Freetown, 5th November 2026- Sierra Leone has been urged to take greater advantage of its preferential access to the European market as the European Union marked the 25th anniversary of its Everything But Arms (EBA) trade arrangement, a scheme that grants least developed countries duty-free and quota-free access to the EU market.
The call came during a round-table discussion convened in Freetown by EU Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Jacek Jankowski, alongside Sierra Leone’s participation in a high-level conference held in Brussels on Wednesday, 4 November, to commemorate the milestone and launch the renewed EU Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP).
The forum brought together business leaders, policymakers and representatives of chambers of commerce to assess how Sierra Leone can maximise the benefits of the EBA arrangement while addressing challenges that continue to limit exports to Europe.
Under the EBA initiative, least developed countries can export all products to the European Union free of customs duties and quotas, with the exception of arms and ammunition.
Speaking at the event, Ambassador Jankowski described the scheme as a key pillar of trade relations between Sierra Leone and the EU over the past quarter-century, noting that it has helped open European markets to African products.
“Sierra Leone has rich natural resources, a strategic Atlantic location and a young, entrepreneurial population. Its ambition to add value, create decent jobs and build resilience depends in part on how well it uses this access,” he said.
The Ambassador stressed that Sierra Leone still possesses considerable untapped export potential, particularly in agriculture, fisheries and mining.
He identified cocoa as one of the country’s strongest opportunities, especially as European consumers increasingly demand products that are traceable, sustainably produced and free from deforestation. He said coffee, cashew, palm-based products, spices and fruits could also find expanded markets in Europe.
In the fisheries sector, Jankowski said increased investment in fish processing, cold-storage facilities and traceability systems, coupled with stronger action against illegal fishing, could help Sierra Leone strengthen its position in the EU market.
He also encouraged the country to move beyond the export of raw minerals and instead promote value addition and local processing to create jobs and diversify the economy. According to him, predictable trade relations with the EU and support through the bloc’s Global Gateway strategy could help attract responsible investment, improve governance standards and strengthen industrial development.
However, he cautioned that greater compliance with EU standards remains essential for Sierra Leonean businesses seeking entry into higher-value European markets. He noted that the EU stands ready to support the country through technical assistance, training programmes and investment initiatives.
The Ambassador pointed to Africa’s broader experience under the EBA scheme as evidence of its potential impact. Exports made under EU trade preferences by 37 African beneficiary countries increased from €112 million in 2002 to €4.82 billion in 2025, while the proportion of eligible goods benefiting from EBA preferences rose from 41 percent to 95 percent.
Despite those gains, he observed that African countries account for 57 percent of EBA beneficiaries but generate only 7.4 percent of total EBA trade, highlighting significant room for growth across the continent, including in Sierra Leone.
Participants at the Freetown meeting also joined the Brussels conference virtually, where representatives from EU institutions, partner countries, international organisations, businesses, civil society and academia reflected on the achievements of the EBA programme and debated its future under the renewed GSP framework.
The event concluded with an interactive discussion between public and private sector stakeholders on practical steps to increase Sierra Leone’s exports and strengthen the country’s competitiveness in international markets.
The discussions underscored a common message: while Sierra Leone already enjoys privileged access to one of the world’s largest markets, unlocking the full benefits of that access will require stronger coordination, greater investment and sustained support for local businesses.
