President Julius Maada Bio received the Prime Minister of the Republic of Senegal, His Excellency Ousmane Sonko, at State House during a working visit aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Welcoming Prime Minister Sonko, President Bio extended warm greetings to the people of Senegal on behalf of the government and people of Sierra Leone. He emphasized the strong ties between both nations and expressed his desire to further deepen and broaden the scope of cooperation.
“Sierra Leone and Senegal enjoy longstanding bilateral relations, but this visit marks a new phase of partnership. We will explore new areas of cooperation, particularly in energy, mining, and road infrastructure that can physically and economically connect our countries,” President Bio stated.
President Bio also recalled the visit of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal to Sierra Leone in June 2024, noting that Prime Minister Sonko’s visit is a follow-up to discussions held during that time.
“I extend my warm regards to my brother, President Faye. We are ready to partner in concrete terms and move forward with our shared development goals. Thank you for coming, and please feel at home in Sierra Leone. We now look forward to a binding agreement that cements our partnership,” he concluded.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko expressed gratitude to President Bio for the warm hospitality and conveyed greetings from President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and the people of Senegal.
“Your Excellency, I bring fraternal greetings from my President. I am here to follow up on his working visit last year and to explore ways we can enhance synergy in our cooperation and development agenda,” he said.
Prime Minister Sonko emphasized the importance of creating concrete frameworks for cooperation in mineral resource development, road infrastructure, and investment opportunities.
“Your Excellency, we are eager to extend an open hand of partnership. I feel at home here, and I wish to sincerely thank you for the support and integration the Senegalese community in Sierra Leone continues to enjoy. They feel welcomed and have assimilated well into the culture and values of Sierra Leone,” he added.
The visit culminated in a high-level working session co-chaired by the Vice President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, and the Prime Minister of Senegal, H.E. Ousmane Sonko. The session focused on strengthening cooperation between the two countries and concluded with the signing of key Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) that underscore their shared commitment to regional development and integration.
One MOU on Mining and Energy Cooperation was signed by Sierra Leone’s Minister of Finance, Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura, and Senegal’s Minister of Economy, Planning, and Cooperation, Mr. Abdourahmane Sarr. Another MOU on the Promotion of Bilateral Investment and Private Sector Cooperation was signed by the Executive Director of the National Investment Board, Dr. Edward Hinga Sandy, on behalf of Sierra Leone, and Mr. Bakary Sega Bathily, Managing Director of APIX, on behalf of Senegal.
The Vice President of Sierra Leone described the working session as a milestone in fostering collaboration and mutual respect. “Today’s engagements reflect a shared commitment to building a strategic minerals hub and advancing our collective development aspirations,” he stated.
