Sierra Leone’s Vice President, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, has joined President Mamadi Doumbouya, senior Government officials, foreign delegations and other dignitaries in Conakry as Guinea marked the 68th anniversary of its independence on Friday, 2 October 2026.
Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh was received as a special guest of President Mamadi Doumbouya, with senior Guinean Government officials welcoming him to the celebrations. His participation underscored the longstanding diplomatic, economic, cultural and people-to-people relations between Sierra Leone and Guinea.
Guinea attained independence from France on 2 October 1958. The 2026 celebrations marked 68 years since the country’s historic attainment of sovereignty, with official activities in Conakry bringing together senior Government officials, members of the diplomatic community, foreign delegations and other invited guests.
This year’s anniversary placed particular emphasis on the country’s history, sovereignty and the role of young people in shaping its future. President Mamadi Doumbouya, in his Independence Day message, highlighted national sovereignty, unity, economic transformation and youth development as important priorities for Guinea’s future.
Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh’s presence alongside President Mamadi Doumbouya and other national and international guests added a regional dimension to the celebrations, reflecting the shared history, geographical proximity and close bonds between Sierra Leone and Guinea.
His participation in the Independence Day celebrations also came just weeks after a working visit to Conakry, during which he held high-level discussions with Guinea’s Prime Minister and Head of Government, Amadou Oury Bah, aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
During the September engagement, discussions focused on issues of mutual interest, including migration, border security, cross-border trade and the welfare of Sierra Leonean nationals living and working in Guinea. The talks formed part of continuing efforts by Freetown and Conakry to deepen bilateral cooperation and improve the movement of people and goods across their common border.
Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh also attended the official launch of Guinea’s new Foreign Policy Document on 9 September 2026 as a special guest of the Guinean Government.
The high-level ceremony, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Conakry, formed part of his two-day working visit and brought together senior Government officials, diplomats and other stakeholders around a policy framework designed to guide Guinea’s international engagement, regional partnerships and economic diplomacy.
Launching the policy document, Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah outlined sovereignty, strategic neutrality, economic transformation, peace and African integration among the central pillars of Guinea’s foreign policy.
The framework also places emphasis on using diplomacy to attract productive investment, create employment, develop infrastructure and promote skills and technology transfer. Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah further identified good neighbourliness, shared security, economic corridors, energy cooperation and coordinated border management among Guinea’s regional priorities.
Those priorities remain particularly significant for Sierra Leone and Guinea because of their shared border, extensive movement of people and goods, longstanding commercial relations and membership of regional organisations, including the Mano River Union.
The two countries have continued to deepen bilateral cooperation, building on their shared history, geographical proximity and longstanding people-to-people ties. Cooperation on border management, migration, trade, transportation, energy and regional security has increasingly featured in engagements between officials of the two Governments.
Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh’s return to Conakry for Guinea’s Independence Day celebrations therefore came amid continuing diplomatic engagement between Freetown and Conakry and provided another opportunity for both countries to reinforce their relationship.
His participation alongside President Mamadi Doumbouya and other invited dignitaries highlighted the importance both countries attach to maintaining strong neighbourly relations and advancing cooperation on issues of common interest.
As Guinea celebrates 68 years of independence, Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh’s participation in the national celebrations further reflects the longstanding ties between the two neighbouring countries and their shared interest in peace, stability, economic cooperation and regional integration within the Mano River Union and the wider West African sub-region.
