EU Commissioner Explains Reason for Sierra Leone $18M Aid Suspension
Aaron Parker European Union Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner has clarified that the suspension of an estimated $18 million in EU budget support to Sierra Leone was due to technical reasons and was not linked to allegations that the country is harbouring fugitive Dutch drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers.
Brunner made the clarification during a press briefing in Luxembourg on Thursday following a meeting of EU Justice and Home Affairs ministers, where discussions focused on migration, drug trafficking, organised crime and wider security challenges facing the European Union.
The Commissioner acknowledged growing concerns within the EU over organised crime and drug trafficking trends in Sierra Leone but said those concerns should not be conflated with the suspension of financial assistance.
“I think what we need is action against third countries that harbour drug traffickers,” Brunner told reporters, while noting that the EU remains concerned about drug trafficking, transnational crime and organised crime trends in Sierra Leone.
However, he specifically stated that the suspension of EU support was unrelated to the Leijdekkers matter.
“When it comes to the suspension of the support, that’s due to technical reasons,” Brunner said.
His remarks appear to contradict earlier comments attributed to Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel, who reportedly linked the suspension of EU aid to allegations that Sierra Leone was providing refuge to Leijdekkers, one of Europe’s most wanted suspected drug traffickers.
The issue featured in discussions on the sidelines of the Luxembourg meeting, where EU ministers considered the bloc’s drug strategy and broader security concerns. Van Weel did not address the matter publicly following the official press conference, while his office reportedly did not respond to requests for clarification.
Despite Brunner’s explanation, a Dutch diplomat who attended the meeting said Sierra Leone’s alleged harbouring of Leijdekkers remained a significant concern in discussions surrounding the country.
The diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Van Weel intends to advocate for the fast-tracking of a proposed EU sanctions framework targeting organised crime networks operating across national borders.
“Organised crime networks operating across borders can be very effective being based in a third country where local authorities might be unwilling to cooperate or extradite them,” the diplomat said.
The proposed sanctions framework was unveiled by the European Commission and the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in July. It is intended to target transnational criminal activities including migrant smuggling, human trafficking, firearms trafficking, narcotics trafficking and money laundering.
Brunner’s clarification therefore separates the EU’s concerns over organised crime and drug trafficking in Sierra Leone from the stated reason for the suspension of its budget support, which he identified as technical rather than connected to the allegations involving Leijdekkers.