David J. Francis (politician)
David John Francis (born 5 October 1965) is a Sierra Leonean politician, academic and author, who served as Chief Minister of Sierra Leone from April 2018 to April 2021. 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.
The Honourable David J. Francis PhD | |
|---|---|
David J. Francis, 2021 | |
| Foreign Minister of Sierra Leone | |
| In office 30 April 2021 – 10 July 2023 | |
| President | Julius Maada Bio |
| Succeeded by | Timothy Kabba |
| Chief Minister of Sierra Leone | |
| In office 20 April 2018 – 30 April 2021 | |
| President | Julius Maada Bio |
| Preceded by | None, position created |
| Succeeded by | Jacob Jusu Saffa |
| Personal details | |
| Born | David John Francis 5 October 1965 Kenema, Sierra Leone |
| Political party | Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) |
| Residence(s) | Freetown, Sierra Leone |
| Alma mater | University of Southampton International Institute of Social Studies Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Fourah Bay College Holy Trinity Secondary School Kenema |
| Profession | Educator |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
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. He is the author of nine books and over fifty journal articles and commissioned-policy papers.