David J. Francis (politician)

The Honourable
David J. Francis
PhD
David J. Francis, 2021
Foreign Minister of Sierra Leone
In office
30 April 2021 – 10 July 2023
PresidentJulius Maada Bio
Succeeded byTimothy Kabba
Chief Minister of Sierra Leone
In office
20 April 2018 – 30 April 2021
PresidentJulius Maada Bio
Preceded byNone, position created
Succeeded byJacob Jusu Saffa[1]
Personal details
Born
David John Francis

(1965-10-05) 5 October 1965 (age 59)
Kenema, Sierra Leone[citation needed]
Political partySierra Leone People's Party (SLPP)
Residence(s)Freetown, Sierra Leone
Alma materUniversity of Southampton
International Institute of Social Studies
Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
Fourah Bay College
Holy Trinity Secondary School Kenema
ProfessionEducator
ReligionRoman Catholicism

David John Francis (born 5 October 1965)[2] is a Sierra Leonean politician, academic and author, who served as Chief Minister of Sierra Leone from April 2018 to April 2021.[3] He is the first person to hold the office of Chief Minister since it was abolished in 1978. He is widely seen as the most highly influential government official in Sierra Leone, after the president and the vice president.[3]

Francis studied at Fourah Bay College, Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law and International Institute of Social Studies. From 1994 to 1998 he was a postdoctoral research associate at University of Southampton. Prior to his current position in the government of Sierra Leone, he was a professor at the University of Bradford where he was the coordinator of the UNESCO Chair in African Peace and Conflict Studies.[4][5][6] He is the author of nine books and over fifty journal articles and commissioned-policy papers.[7][4]

  1. ^ "Big shake-up in Sierra Leone's cabinet". Politico SL. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Francis, David J. 1965– (David John Francis)". encyclopedia.com. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Sierra Leone News: Chief Minister – chief organizer". Awoko Newspaper. 29 June 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Professor David J. Francis". www.mku.ac.ke. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  5. ^ "UK National Commission for UNESCO – Professor David J. Francis". UK National Commission for UNESCO. Archived from the original on 31 January 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  6. ^ "Professor David Francis – GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  7. ^ "Office Of Chief Minister". Sierra Leone State House – The Republic of Sierra Leone State House. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2019.