Vice President Jalloh Reinforces ECOWAS Security Agenda

Freetown, 8 January 2026. Sierra Leone’s Vice President, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, has underscored the nation’s unwavering commitment to regional peace, security, and collective defence as he led a high-level delegation of senior security officials on a strategic working visit to the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.
The visit forms part of Sierra Leone’s broader diplomatic and security engagement within West Africa, aimed at deepening collaboration among ECOWAS member states in the fight against terrorism, transnational crime, and emerging security threats.
During the mission, Vice President Jalloh and his delegation visited the International Counter Terrorism Academy (ICTA) in Jacqueville, where they engaged in extensive technical and strategic discussions focused on intelligence-sharing, joint training, and institutional capacity-building to enhance regional security preparedness.
In Abidjan, the Vice President held bilateral meetings with key Ivorian defence and security leaders, including Minister of Defence Téné Birahima Ouattara, Minister of Interior and Security, General Vagondo Diomandé, and other senior officials. The engagements explored concrete avenues for strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation, particularly through regular exchanges, joint exercises, and professional development of security forces.
“We explored opportunities to reinforce the regional security architecture through sustained collaboration, regular exchanges, and capacity-building support,” Dr Jalloh stated, noting the importance of collective responses to shared security challenges.
The Vice President emphasized that the visit aligns squarely with the regional security and integration agenda of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, who currently serves as Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s readiness to contribute meaningfully to ECOWAS-led peacekeeping and stabilization initiatives across the sub-region.
“This visit reflects His Excellency President Bio’s vision of deepening regional cooperation and strengthening Sierra Leone’s peacekeeping and security capabilities in support of a safer and more stable West Africa,” Dr Jalloh noted.
He further highlighted Sierra Leone’s long-standing commitment to peacekeeping, both within the sub-region and internationally, stressing that enhanced partnerships remain critical in addressing evolving security threats.
Vice President Jalloh also expressed appreciation to the Government of Côte d’Ivoire and the French Government for their continued partnership and support in advancing regional security initiatives, particularly in counter-terrorism training and operational readiness.
“I wish to thank our partners for their strong commitment to regional cooperation. This mission marks a positive and important step toward deeper collaboration in promoting peace, stability, and shared prosperity across West Africa,” he concluded.