INTERVIEW. Elected to the UN Security Council, Sierra Leone wants to place the Sahel at the heart of the international agenda. Its vice-president deciphers the issues. A former United Nations official, Francophile, and graduate of Political Science, Bordeaux, Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has been the vice-president of this small West African country since 2018.
Interview by Viviane Forson
The worsening security situation in the Sahel is warning the leaders of the sub-region. Sierra Leone, which currently sits on the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member for 2024-2025, intends to use this lever of influence to advance the priority projects it has set for itself. Among its priorities, the Sahel. In this wake, the President of the Republic, former General Julius Maada Bio, who seized power in 1996 before returning it to civilians, went to Ouagadougou to meet the head of the junta, Ibrahim Traoré. At the heart of their discussions were the issue of the return to constitutional order in the three countries of the Alliance of Sahel States, the rise of terrorism, and the crisis with ECOWAS. Online from Freetown, the capital of the small West African state with a unique history and which has wanted to set an example since the end of the civil war (1991-2002), Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, its vice-president, explains the scope of this commitment.
Le Point Afrique: President Julius Maada Bio was recently in Burkina Faso. What was the purpose of this trip and the content of the discussions with his counterpart Ibrahim Traoré?
MOHAMED JULDEH JALLOH: This trip to Burkina Faso is part of the efforts that the President of the Republic is making to make the Sahel a priority at the United Nations Security Council, where Sierra Leone sits for 2024-2025 as a non-permanent member country. The situation in the Sahel is of concern to all West African countries and even the entire continent. It is time to place the Sahel issue at the center of the international agenda.
Sierra Leone has decided to do everything in its power to promote stability initiatives in this crucial region. This strategy requires meetings, particularly with the heads of state of the Sahel. The president will soon visit Mali and Niger. We must listen to the leaders of these three countries. We must understand their objectives, concerns, and ambitions. Sierra Leone’s motivation is to continue this dialogue and then bring the resulting initiatives to the attention of the international community. Our goal is to develop a credible roadmap that garners consensus both within the sub-region and internationally.
Le Point Afrique: What was the president’s assessment on the ground? Is there still room for dialogue after the decision of Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali to leave the Economic Community of West African States?
MOHAMED JULDEH JALLOH: President Maada Bio had the opportunity to hold a one-on-one discussion with his counterpart, Ibrahim Traoré. This allowed him to gain a clearer understanding of the situation in Burkina Faso. They discussed various topics, including different stability initiatives and how we should work with the Sahelian countries for their return to the ECOWAS family.
Le Point Afrique: Is dialogue still possible even though the break now seems complete?
MOHAMED JULDEH JALLOH: It is still possible because Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali are founding members of ECOWAS. The challenges and difficulties are many, and we do not deny them. For our part, President Maada Bio has begun to build very effective relationships with these countries to restart dialogue. ECOWAS has also appointed Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye as a special envoy to engage the three Sahelian countries on the path to their effective return to our sub-regional organization. We are convinced of the need to do everything possible to ensure they regain their full place within it.
Le Point Afrique: What is Sierra Leone’s perspective on these countries governed by military regimes? What is Sierra Leone’s experience in this regard?
MOHAMED JULDEH JALLOH: Our president is a former general who took charge of Sierra Leone in 1996. During his tenure, he organized the country’s first free, fair, and transparent multiparty election and handed over power to civilians. He then went on to further his professional career before returning to the opposition. It was only in 2018 that he was elected as a civilian president. The head of state can share this experience with his counterparts in the sub-region. The most important thing for us today is that Sierra Leone holds a seat on the United Nations Security Council. We believe this is the best time to take action on the situation in the Sahel. Moreover, our candidacy was supported by all the countries in West Africa. President Maada Bio plans to use all the platforms at his disposal to promote these stability initiatives. He made this clear to President Biden during the U.S.-Africa Summit last December.
I have also personally worked in some Sahel countries, serving as an advisor to the United Nations Special Representative in Dakar and later with MINUSMA in Mali. Therefore, I am closely acquainted with the difficult situation these states and their populations are facing.
