes t[>d p ( diff]5t e?nicities & 
political affiliations ov] ! la/ two    
ye>s2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjbj1 ! ,arm$ ,conflict
 ,location  ,ev5t ,data ,project        
7,,acl$7 f\nd t ,si]ra ,leone has be5   
exp]i5c+ a sl[ increase 9 political     
viol5ce z e>ly z #bjad1 peak+ ar\nd !   
#bjah elections & rema9+ at high levels 
s9ce2 ,:]eas ! c\ntry's police =ce has  
be5 implicat$ 9 ! excessive use ( =ce1  
notably dur+ an ,augu/ #bjbb prote/ 9   
:i* m ?an #bj prote/]s & sev]al (fic]s 7
 kill$ 9 ,freet[n2 ,:]eas1 s9ce #bjah1 !
 ,int]national ,republic ,in/itute      
report$ tru/ 9 ! ,si]ra ,leone's        
,national ,electoral ,commission 7,,nec7
 has fall5 by #di p]c5t ) only #ah p]c5t

 ( ,si]ra ,leoneans poll$ id5tify+ !y   
tru/ ! ,,nec a great deal2 ,:]eas       
indep5d5t j\rnali/s1 m$ia outlets1 &    
press fre$om advocates express$ _! ongo+
 conc]ns ov] political elites' use (    
libel & s$ition laws to subv]t report+  
on elections & high-level corruption2   
,:]eas wom5's p>ticipation 9 politics1  
includ+ repres5tation 9 ,p>liam5t1 key  
appo9tm5ts z m9i/]s or o!r s5ior        
adm9i/rative positions 9 ! gov]nm5t1    
rema9s at unequal levels & a big issue1 
accord+ to ! c\ntry's ,m9i/ry ( ,g5d] & 
,*ildr5 ,affairs2 ,:]eas wom5 :o        
p>ticipate politically 9 ! c\ntry report
 suffocat+ intimidation by ! c\ntry's   
security =ces1 includ+ ?r\gh arbitr>y   
arre/s & o!r =ms ( intimidation by      
police pres5ce2 ,:]eas despite upticks 9
 political & social *all5ges1 ! ,global 
,peace ,index /ill rates ! c\ntry z !   
fif?-mo/ peaceful c\ntry 9 ,africa &    
#ej? 9 ! _w z ( #bjbb2 ,:]eas           
,afrob>omet] report$ t among #cj        
,african c\ntries regul>ly survey$ s9ce 

#bjaa1 ,si]ra ,leone is ! only c\ntry   
:]e support = democratic elections      
increas$ significantly by #aa p]c5tage  
po9ts ov] ! rec5t decade2 ,:]eas1 9     
,febru>y #bjbc1 ,si]ra ,leone sign$ into
 law ! ,g5d] ,equality & ,wom5's        
,emp[]m5t ,act 7,,gewe71 a hi/oric &    
monum5tal bill t e/abli%es a #cj-p]c5t  
quota = wom5's p>ticipation 9 gov]nm5t =
 bo? appo9t$ adm9i/rative positions1    
ambassador roles1 & elect$ positions 9  
,p>liam5t & local c\ncil seats2 ,:]eas !
 ,unit$ ,/ates & ,si]ra ,leone %>e a    
deep & entw9$ relation%ip ) ?\s&s (     
,si]ra ,leoneans & _! desc5dants resid+ 
9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates today2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$
 ,/ates & ,si]ra ,leone are l9k$ by a   
complex hi/ory /emm+ f ! ,atlantic slave
 trade 9 :i* l>ge numb]s ( ,african     
slaves f pres5t-day ,si]ra ,leone 7 s5t 
to ! !n-colonies ( ,georgia & ,s\?      
,c>ol9a2 ,:]eas _m desc5dants ( =m]     
slaves 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 kn[n z !      
,gullah1 /ill reside 9 ! same region ( !
 =m] s\!a/]n colonies t 7 able to       

pres]ve mu* ( _! ,si]ra ,leonean        
cultural h]itage su* z a dialect (      
creole simil> to ,si]ra ,leone ,krio1 & 
o!r cu/oms2 ,:]eas ,si]ra ,leone is a   
recipi5t ( significant ,unit$ ,/ates    
=eign assi/ance to improve ! lives (    
,si]ra ,leoneans ?r\gh /rategic         
inve/m5ts 9 democracy & gov]nance1 heal?
 s]vice deliv]y1 & economic gr[?2 &     
,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates und]scor$ its    
commitm5t to exp&+ & deep5+ its p>tn]%ip
 ) ,african c\ntries & work+ to bol/]   
democracy & /r5g!n electoral processes  
dur+ ! #bjba ,summit = ,democracy & !   
#bjbb ,unit$ ,/ates-,africa ,lead]s     
,summit3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t ! ,h\se (  
,repres5tatives-- 7#a7 reaffirms its    
long /&+ commitm5t to deep5 relations   
betwe5 ! p & ! ,gov]nm5ts ( ! ,unit$    
,/ates & ,si]ra ,leone2  7#b7 supports !
 cont9u$ ef=ts ( ! p1 civil society1 &  
memb]s ( ! diaspora ( ,si]ra ,leone 9 _!
 und5iable rights to free1 fair1        
cr$ible1 & transp>5t elections2  7#c7   
urges all p>ties to pursue electoral    

petitions ?r\gh appropriate *annels 9 an
 imp>tial1 effici5t1 & timely mann]2    
7#d7 /rongly enc\rages all p>ties to    
monitor & mitigate ! use ( inflammatory 
rhetoric t c\ld inc5tivize political    
viol5ce & contribute to great]          
e?nopolitical rifts2  7#e7 calls on !   
,gov]nm5t ( ,si]ra ,leone to uphold its 
commitm5ts to transp>5cy1 acc\ntability1
 & good gov]nance1 includ+ by-- 7,a7    
resolv+ any pot5tial adm9i/rative       
hurdles to effectively all[ elections to
 take place 9 a timely fa%ion2  7,b7    
implem5t+ necess>y me*anisms to monitor 
& curb dissem9ation ( mis9=mation &     
mitigate inflammatory rhetoric2 &  7,c7 
ensur+ t /atutes e/abli%$ by ! ,g5d]    
,equality & ,wom5's ,emp[]m5t ,act      
7,,gewe7 are adh]$ to2 &  7#f7 enc\rages
 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t to cont9ue   
necess>y engagem5ts ) ! ,gov]nm5t (     
,si]ra ,leone1 und]scor+ ! ne$ to uphold
 free & fair elections 9 accordance ) ! 
c\ntry's con/itution4