DCU News
News at DCU
Dr. Alie Kabba, Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister, visits DCU
Dr. Abie Kabba, Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister, visits DCU

Dr. Alie Kabba, Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister, visits DCU

Dr. Alie Kabba, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sierra Leone, today visited DCU St. Patrick’s Campus.

He was greeted by DCU President, Prof. Brian MacCraith, Dr. Anne Looney, the Executive Dean of the Institute of Education in DCU, Prof. Pádraig Ó Duibhir, Assistant Dean of the Institute of Education and Catherine Campbell, Irish Ambassador to Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Minister Kabba’s visit focused on Ireland’s approach to teacher training.  Areas of focus at the Institute, including early childhood development, community education with an emphasis on quality teacher training and continuous learning for teachers were of particular interest.  The new government of Sierra Leone launched its flagship programme on Free Quality Education in September 2018 which aims to ensure that all children have access to free quality education up to the end of the secondary education cycle. While gender parity has been achieved at primary level participation of girls in secondary level reduces significantly with school fees and teenage pregnancy being cited as the most common causes of drop out.

Irish Aid, through the Embassy of Ireland in Freetown, is supporting the government to finance the programme, via UNICEF.


Biography of Dr. Kabba

Dr. Alie Kabba was named Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation by Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio in May 2018.  He had been campaign manager for President Bio in the March 2018 elections.

Dr. Kabba was previously resident in the United States and the executive director of the United African Organisation (UAO), a coalition of African community-based associations that promotes social and economic justice, civic participation and empowerment of African immigrants and refugees in Illinois.

He is the first African to be elected board President of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, an organisation dedicated to promoting the rights of immigrants and refugees to full and equal participation in Illinois life.

He also serves as Chairman of the Golden Door Coalition, which aids the resettlement of refugees in the United States and he was recently elected to serve on the Board of Directors of Cable Access Network Television (CAN TV), which gives Chicagoans a voice on cable television by providing video training, equipment, facilities and channel time for Chicago residents and non-profit groups.