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Sub Saharan Africa

Sierra Leone

 Flag of Sierra Leone

Map of Sierra Leone Last reviewed: 25 February 2009

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International relations

In West Africa, Sierra Leone, together with Guinea and Liberia, form the Mano River Union, which was set up in 1973 . Sierra Leone's relations with Guinea have remained good although there is a small ongoing dispute about the border demarcation around Yenga. In the past relations with Liberia have been poor because of Charles Taylor's support for the RUF. In an attempt to break the link, the UNSC introduced sanctions against Liberia in March 2001. Sierra Leone enjoyed the support of the wider Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), of which it is a member, in its several attempts to resolve the RUF rebellion and has good relations with Nigeria.

The conflict in Sierra Leone brought it much international attention. The UN mounted a peacekeeping force, UNAMSIL, in 2000. At its height it comprised 17,500 soldiers from ten countries, and was one of the UN's biggest operations. The UK provided some senior officers to UNAMSIL's headquarters in Freetown. In 2004, UNAMSIL handed over formal control of the country's security to the Sierra Leone Government. It finally withdrew at the end of 2005 and has been replaced by the UN Integrated Office for Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL). The task of UNIOSIL is to help the country consolidate peace and assist the Government of Sierra Leone strengthen capacity of State institutions, rule of law, human rights, and the security sector, accelerate the Millennium Development Goals, improve transparency, and to help with the holding of local elections in July 2008. UNOSIL was replaced by UNIPSIL, a UN political coordinator’s office towards the end of 2008.

ECOWAS

Bilateral relations with the UK

The UK played a major part in helping to end the civil war in Sierra Leone. Its military intervention in May 2000 to secure the airport and the capital both stopped a threatened RUF invasion and allowed the secure deployment of arriving UN troops. The UK has also played a leading role in training the new Sierra Leone Army – initially as the British Military Advisory and Training Team (BMATT), and from 2002 as part of the International Military Advisory and Training Team (IMATT). The UK is committed to a training role until at least 2010. The UK also trained and helped to equip a new Police Force as part of a Commonwealth Training Team, and provided the Inspector General of Police for the first few years.

The UK's long-term commitment to Sierra Leone is in recognition of the long time required to rebuild a collapsed state. Its holistic approach involving broad institutional change in-country and taking account of the regional dynamics, is widely considered a model for post-conflict environments. The pillars of UK support are: to improve national security; to develop governance, and tackle corruption; to foster a just and inclusive economy and society; and, to improve stability in the sub-region.

Cultural relations with the UK

The British Council has had an office in Freetown since 1943. Inter alia, it currently manages a portfolio of DFID projects on gender, youth, education and access to justice, budgeted at £28m over the next 3-5 years.

The UK and Sierra Leone have long enjoyed substantial links. There are around 1500 UK citizens in Sierra Leone. There is a large Sierra Leone community in the UK, estimated at over 60,000.

British Council - Sierra Leone

Visits

A large number of high level visits to and from Sierra Leone underline the strength and depth of the relationship, Then Prime Minister Tony Blair visited Freetown in May 2007. Lord Malloch-Brown (Minister for Africa) visited in January 2009.

President Koroma visited the UK as a guest of government in Janaury 2008, accompanied by the Foreign Minister, the Finance Minister and other members of the new government. The Foreign Minister Zainab Bangura had previously visited in November 2007. In February 2008, the UK International Development Secretary visited Sierra Leone. The Minister for the Armed Forces visited in the same month.

For UK policy and parliamentary interest in Sierra Leone – see the Hansard website.

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