Sierra Leone, Guinea Strengthen Tourism Partnership With New Joint Initiatives
Alusine Ahmed Kargbo Sierra Leone’s Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Nabeela Farida Tunis, has held talks with her Guinean counterpart, Moussa Sylla, on expanding cooperation in tourism, culture and heritage, including plans for joint cross-border tourism initiatives.
The discussions took place in Conakry, Guinea, on Oct. 5, 2026, during Minister Tunis’ working visit to Sylla, who serves as Guinea’s Minister of Culture, Tourism and Handicrafts.
The two ministers discussed ways to develop joint cross-border tourism packages that would make use of the shared geographical and cultural heritage of Sierra Leone and Guinea.
They also agreed to establish a joint working group to coordinate the areas of cooperation and help advance the proposed initiatives.
Sylla proposed the development of a Memorandum of Understanding covering culture, tourism and heritage. The proposed agreement would also include cooperation on UNESCO World Heritage nominations.
Tunis invited Guinea to participate in two major international events that Sierra Leone will host — the One Nation Reggae Festival and the 3rd UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa.
The ministers also discussed opportunities for culinary exchanges and the possibility of opening Sierra Leone’s Coastal Unity Boat Race to teams from Guinea and Liberia.
Sylla, meanwhile, invited Sierra Leone to participate in Guinea’s maiden Djembe Festival, scheduled for December. Tunis welcomed the invitation.
The discussions also focused on strengthening cultural exchanges and creating more opportunities for tourism development between the two countries.
The cooperation is expected to support closer ties between Sierra Leone and Guinea while promoting their shared culture, heritage and tourism opportunities across the Mano River region.