FREETOWN, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Former Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma returned to Sierra Leone on Sunday for the first time since leaving the country in January 2024, arriving to attend the 69th Ordinary Summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the invitation of the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
Koroma departed Abuja aboard a Nigerian presidential fleet aircraft, accompanied by four close aides, before landing at Freetown International Airport in Lungi.
The visit marks his first return since Jan. 19, 2024, when he relocated to Nigeria following ECOWAS-mediated diplomatic engagements after the failed events of November 2023. Since then, the Government of Sierra Leone has discontinued all criminal charges against the former president.
In a statement issued after the charges were dropped, Koroma urged Sierra Leoneans to focus on national unity.
"I remain grateful for the support and goodwill extended to me and reaffirm my commitment to peace, reconciliation and the democratic future of our beloved Sierra Leone," he said.
Political analysts said Koroma's participation in the ECOWAS summit, held under the theme "Where Peace Lives," highlights the regional body's continued role in promoting dialogue, democratic engagement and peace-building across West Africa. ■