Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of democratic standards at the June 2023 elections in Sierra Leone; and what representations the Government made on democratic standards to (a) President Bio and (b) electoral authorities in Sierra Leone (i) before and (ii) after those elections.

We noted a number of discrepancies in the election process. These have been communicated to the Government of Sierra Leone and elections management bodies. It remains vital that political leaders engage with efforts to support Sierra Leone's democratic process.

We have engaged stakeholders including the government, opposition, election bodies and the international community, in the months leading up to, during and after the elections. We have given consistent messaging on good governance, the rule of law and the importance of free, fair and peaceful elections. The Foreign Secretary raised these issues during his visit to Sierra Leone in March and in a telephone call with President Bio on 7 August.