By: Mariama Benovia Davies
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Jeneba Bangura, has highlighted the positive outcome of the recent Vice President led high level mission to the Republic of Guinea, describing the engagement as an important demonstration of the longstanding cordial relationship and cooperation between the two neighbouring countries. She made the disclosure during the Government of Sierra Leone’s Weekly Press Conference held on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, at the Miatta Civic Centre, Youyi Building, Freetown, where she provided an overview of the mission and the diplomatic engagements undertaken during the visit.
The Deputy Minister began her remarks by expressing appreciation to the leadership of the Government of Sierra Leone for its continued efforts to advance the interests of the country and its people. She noted that the Guinea mission formed part of broader diplomatic engagements aimed at maintaining and strengthening relationships with neighbouring countries and international partners. According to her, the high level nature of the delegation and the meetings held during the visit reflected the importance attached to the relationship between Sierra Leone and Guinea, while also providing an opportunity for both sides to engage on matters of mutual interest.
She further linked the mission to ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to reposition Sierra Leone’s foreign affairs agenda and strengthen the delivery of diplomatic services. Deputy Minister Bangura explained that exactly one week prior to the press conference, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation had convened an inaugural meeting with Sierra Leone’s missions around the world. She said the meeting was intended to establish a clear direction for the country’s foreign policy and diplomatic engagement, with particular emphasis on providing quality services to Sierra Leoneans and strengthening the country’s relationships with international partners through bilateral, multilateral, and other forms of international cooperation.
According to her four priorities were identified during that meeting with Sierra Leone’s missions abroad, which are expected to guide the Ministry’s work going forward. Although she indicated that she would provide further details on the four priorities, she emphasized that they are closely connected to the Ministry’s objective of modernizing foreign affairs services, improving service delivery, ensuring that citizens receive the appropriate services in a timely manner, and placing Sierra Leoneans at the centre of the Ministry’s work. She explained that these priorities also provide a framework for understanding Sierra Leone’s engagement with Guinea and other countries with which the Government maintains diplomatic relations.
Reflecting specifically on the Guinea mission, Deputy Minister Bangura said the delegation departed Sierra Leone after engagements with the Honourable Vice President and travelled to Guinea as part of the high-level mission. She stated that the meetings held during the visit demonstrated the close relationship between the two countries and the connections that exist between their peoples. She stressed the importance of preserving the cordiality and partnership that have characterized relations between Sierra Leone and Guinea, while ensuring that both countries continue to engage constructively on issues of common interest.
She also disclosed that she was invited to participate in the high-level launch of Guinea’s new foreign policy. She explained that the invitation came as a surprise to her because she had not initially expected to be part of the programme. However, she attributed the invitation to the existing relationship between Sierra Leone and Guinea and the strong engagement established during the visit. Her participation, she noted, provided an additional opportunity for Sierra Leone to be represented at an important diplomatic engagement and to further demonstrate the spirit of cooperation existing between the two countries.
Following the engagement, Deputy Minister Bangura said the delegation also met with Guinea’s Minister responsible for Internal Affairs, alongside representatives from relevant institutions. She described the atmosphere of the meeting as cordial and said it provided an opportunity for the representatives to sit together and discuss issues affecting both countries. The engagement, according to her, reinforced the importance of dialogue, institutional cooperation, and continued interaction between Sierra Leone and Guinea in addressing matters of shared concern and strengthening the relationship between the two countries.
In concluding her remarks, she reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s commitment to continuing to work closely with Guinea and to strengthening the relationship between the two peoples. She emphasized the importance of ensuring that citizens remain at the centre of the Ministry’s work, particularly as Sierra Leone moves towards modernizing its foreign affairs services and improving the quality and timeliness of services provided to its people. She said the Ministry would continue working to ensure that Sierra Leoneans receive the services they need, whether at home or abroad, while advancing the country’s international, bilateral, and multilateral relationships. The mission to Guinea, she maintained, had provided renewed assurance of the cordial relationship between the two countries and the importance of continuing to work together as partners.
