By: Ishmael Bayoh, Information Attachè, Sierra Leone Embassy, Dakar, Senegal
Dakar, Senegal, 4th December 2025– Sierra Leone and Senegal have drafted a treaty in the field of mining and energy as the two countries met in Saly, out of Dakar, from November 30th to December 1 2025, to explore the common strategic opportunities that the two countries could derive from this cooperation.
The treaty was done within the framework of strengthening the ties of friendship and cooperation between Senegal and Sierra Leone, and in accordance with the outcome of the state visit to Sierra Leone by the President of Senegal, His Excellency Bassirou Diomaye Faye and a follow-up visit by his Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko.
At the drafting session, the Senegalese delegation was led by Mr Birame Souleye Diop, Minister of Energy, Petroleum and Mines, and the Sierra Leonean delegation was led by Mr Edmond Nonie, Deputy Minister 1 of Energy.
The Heads of the two Delegations expressed the need for the holding of such a session as they noted it reflected the deep relationship between the two countries as well as a commitment to cooperating to develop their nations, through the strengthening of intra-African economic partnership.
They also highlighted the fraternal ties between the peoples of the two countries, who share many common cultural and social values, their joint attachment to community institutions, and their shared desire to transform physical barriers into lines of cooperation.
They recalled the recent commitment of the two Heads of State to strengthen their collaboration in the mining and energy sectors during a state visit to Sierra Leone by the Senegalese President on June 13th 2024. During that visit, several memorandum of understanding was signed in the fields of energy, mining, fishery, agriculture, petrol and gas, infrastructure and trade.
The two Heads of Delegation also emphasised the necessity of transforming their respective resources within the framework of specific medium- or long-term projects or contracts.
The two delegations jointly examined all the provisions of the draft Treaty in order to incorporate amendments reflecting their respective national regulations.
The Committee responsible for finalising the present draft Treaty will oversee the organisation of the signing ceremony and will monitor, for each Party, progress in completing the respective domestic procedures required for ratification. Once the Treaty has been duly ratified by both Parties, the various committees established under its provisions will assume responsibility for the operational implementation of the cooperation activities it envisages.
The delegation on Tuesday, 2nd December, briefed the Senegalese Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, at his office, where he was informed about the significant progress.
