World Crisis Chronology
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SIERRA LEONE

12/13/2023
Police announce that former president Ernest Bail Koroma is a suspect in the 11/26 coup attempt.
11/26/2023
Government forces exchange fire with unidentified gunmen attacking a military barracks. The gunmen also free hundreds of prisoners. It is not clear if this was a coup attempt. The government forces quell the uprising and a curfew is imposed on the city.
10/23/2023
Bio pledges to fully implement a recent agreement with the opposition that calls for the APC to end its boycott in exchange for an end to the detentions and court cases that it claims are politically motivated. The parties also agreed to set up an inter-party committee to review the June elections with the partners involved in the mediation.


06/24/2023
Bio reelected
Presidential election. President Bio’s main challenger is former foreign minister Samura Kamara of the All People’s Congress Party.
04/29/2023
China donates a patrol boat to Sierra Leone to help its military prevent illegal fishing and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean. Countries in the region have expressed concern about Chinese trawlers overfishing the area.
11/24/2022
Fighting erupts in legislature over proposed electoral reforms. The electoral commission has recommended changing to proportional representation for local and parliamentary elections in 2023. The change would require legislative approval, but the opposition says the change is unconstitutional.
08/10/2022
Substantial and sometimes violent demonstrations in Freetown protesting rising cost of living and inflation. There are calls for President Bio to step down. Curfew declared.
07/01/2022
Government announces devaluation of the leone, deleting three zeroes from its face value. Their actual value remains the same.


03/07/2022
Bio elected president
In a run-off with Kamara, Bio is elected president with 51.8% of the vote.
10/01/2020
Koroma is banned from traveling due to ongoing corruption investigation.
04/02/2020
Sierra Leone issues three-day stay-at-home order.
04/02/2020
Government orders three-day stay-at-home order.
03/31/2020
Sierra Leone confirms first case of COVID-19.
03/31/2020
Sierra Leone confirms its first case of COVID-19.
12/21/2018
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Abdulai Hamid Charm resigns unexpectedly. There is speculation that it was forced.
10/11/2018
Sierra Leone cancels $300 million airport project with China that had been agreed by former Pres Koroma in 3/18.
07/24/2018
Fifteen senators defect from the ruling APC to the PDP. This gives the PDP 54 senators and the APC 49, with four other seats either vacant or independent.
07/17/2018
Protests against fuel price increases, a consequence of IMF recommendations, are investigated. Sierra Leone government has refused to allow peaceful protests.
02/20/2018
Election 3/7/18 for president and unicameral parliament. Ruling All People’s Congress has nominated former foreign minister Samura Kamara and main opposition Sierra Leone Peoples’ Party has nominated former military ruler and runner-up in 2012 election Julius Maada Rio. Pres Ernest Bai Koroma is constitutionally barred from running for a third term.