Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has said that Sierra Leone and Guinea were committed to resolving all issues between the two countries.
VP Jalloh made the comment following meetings with Guinean officials in Conakry earlier in the week.
The Sierra Leonean Vice President headed an eight-man delegation that included Ministers, for what his office described as “strategic meetings” to further strengthen bilateral relations and discuss issues of mutual interest on infrastructure in Guinea. He held meetings with Prime Minister Mohamed Beavogui and other top officials of the Guinean transition government.
The issues on the table, according to the office of the vice president, included the disputed border town of Yenga, which the Guinean army forcefully occupied in the early 2000s, following the end of the Sierra Leonean civil war, claiming ownership over the tiny stretch of land.
Officials from the two sides also discussed the planned construction of the Kabala-Faranah Road, and other security issues.
“We have had excellent engagements thus far, and both countries remain committed to a very positive outcome,” VP Jalloh said in a statement issued via his official facebook page.
Sierra Leone wants to build a bridge connecting the two countries, dubbed the Yenga-Nongowa Peace Bridge.
The Kabala – Farana Expressway, which links the northern Sierra Leonean district of Koinadugu to Farana in Guinea, is part of an initiative called the Mano River Union Regional Integrated Road Project.
VP Jalloh and delegation meeting with Guinea’s PM Mohamed Beavogui. Image. Vice President’s office
A news release from the Strategic Communication Unit of the Ministry of Information in Freetown cited Vice President Jalloh saying that funds for construction of the Yenga – Nongowa peace bridge had been secured from the African Development Bank. He added that the two projects, when completed, will benefit both countries socially and economically, thereby strengthening existing bilateral relations, enhancing regional integration and improving the productivity of the citizens of the two countries.
Abu Kamara, Director of Public Private Partnership in the Vice Presidency, reportedly did a presentation, highlighting the importance of the projects. He was cited saying that their completion will create the much needed employment opportunities for citizens of both countries to support economic recovery, improve cross border trade, regional integration, tourism, and enhancing free movement of citizens of both countries. Kamara also said that it will create a platform for investment, and access to markets.
Prime Minister Beavogui reportedly expressed the Guinean government’s willingness and readiness to collaborate with Sierra Leone on the projects.
The two countries, according to the news release, set up technical working groups which will further deliberate and come up with a draft Memorandum of Understanding on the projects.
