Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of State, received a letter on behalf of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan from Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio containing an invitation to attend the West Africa Integration and Investment Summit scheduled for November 17 to 18 in Freetown. The Emirates News Agency reported that the invitation was delivered during a meeting in Abu Dhabi between the UAE minister and Rashid Sesay, Sierra Leone’s ambassador to the UAE. The two officials reviewed strategic bilateral relations and explored opportunities to strengthen cooperation across multiple sectors that serve the interests of both nations. They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared concern, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The invitation follows the signing of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and Sierra Leone in February 2026 that the two presidents witnessed in Abu Dhabi. A statement from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade at the time indicated the pact would reduce trade barriers and promote collaboration in agriculture, renewable energy and infrastructure while supporting private-sector ties. Bilateral non-oil trade between the countries reached $153 million in 2025, according to figures cited in a joint statement released by the Sierra Leone State House.
Data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity places Sierra Leone’s exports to the UAE at $47.8 million in 2023, led by diamonds valued at $39.1 million and gold at $8.08 million. The same dataset shows UAE exports to Sierra Leone totaled $101 million that year, with rolled tobacco, cars and telephones forming the largest categories. Trade flows in both directions have grown at annual rates above 18 percent over the preceding five years, the Observatory of Economic Complexity reported.
The UAE has committed more than $110 billion in foreign direct investment across Africa since 2019, establishing it as a leading investor on the continent, a PwC Middle East assessment found. Sierra Leone, which supplies about 14 percent of global rutile output, offers opportunities in minerals, cocoa, fisheries and port logistics that align with UAE supply-chain priorities, according to an analysis published by handle.ae. The February agreement built on earlier steps that included a memorandum of understanding on contractual labor and participation in the UAE’s Green Investment Initiative for Africa launched at COP28.
Discussions during the September 5 meeting reaffirmed the momentum generated by the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and related high-level engagements. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that both sides expressed commitment to advancing partnerships that deliver mutual prosperity. Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan receives invitation on behalf of UAE President from President of Sierra Leone as part of ongoing diplomatic exchanges that have intensified since the early 2026 CEPA signing.
