Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is a West African country bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the south-east and the Atlantic Ocean to the south-west. The capital and largest city is Freetown, a major port situated on the Atlantic coast. With a population of approximately eight-million people, Sierra Leone has an economy historically dependent on mining, particularly diamonds, iron ore, bauxite and rutile, alongside agriculture including cocoa, coffee and palm oil. The country uses the leone as its currency and operates as a constitutional republic with a multi-party democratic system. Sierra Leone is a member of the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union, participating in regional integration and free movement protocols. The economy has faced significant challenges including the devastating civil war from 1991 to 2002, the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak and ongoing infrastructure deficits, though mining and agriculture remain central to export earnings and employment. Remittances from the Sierra Leonean diaspora, particularly from workers in the United States, United Kingdom and other West African countries, contribute meaningfully to household incomes and foreign exchange. The government has prioritised human capital development, skills training and labour mobility as part of its economic recovery and diversification strategy. Sierra Leone's strategic location on the Atlantic coast and its natural resource endowment position it as a potential hub for trade and investment in the Mano River Union sub-region.
Sierra Leone Updates
Military coups promise change – 4 ways they can leave African countries worse off
6th October 2026 A military coup d’état is the ouster of an elected president or head of state, usually through the use or threat of force. Putschists (those who... →
Ecowas Court and women’s rights in west Africa: what’s working – and what isn’t
2nd October 2026 The Ecowas Court is a west African regional body located in Abuja, Nigeria, serving the now 12-nation Economic Community of West African States... →
DRC’s Ebola outbreak has the potential to become a global pandemic. How to make sure it doesn’t
9th September 2026 Given its speed, scale and scope, the Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease that broke out in the Democratic Republic of Congo in mid-2026 could become a... →
Can Cameroon reclaim its maritime flag after shadow fleet abuse?
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 26th June 2026 Reforms are welcome, but technological and capacity gaps still leave Cameroon vulnerable to high-risk parallel maritime networks. Cameroon has... →
New maritime task force puts Gulf of Guinea unity to the test
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 25th June 2026 The Combined Maritime Task Force takes aim at piracy and other crimes affecting 26 diverse countries from Senegal to Angola. A new rapid response... →
Trump seeks more than $1.4bn in Ebola funding from Congress
By: Reuters 25th June 2026 The White House is seeking more than $1.4-billion in new funds from Congress to address the widening Ebola virus outbreak, including $800-million... →
Ebola cases in Congo reach highest first-month total of any outbreak, WHO says
By: Reuters 23rd June 2026 Congo's Ebola outbreak has the largest number of confirmed cases within the first month of any episode of the disease, a senior World Health... →
Central African Republic to accept third-country deportees from US, sources say
By: Reuters 8th June 2026 Central African Republic has agreed to take in migrants from other countries deported by the United States, two sources with knowledge of the... →
The Gambia’s first Special Prosecutor: a non-Gambian?
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 29th May 2026 To achieve justice and reconciliation, the Special Prosecutor must ensure that accountability appears neither distant nor external to victims. On 9... →
Ebola outbreak in the DRC: four reasons it will be hard to contain
25th May 2026 By the second week of the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo it was already clear that containing the spread of the... →