Le Point Afrique: We have seen with the wars in Ukraine, Libya, and Gaza that the Security Council often struggles to prove its effectiveness, or even its usefulness. Do you think it is the ideal framework for resolving the crisis in the Sahel?
MOHAMED JULDEH JALLOH: Despite the complex geopolitical context the world is currently experiencing, we believe that the United Nations Security Council remains, more than ever, the greatest platform for dialogue to advance issues of peace and security. We also consider this an opportune moment because the Security Council is being called upon to reform.
Le Point Afrique: “Do you believe that international partners are ready to listen to your solutions, given that the interference of certain powers within the Security Council is evident?”
MOHAMED JULDEH JALLOH: “What is happening in the Sahel goes beyond the borders of West Africa; the whole world is concerned. If the situation persists, we risk losing our achievements in socio-economic development and opportunities. All the investments that have been made in the region could be threatened.”
Le Point Afrique: “Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have drawn closer to Russia. Did President Maada Bio discuss this aspect of the negotiations with his Burkinabé counterpart?”
MOHAMED JULDEH JALLOH: “We cannot dictate to these countries what they should do in terms of foreign cooperation. They are free to choose the partners they want, whether politically or militarily. It’s a matter of national sovereignty. Each country defines its own policy regarding foreign affairs. That’s what we have to say.”
Le Point Afrique: “Since last week, there have been reports circulating about a possible involvement of Ukraine on the ground in the conflict in Mali between the army and the CSP-Azawad rebels. Do you have any information?”
Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh: “We don’t have more information at this stage. ECOWAS has responded, and at this point, we are aligned with its position.”
Le Point Afrique: “What are the priorities of your roadmap for restoring security and peace in the Sahel?”
MOHAMED JULDEH JALLOH: “The main priority in the region is the return to peace and security. The stability of the region is a prerequisite that will facilitate a definitive and lasting return to constitutional order, which, I remind you, is included in the political agendas of the concerned states. However, we strongly encourage our counterparts in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso to move irreversibly in this direction.”
Le Point Afrique: “How is your country doing, which experienced an attempted destabilization at the end of 2023, and former President Ernest Bai Koroma, accused of ‘treason,’ left Sierra Leone?”
MOHAMED JULDEH JALLOH: “The security situation in the country is stable. The attempted coup was not organized by the military. It was rather isolated elements linked to former officers from outside the country.
We consider this attempt at destabilization as a form of distraction from the policies our government is currently implementing. During our first term, we prioritized improving the social and living conditions of our citizens. Today, we are focusing our efforts on transforming our economy, developing the productive sector, and consequently increasing the state’s wealth and creating thousands of jobs.”
Le Point Afrique: “More than 20 years after the civil war, what is the economic situation of the country?”
MOHAMED JULDEH JALLOH: “We are a small state of 8 million inhabitants on the path to development. Our focus is now on social issues. Since 2018, the country has undergone significant changes. We have improved access to water and energy. We have just signed a cooperation agreement with the U.S. development agency to accelerate our projects in the field of renewable energy. We have reformed our mining code to better utilize our raw materials.”
In the educational field, we have recruited more teachers, made primary and secondary education free, and facilitated access to nursery schools outside the capital, which has enabled us to increase the number of children enrolled in school.
Another of our priorities has been to facilitate the education of girls. In this wake, we recently passed a law to penalize early marriages. This is also the first time that Sierra Leone has passed a law in favour of gender equality in politics. A new law imposes a quota of 30% of elective and nominative positions for women. Today, our National Assembly has more than 30% women.
Le Point Afrique: Have you managed to reduce your debt and therefore your dependence on China?
MOHAMED JULDEH JALLOH: Let me clarify that Sierra Leone does not suffer from any external dependence, neither on China nor on any other economic power. We are an open country which, in accordance with the political vision of President Julius Maada Bio, extends its hand to everyone. We will soon open an embassy in France and appoint an ambassador. All the conditions to attract international investment are met. We are ready for business. The proof is that French companies are already present, from Eiffage to Orange, including the Bolloré group. But that is not enough, we are launching an appeal to French companies to come and invest here in Sierra Leone.
