Sierra Leone's Foreign Minister, Timothy Musa Kaba, has confirmed his country's unwavering support for the Moroccan Sahara. This stance, outlined in a joint statement issued after talks with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita in Rabat on April 23rd, comes despite recent Algerian pressure. Sierra Leone endorsed «the Moroccan autonomy plan as the only reliable, serious, and realistic solution» to the Sahara dispute. Kaba also welcomed King Mohammed VI's development projects in Africa, particularly those focusing on the Atlantic Africa region and providing access to the Atlantic Ocean for Sahel countries. This reaffirmation of support for Morocco's territorial integrity is a fresh setback for Algeria's recent diplomatic efforts. In recent months, Algeria's President, Foreign Minister, and Army Chief have all engaged with Sierra Leone in an attempt to reverse its recognition of the Moroccan Sahara. These efforts included a state visit by Sierra Leone's President to Algeria in January, a meeting between the Algerian Army Chief and his Sierra Leonean counterpart, and a trilateral meeting of Foreign Ministers from Algeria, Mozambique, and Sierra Leone in Addis Ababa in February. Notably, Algeria framed this meeting as an effort to support «just causes worldwide», including the «issue of Western Sahara liberation». In the Ethiopian capital, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf received Sierra Leone's Vice President, Mohamed Joldieh Galoh. Freetown maintains its recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara and, in fact, opened a consulate general in Dakhla in August 2021. Foreign Minister Kaba further reaffirmed his country's «continuous support» for Morocco's territorial unity on both September 5, 2023, in Rabat, and most recently, during the UN Security Council meeting on the Sahara issue held on April 16th.
