On 4 February 2026, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Nabeela Tunis, visited INAFRICARA with Professor Rosalea Hamilton, Sierra Leone’s Honorary Consul to Jamaica and a Distinguished Scholar of INAFRICARA.
The visit served two purposes: firstly, a meeting at the Office of the Statesman-in-Residence, The Most Honourable P. J. Patterson; and secondly, discussions on avenues for greater collaboration and cooperation, particularly in the areas of cultural expression and tourism. It was emphasised that the Caribbean, specifically Jamaica, shares a long and direct history with Sierra Leone, particularly in relation to the Maroons, which must be nurtured through intentional efforts aimed at working together.
The Minister expressed her appreciation for the Jamaican international artistes and cultural ambassadors who participated in the One Nation Reggae Festival, held in Sierra Leone in November 2025, which featured reggae stars Queen Ifrica, Sizzla, Christopher Martin, among other noted Jamaican personalities. She views reggae music as a powerful unifying force and an avenue for deeper integration between the two regions. The festival is slated to become an annual event and serves as a platform for strengthening relations between Sierra Leone and Jamaica.
Other areas explored for collaboration include cultural and knowledge exchanges between universities, particularly among faculty and students, where people-to-people exchange can be meaningfully advanced, as well as economic trade. A significant challenge that both Sierra Leone and INAFRICARA are committed to addressing is transportation between the two regions, which remains a major hindrance to sustained collaboration and cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean.
