Ambassador Yongawo Opens New Educational Frontiers for Sierra Leone in Russia

Festus J. Lahai
15 hours ago
3 min read

NOVOSIBIRSK, RUSSIA — 28 August 2026: Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation, His Excellency Mohamed Yongawo, is continuing his drive to expand educational, scientific and technological opportunities for Sierra Leoneans through deeper cooperation with Russian institutions.

At the invitation of the Governor of Novosibirsk, Andrei Travnikov, and the Center for Public Diplomacy, Ambassador Yongawo participated in TECNOPROM XIII – International Forum of Technological Development, held in Novosibirsk from 25 to 28 August 2026.

The international forum brought together diplomats, government representatives, scientists, academics, technology experts and members of the business community to discuss technological development, innovation and international cooperation.

Addressing a meeting between the Governor of Novosibirsk and representatives of foreign countries participating in the Forum, Ambassador Yongawo highlighted the significant transformation taking place in Sierra Leone under the leadership of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, particularly in science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

The Ambassador pointed to the establishment of the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) in the Office of the President, which was created to drive national digital transformation and public-sector innovation.

He explained that Sierra Leone’s development ambitions are increasingly being supported by investments in technology, innovation and human capital, stressing that a technologically transformed Sierra Leone requires a highly skilled and knowledgeable population.

Ambassador Yongawo emphasized that Human Capital Development remains a major priority for the Government of Sierra Leone, with significant investments in education and skills development.

However, he stressed that international partnerships remain essential for Sierra Leone to realize its ambitions fully.

The Ambassador called on the institutions, governments, universities, scientists and business leaders represented at the Forum to join Sierra Leone in building sustainable partnerships.

“Sierra Leone cannot do it alone. We need partners who share our vision and are prepared to work with us in developing the human capital, knowledge and technological capacity required to transform our country.”

He further encouraged Russian institutions to look beyond traditional diplomatic relations and explore practical partnerships that can directly benefit Sierra Leonean students, universities, researchers and professionals.

While in Novosibirsk, Ambassador Yongawo, with the support of the Center for People’s Diplomacy, also participated in visits to three prominent Russian universities:

Novosibirsk State University of Science and Technology; Novosibirsk State University of Biotechnology; and Novosibirsk State University of Architecture, Art and Design.

The university engagements provided an important platform for discussions on expanding cooperation between Russian and Sierra Leonean higher education institutions.

Areas explored included student enrolment, academic exchanges, institutional partnerships, scientific research, faculty cooperation, capacity building, and technological collaboration.

Particular attention focused on developing cooperation between engineering faculties in Novosibirsk and their counterparts in Sierra Leone, with discussions pointing to the possibility of establishing direct institutional links.

The engagements produced encouraging outcomes, with participating universities expressing their readiness to explore and commence concrete areas of collaboration with Sierra Leonean institutions.

The proposed partnerships could create new opportunities for Sierra Leonean students to pursue studies in specialized fields in the Russian Federation, while also giving Sierra Leonean academics and institutions opportunities to benefit from Russian expertise, research, and technological advancement.

The visit therefore represents another important step in Sierra Leone’s expanding educational and scientific engagement with the Russian Federation.

For Ambassador Yongawo, however, the objective goes beyond securing individual opportunities for students.

It is about building enduring institutional partnerships that can strengthen Sierra Leone’s universities, develop its human capital, and transfer knowledge, skills, and technology back to Sierra Leone.

The Novosibirsk engagements form part of Ambassador Yongawo’s broader diplomatic efforts to deepen practical cooperation between Sierra Leone and the Russian Federation, with education, science, technology, and human capital development increasingly becoming central pillars of the bilateral relationship.

The Ambassador’s participation in TECNOPROM XIII, along with his engagements with Russian universities and academic institutions, shows the growing emphasis on turning diplomatic relations into tangible opportunities for Sierra Leoneans and Sierra Leonean institutions.

The visit to Novosibirsk is expected to pave the way for further discussions between the participating Russian universities and their Sierra Leonean counterparts, with the prospect of formalizing areas of cooperation in the immediate future.

For Sierra Leone, the message from Novosibirsk is clear: the country is seeking partnerships, not merely opportunities—partnerships that can equip its young people with the knowledge, skills, and technological capacity to build the Sierra Leone of the future.