Joint Statement Issued by ECOWAS, AU, and UN Following Assessment Mission in Sierra Leone

The International Moral Guarantors of the Agreement for National Unity, which includes the ECOWAS, AU, and UNOWAS, have completed their four-day Joint Assessment Mission in Sierra Leone today, on the 21st of June 2024.

The Mission was co-led by H.E. Fatoumata Jallow­-Tambajang, former Vice President of The Gambia, and H.E. Leonardo Santos Simão, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Head of UNOWAS. The Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC), in collaboration with representatives from the African Union Commission, ECOWAS Commission, and UNOWAS provided support for the Joint Mission.

This Mission followed the anticipated release of the report from the Tripartite Committee, established by the President of Sierra Leone on December 19, 2023, as part of the resolutions of the Agreement for National Unity signed between the Government of Sierra Leone and the All Peoples Congress (APC) party on October 18, 2023.

The delegation met with H.E. Julius Maada Bio, the President of Sierra Leone, as well as leaders of the APC party, senior Government officials, political party representatives, national security agency leaders, and the diplomatic community in Sierra Leone.

Discussions focused on implementing the resolutions of the Agreement for National Unity, addressing challenges, and promoting political dialogue for peace, stability, and national unity. The Mission expressed concern over the spread of misinformation on social media, which poses a threat to achieving the Agreement’s objectives.

The Mission commended stakeholders for their commitment to dialogue, highlighted in the Joint Statement issued on June 19, 2024, and urged all parties to fully implement the Agreement’s resolutions.

As the International Moral Guarantors of the Agreement, the Mission called on development partners to support Sierra Leone and reiterated its commitment to overseeing the Agreement’s implementation for the country’s peace and stability.

The Mission urged political actors and citizens to prioritize peace, unity, and stability over partisan interests and acknowledged stakeholders’ request for more frequent visits from the International Moral Guarantors.

The Mission expressed gratitude to the ECOWAS Commission President, H.E. Omar Alieu Touray, and the African Union Commission Chairperson, H.E. Moussa Faki, for their support.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).