Senegal’s head of state stressed the importance of strengthening regional and continental security in order to better implement development programmes.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye travelled to Sierra Leone on Thursday 13 June, the 12th West African country he has visited since taking office more than two months ago. He arrived in the capital Freetown to a warm welcome, then headed to State House, where he held face-to-face talks with his counterpart, Julius Maada Bio.
After talks to strengthen bilateral cooperation, the two men addressed other issues of common interest, in particular integration and the promotion of peace in West Africa. “We are aware of your commitment to peace and regional stability,” the Senegalese head of state praised President Bio.
Declaring that he was holding out his hand to achieve lasting peace in the region, which has been undermined by military coups and jihadist violence in certain countries such as the Sahel region, President Faye invited his Sierra Leonean counterpart to “cooperate” more closely with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which certain countries, such as Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso claim to have left.
The Senegalese leader stressed the importance of security and peace for the region and the continent, welcoming Sierra Leone’s commitment to the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member. In addition to strengthening ECOWAS, he called on all stakeholders to make the same efforts to have a stronger African Union with the aim of achieving lasting peace and stability in Africa.
President Julius Maada Bio stressed the importance of strengthening diplomatic ties between Sierra Leone and Senegal “through concrete actions beneficial to both nations.” This includes reviving the Joint Commission between the two countries, which has been “dormat for a long time.”
President Bio asked for Senegal’s support at the United Nations Security Council, particularly on the crucial issues concerning the Sahel region, calling for close cooperation to find lasting solutions.
Almost three months after his election, the Senegalese leader visited Mauritania and eleven of the 15 countries in the ECOWAS community. President Faye has even visited Mali and Burkina Faso, two
countries ruled by military juntas that have announced their departure, along with Niger, from this organisation to create the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
The Senegalese leader, who claims to be a pan-Africanist and sovereign leader like his political party PASTEF, led by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, has not travelled outside Africa since his election on 24
March, to France for example.
He will be touring the countries of the ECOWAS and ESA community, following as yet unannounced visits to Benin, Togo and Niger.
ODL/ac/fss/as/APA