By Amin Kef (Ranger)

The Government of Sierra Leone and the High Commission of India have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening development cooperation as officials, diplomats and ITEC alumni gathered at the Freetown City Council Hall for the ITEC Day 2025 celebration on November 22, 2025.

The event was attended by Hon. Amara Kallon, Minister of Public Administration and Political Affairs, who served as Chief Guest. The celebration drew a large number of ITEC and ICCR alumni who shared their experiences and highlighted the programme’s impact on Sierra Leone’s human-capital development.

In his statement, High Commissioner of India, Shri Baisnab Charan Pradhan, welcomed guests and expressed appreciation to the Minister for honouring the invitation. He said India remains firmly committed to supporting Sierra Leone’s development through technical cooperation, skills enhancement and capacity building.

He noted that the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme, established in 1964, has grown into one of the most significant global South–South cooperation initiatives, offering thousands of training opportunities in governance, ICT, healthcare, entrepreneurship, climate resilience, defence and leadership.

The High Commissioner disclosed that over 250,000 professionals worldwide have benefitted from ITEC, including more than 23,500 defence personnel, with women consistently making up about 40% of participants. He emphasized that Sierra Leone continues to be an important partner in this knowledge-sharing initiative.

“ITEC continues to symbolize India’s unwavering commitment to mutual growth and shared prosperity,” he stated, adding that India strongly supports Sierra Leone’s Medium-Term National Development Strategy and the Big Five Game Changers.

He further announced India’s readiness to expand cooperation in digital governance, renewable energy, public-sector transformation, disaster preparedness and ICT centres of excellence.

Delivering the keynote address, Hon. Amara Kallon praised India’s six-decade partnership with Sierra Leone, describing ITEC as “a beacon of South–South cooperation built on respect, solidarity and shared experiences.”

The Minister noted that many Sierra Leonean professionals trained under ITEC are now contributing significantly to public-sector reform, digital transformation, disaster management, public financial management and governance systems.

“Human capacity is the engine of a nation’s progress,” he said. “Our ITEC alumni are living testimonies of the value of investing in people.”

He highlighted ongoing reforms under President Julius Maada Bio to modernize the Civil Service, including digitization efforts, performance management systems and the recently approved Strategic Roadmap for the Revamp of the Public Service. The roadmap, he noted, will lead to Sierra Leone’s first-ever Public Service Act.

The Minister invited the Government of India to partner with his Ministry in implementing the roadmap, particularly in the areas of training, digital public administration, leadership development and professionalization of the Civil Service.

As part of the ITEC Day activities, participants received reports from recent training beneficiaries. Umaru Barrie shared insights from an advanced analytical training programme held at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, from 10–21 November 2025.

The training focused on high-level analytical techniques such as HPLC, GC, FTIR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and NMR used in quality assessment of pharmaceutical products for export. It also covered global regulatory standards, Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and modern innovations in pharmaceutical analysis.

Umaru Barrie stated that the training significantly enhanced participants’ technical competence and would help strengthen Sierra Leone’s capacity to ensure the quality and safety of medicines, detect substandard products and support pharmaceutical regulatory compliance.

Dr. Mrs Sidratu Kis Lahai-Taylor who completed her ITEC training in August 2024 at CDAC Mohali, India, focused on Telemedicine and Health IT for Women’s Health, stated that the program provided hands-on experience with digital health platforms, AI-supported care and remote consultation systems, reinforced by field visits to urban and rural hospitals. Exposure to the Telemedicine Command Centre showcased efficient specialist support for peripheral facilities. This training strengthened her clinical, leadership and digital-health competencies, positioning her to advance telemedicine initiatives in Sierra Leone.

Leslie Thomas, who visited India for his training course on the Specialized Cybersecurity and Forensics Training at CDAC Noida from 1–14 May 2024, described that the programme deepened his skills in cybersecurity, digital forensics and incident response while fostering global collaboration among participants from 17 countries. Cultural excursions, warm hospitality and practical labs enhanced the learning. He returned to Sierra Leone inspired, offering recommendations to strengthen cybersecurity education and expressing gratitude to India and national partners.

The ceremony reaffirmed the strong and growing ties between Sierra Leone and India. Both the High Commissioner and the Minister praised the enduring friendship between the two nations and expressed optimism about future collaboration in education, ICT, health, agriculture, renewable energy and public-sector transformation.

As the event concluded, officials emphasized that ITEC remains a vital platform for empowering Sierra Leonean professionals and driving national development. The celebration marked yet another milestone in the expanding partnership between the two countries; one anchored in mutual respect, shared values, and a collective vision for progress. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/india-celebrates-itec-day-in-freetown-showcases-six-decades-of-development-support/