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Sierra Leone and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation in Islamic affairs following high-level discussions between Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mohamed Barrie, and the Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, Sheikh Dr Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh.
The meeting, held on July 28, 2026, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Riyadh, focused on expanding collaboration in key areas including religious education, pilgrimage support, and countering extremism. Ambassador Barrie conveyed warm greetings from President Dr Julius Maada Bio to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s continued support to Muslim communities globally.
A major highlight of the discussions was Sierra Leone’s request for an increase in Hajj scholarships. Saudi Arabia currently provides 100 Hajj slots annually under the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Guests Program, which also facilitates Umrah and other religious visits. Ambassador Barrie renewed calls to expand the quota significantly and further requested that Sierra Leone be included more broadly in the Umrah programme.
The two sides also explored avenues for strengthening Islamic education through enhanced training programmes for Imams, scholars, and preachers. Discussions covered technical support, capacity building, and the provision of authentic Islamic teaching materials, including copies of the Holy Qur’an, to support religious learning across Sierra Leone. Cooperation in the construction and rehabilitation of mosques also featured prominently in the talks.
Both delegations underscored the importance of promoting moderate Islamic values as a tool for fostering peaceful coexistence and countering violent extremism. The engagement builds on existing cooperation, including Sierra Leone’s recent agreement with the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition to train defence personnel and religious leaders in counter-terrorism efforts.
Ambassador Barrie further invited the Imams of the Two Holy Mosques and other prominent Saudi scholars to visit Sierra Leone for lectures, conferences, and engagements with local religious leaders, aimed at strengthening scholarly exchange and religious dialogue.
The meeting concluded with both parties agreeing to explore the development of a formal Memorandum of Understanding to guide joint programmes and initiatives. Sierra Leone’s Embassy is expected to submit a detailed framework outlining priority areas for cooperation, which the Saudi Ministry will review to identify practical opportunities for partnership.
The discussions reaffirmed the strong and longstanding relationship between Sierra Leone and Saudi Arabia, with both countries expressing commitment to expanding collaboration for mutual benefit.
