U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone Bryan D. Hunt has submitted his resignation to the White House effective September 17, citing personal reasons related to family medical considerations, and will not be returning to Freetown. Current Chargé d’Affaires Jared Yancey will continue to lead the Embassy.

“US Embassy in Sierra Leone | September 18, 2025 | Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 18, 2025”

— Source: U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone Bryan D. Hunt Resigns

The U.S. Embassy in Freetown announces the resignation of U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone Bryan D. Hunt. Ambassador Hunt submitted his resignation to the White House effective September 17, 2025, citing personal reasons related to family medical considerations, and will not be returning to Freetown. Current Chargé d’Affaires Jared Yancey will continue to lead the Embassy.

Ambassador Hunt completed two years of service in Sierra Leone. During his tenure, he worked tirelessly to strengthen the U.S.-Sierra Leone partnership, advancing shared goals of health, security, and economic prosperity.

In a message to Embassy staff, Ambassador Hunt shared:

“I have loved every moment of my time in Sierra Leone and deeply admire the work you all do to advance the U.S.-Sierra Leone relationship.”

The United States remains committed to its partnership with Sierra Leone and will continue to work closely with the government and people of Sierra Leone to build on the strong foundation established during Ambassador Hunt’s tenure.

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For media inquiries, please contact U.S. Embassy Media Coordinator Alhassan Jalloh: jalloha@state.gov

Read | Download the Press Release HERE

Transaction records from the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) reveal that hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. taxpayer money have been issued as loans to various multinational corporations for the construction of a power plant in Sierra Leone, which has yet to be built.

Brian Hunt in video at the time

The DFC reportedly committed over $600 million to the Maada Bio administration for the development, construction, and operation of a 105 MW combined cycle thermal power plant, along with its related infrastructure, in Freetown, Sierra Leone. This project was intended to address the electricity crisis affecting Freetown and the surrounding communities. However, despite these substantial funding commitments, construction has not commenced in the past four years.

According to project documents and corporate financial records obtained by Africanist Press, the DFC awarded these funds in multiple tranches between fiscal years 2021 and 2024 during the Biden-Harris administration. The first disbursement of $217 million occurred in 2021 under Project ID 9000093682. In 2022, the DFC provided an additional $50 million in political risk insurance (Project ID 9000104835). Furthermore, in 2024, an additional $292 million (Project ID 9000116894) and $120 million (Project ID 9000116916) were allocated for the power plant project. In total, at least $679 million has been committed over these four years to fund the construction of the power plant, yet no construction has taken place in Sierra Leone.

The pressing questions are: Where are these funds, and why hasn’t the power plant been constructed, especially since its completion was scheduled for 2023?

Attached to this update are excerpts from the DFC-funded projects database that provide evidence of funding for the construction of the Freetown Power Plant in Sierra Leone, covering the period from 2021 to 2024. This evidence is part of over 25,000 documents collected by Africanist Press as part of our ongoing investigation into corruption in the energy sector, specifically related to the Western Area Power Generation Project in Sierra Leone.

Stay tuned!

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“Ambassador Hunt Gone: Will Sierra Leone Get Another USA Ambassador?”

— Source: The exit of Ambassador Hunt puts Sierra Leone in a precarious position with many unanswered questions | Prof. Dr. Prince Hycy Bull | Sep 18, 2025

U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone Bryan D. Hunt Resigns

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