Sierra Leone and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in Islamic affairs following high-level discussions between Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Mohamed Barrie and the Kingdom’s Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, Sheikh Dr. Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, in Riyadh.
The meeting, held on 28 July 2026 at the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs headquarters, focused on expanding collaboration in Islamic education, Dawah, capacity building and the promotion of moderation, tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
During the discussions, Ambassador Mohamed Barrie conveyed warm greetings and appreciation from the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Julius Maada Bio, to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their continued support to Muslim communities across the world.
Both sides discussed several areas of mutual interest aimed at enhancing cooperation between the two countries. They explored opportunities to strengthen training programmes for Imams, Islamic scholars and preachers, while also improving Islamic education in Sierra Leone through increased technical support and capacity-building initiatives.
The meeting also examined cooperation in the construction and rehabilitation of mosques, as well as the provision of authentic Islamic educational materials and additional copies of the Holy Qur’an to support religious learning across Sierra Leone.
On pilgrimage matters, Ambassador Mohamed Barrie expressed Sierra Leone’s appreciation for its continued inclusion in the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Hajj scholarship programme. He also requested consideration for an increase in the number of scholarships available to Sierra Leonean pilgrims and the expansion of the initiative to include the Umrah programme.
The discussions further highlighted the importance of scholarly exchanges between the two countries. Ambassador Mohamed Barrie extended an invitation for the Imams of the Two Holy Mosques and other distinguished Saudi Islamic scholars to visit Sierra Leone to deliver lectures, engage with local religious leaders and participate in Islamic conferences.
Both delegations also underscored the critical role of authentic Islamic teachings and education in countering violent extremism, promoting religious moderation and fostering peaceful coexistence among communities.
As part of efforts to institutionalize future cooperation, Sierra Leone and Saudi Arabia agreed to explore the development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will provide a formal framework for implementing joint programmes and projects in the field of Islamic affairs.
Sheikh Dr. Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh reaffirmed the longstanding and cordial relationship between the two countries, noting that Saudi Arabia’s support for Dawah and Islamic programmes around the world is guided by assessed needs and established cooperation frameworks.
The meeting concluded with an agreement that the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Riyadh will submit a comprehensive outline of priority areas for future collaboration. The Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs will review the proposals to identify practical areas for partnership.
Both parties expressed appreciation for the productive engagement and reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening relations and expanding cooperation in Islamic affairs for the mutual benefit of the people of Sierra Leone and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
