Sierra Leone Seeks to Deepen Parliamentary Ties with Russia.

Festus J. Lahai
Oct 17
2 min read

Korovy Val, Moscow – September 17, 2025: Sierra Leone has moved to strengthen its parliamentary ties with the Russian Federation following a high-level meeting between the Leader of Government Business, Honourable Matthew Sahr Nyuma, and the Deputy Speaker of the Russian State Duma, Honourable Alexander Babakov, in Moscow on Wednesday.

The meeting, held on the sidelines of the Russia Energy Week International Forum, was part of broader efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries, with a specific focus on strengthening parliamentary collaboration. The Sierra Leonean delegation was led by the country’s Ambassador to Russia, His Excellency Mohamed Yongawo.

Hon. Nyuma conveyed greetings from President Julius Maada Bio, the Speaker and Members of Parliament, and the people of Sierra Leone to President Vladimir Putin and the Russian people. He described his visit as a follow-up to discussions initiated during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, underscoring more than six decades of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

During the meeting, Hon. Nyuma outlined four priority areas for collaboration:

1. Strengthening legislative cooperation through the exchange of best practices in lawmaking and governance.

2. Enhancing bilateral relations between the two parliamentary institutions.

3. Promoting cultural exchange to foster mutual understanding between the peoples of both countries.

4. Facilitating capacity building through training and technical cooperation for parliamentary staff and members.

“This initiative marks a significant milestone in building a stronger partnership between our two nations,” Hon. Nyuma stated. “ The framework for this collaboration will be guided by clear objectives and mechanisms to ensure effective and sustained engagement.”

In his remarks, Deputy Speaker Babakov expressed appreciation for the Sierra Leone delegation’s visit and participation in Russia Energy Week. He reaffirmed Russia’s readiness to work closely with Sierra Leone not only in parliamentary affairs but also in key development sectors.

“Russia is ready to collaborate with Sierra Leone in areas such as artificial intelligence, media and technology, health and education, agriculture, and energy, among others,” Babakov said, noting Russia’s wealth of expertise in those fields.

The discussions concluded with an agreement to establish a joint working group that will oversee the implementation of the meeting's outcomes and ensure that the dialogue yields tangible results.

The Sierra Leone delegation included several senior officials, among them Deputy Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Mr. Umaru Napoleon Koroma, Director General of the Petroleum Directorate, Mr. Foday Bangali Lahai Mansaray, and staff from the Sierra Leone Embassy in Moscow.