The President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, who is on a working visit to Algeria, met Wednesday evening in Algiers with his counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune. At the end of their meeting, the Algerian president welcomed the two countries' common views on the Sahara issue. «Regarding the Western Sahara issue, Algeria and Sierra Leone will continue working together to find a just and lasting solution to this issue, in accordance with Security Council resolutions and international laws», Tebboune said. He also welcomed the commitment of both parties to «prioritize African solutions to African problems». Speaking after their meeting, President Julius Bio insisted on distancing himself from the Algerian position, affirming that his country supports the efforts of the UN envoy, Staffan de Mistura, «and the political process in accordance with the resolutions of the Security Council, adopted since 2007», marked by the submission of the Moroccan autonomy plan. The Sierra Leonean head of state stressed that these resolutions aim to «achieve a realistic, practical and mutually accepted political solution». In front of Abdelmadjid Tebboune, he called for «the resumption of round table negotiations with the participation of parties». Sierra Leone recognizes Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara and opened, in August 2021, a consulate general in Dakhla. Its Minister of Foreign Affairs, Timothy Musa Kabba, reiterated, on September 6 in Rabat, his country's «relentless support» for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom.
