Pope Leo XIV received in audience at the Apostolic Palace Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, with his spouse and entourage. The President subsequently met with the Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Monsignor Mihăiţă Blaj, Under-Secretary for Relations with States. The Holy See Press Office statement highlighted "the good bilateral relations and the contribution offered by the local Church to society"; the talks touched on environmental and food emergencies linked to migration, on social challenges especially affecting young people, on the importance of building peace and developing projects in education and development, as well as an exchange of views on regional and international issues.