By Davida Spaibe-Solomon
Freetown, 17th September, 2026 – The Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, has said that Sierra Leone and Guinea have agreed on a series of measures to strengthen the protection of their nationals: regulate cross-border movement and trade, address risks linked to human trafficking, migrant smuggling and irregular migration.
According to the Minister, the agreements were reached during a high-level bilateral engagement in Conakry, Guinea, led by Sierra Leone’s Vice President, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, and Guinea’s Prime Minister, Amadou Oury Bah.
Speaking at the Government’s weekly press conference, held at the Miatta Civic Centre on Tuesday, 15th September, Minister Bah said the two sides held extensive discussions on issues affecting citizens of both countries and subsequently produced an outcome document outlining areas of cooperation.
Under the first outcome, the Minister stated that the two countries agreed to facilitate the regularisation and protection of their nationals, with particular attention to workers from both countries. The measures, he says, are expected to support compliance with employment and residency requirements and help workers transition from the informal to the formal economy.
On trade, the Minister stated that the two countries agreed to facilitate lawful cross-border commerce, protect traders, promote the formalisation of commercial activities and improve access to relevant services.
The Minister also said that the two countries reaffirmed commitments under a tripartite communiqué on border security signed by the Heads of State of the Republic of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone and pledged to continue implementing the measures outlined in the agreement.
The two governments will also encourage their nationals residing in the other country to voluntarily register with their embassies or designated consular authorities, according to the Minister.
He also stated that Sierra Leone and Guinea had agreed to temporarily suspend facilitated large-group travel arrangements for employment purposes in third countries, including destinations in the Middle East, where such groups seek to transit through each country’s international airport. Minister Bah said the temporary suspension, however, does not affect ordinary individual, family, or business travelling between Sierra Leone and Guinea, nor lawful travel by citizens of either country through their respective airports. He noted that the measure is intended to ensure that such travel is lawful, properly documented, and safe, while protecting nationals from human trafficking, migrant smuggling, fraudulent recruitment, exploitation and mass deportation.
To ensure implementation, Bah stated that the countries agreed to establish a joint implementation and follow-up mechanism, including a Joint Inter-Ministerial Committee and a Joint Technical Committee.
According to the Minister, the Joint Inter-Ministerial Committee will provide strategic and policy oversight, monitor implementation of the agreed outcomes and address matters requiring high-level intervention by either Government.
For the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Minister said the Committee comprise the Minister of Internal Affairs; Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security; Minister of Information and Civic Education; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Minister of Trade and Industry; and Ambassador of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the Republic of Guinea.
He said the Ambassador of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the Republic of Guinea would serve as the principal diplomatic point of contact for Sierra Leone.
Whereas for the Republic of Guinea, the Minister said the Committee shall comprise, in particular: the Minister responsible for Territorial Administration and Decentralisation; and the Minister responsible for Security and Civil Protection; the appropriate representative of the Ministry responsible for Employment and Social Protection; the Minister responsible for Trade, Industry and SMEs; and the Minister responsible for Foreign Affairs.
The Minister said the Ambassador of the Republic of Guinea to the Republic of Sierra Leone would serve as the principal diplomatic point of contact for the Guinean side.
Meanwhile, Minister Bah noted that cabinet had approved the National Transport Sector Policy and Strategic Plan 2026–2030, describing it as an overarching framework for developing, regulating, coordinating and modernising Sierra Leone’s transport sector.
According to the Minister, the policy covers land, maritime and aviation transport, while the strategic plan will guide government interventions in areas including roads, public transportation, maritime transport, aviation, road safety, transport-sector financing, institutional governance and electric mobility.
Minister Bah stated that cabinet had authorised the Minister of Transport and Aviation, Colonel Fanday Turay, to work with the Office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice and other relevant institutions to initiate the legislative, regulatory and institutional reforms required to implement the policy.
