The Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his Sierra Leonean counterpart, Mr Mohamed Rahman Swarray, Monday agreed on a structured, action-oriented roadmap to deepen and diversify bilateral cooperation while the 81st United Nations General Assembly session continued.
Mr Bourita and Mr Swarray welcomed relations underpinned by friendship, mutual respect and solidarity, and pledged to elevate them, guided by the Enlightened Vision of King Mohammed VI and Sierra Leonean President Dr Julius Maada Bio.
The ministers pledged to steer relations towards shared prosperity, prioritising sectors named by Sierra Leone: trade, agriculture, fertiliser, investment, water management, fisheries, mining, cultural exchange and capacity building, the strategic pillars underpinning the country’s development strategy.
Both governments agreed to elaborate an ambitious, forward-looking framework in the coming weeks, renewing and signing a new comprehensive roadmap building on previous achievements and giving cooperation greater coherence.
Mr Swarray accepted his Moroccan counterpart’s invitation to undertake a working visit to the Kingdom in October 2026, the date to be fixed through diplomatic channels.
Sierra Leone reaffirmed its unwavering support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over its entire territory, including the Sahara region, and endorsed the Kingdom’s Autonomy Plan as the only serious, credible and realistic basis for definitively resolving the regional dispute over the Western Sahara.
Freetown also backed efforts by the United Nations Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy to facilitate the political process and advance negotiations towards a just, lasting and mutually acceptable resolution.
Freetown commended King Mohammed VI’s strategic initiatives, the African Atlantic States Initiative and the Royal Initiative to Enhance Atlantic Ocean Access for Sahel Countries, which strengthen regional integration, promote connectivity and advance sustainable development within a framework of stability and active solidarity.
The ministers underscored the strategic importance of the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project, citing its pivotal role in boosting regional economic integration and benefiting all nations involved, including Sierra Leone.
They welcomed the signing of the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) at the ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Freetown in July 2026, noting that the mega-project will prove a major catalyst for unlocking the region’s industrial potential and curbing its energy deficit.
Both parties commended the South-South cooperation momentum promoted by Morocco through its structuring initiatives, describing these as an essential lever for African solidarity and development, and expressed willingness to enhance diplomatic coordination and consultation within regional and international fora.
The ministers reaffirmed their attachment to the fundamental principles of international law, notably respect for State sovereignty and territorial integrity and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
