By Kadijatu Bangura, Reporter D.S
LONDON – Sierra Leone faces growing risks to food security and social stability as the Middle East crisis disrupts global fertilizer and energy markets, Finance Minister Hon. Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura told international partners in London this week.
Speaking at the Global Partnerships Conference on May 19-20, 2026, Bangura said the fallout from instability in Iran could undo two years of progress in preserving macroeconomic stability. He urged the UK and other development partners to act quickly to protect vulnerable economies.
“Developing countries cannot absorb these shocks alone,” Bangura said during a session on outcomes-based financing. “The crisis in the Middle East is a clear and present danger that will force countries like Sierra Leone to scramble for alternative sources of fertilizer, ammonia, and urea.”
The minister noted that Sierra Leone relies heavily on imports, making it highly exposed to price spikes and supply shortages. He called for emergency concessional financing and a coordinated approach to procuring key agricultural inputs to ensure equitable distribution among developing nations.
The conference, hosted by UK Minister for International Development Rt. Hon. Baroness Chapman, brought together finance and development ministers, the African Development Bank, World Bank, FAO, World Food Programme, and private sector leaders to discuss a new UK strategy for global development.
Bangura also participated in a Fiscal Resilience Roundtable on strengthening domestic revenue, spending efficiency, and debt management. On the sidelines, he held bilateral talks with AfDB President Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, FCDO Director for International Finance Phil Stevens, and British International Investment CEO Leslie Maasdorp.
He stressed that citizen input must guide policy design to ensure aid delivers measurable results and value for money.
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