Sierra Leone is a small country in West Africa, bordering Guinea to the north and Liberia to the east with a 402 km coastline on the Atlantic Ocean. The total area is 71,740 km² and the population numbers around 6.2 million. The capital, Freetown, home to around 1 million people, lies on one of the world’s largest natural harbours.

A series of military coups and one-party rule in the 1970s and 1980s led to deteriorating state structures and increasing crime and corruption. The 1990s saw civil war broke out, pitting the government against the Revolutionary United Front. With diamond smuggling, arms and Liberian involvement, the war was particularly violent and brutal and went on from 1991 until 2002. A UN backed special court has been set up to try those accused of war crimes, and post-conflict resolution and reconstruction is now taking place.

Sierra Leone, a fragile state, is ranked among the poorest countries in the world. Although the country has showed relatively good economic performance with strong growth in recent years, its economy is hardly diversified, still dependant mainly on mining and agriculture. Unemployment is still a problem, especially for youth and it is unlikely to achieve any of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

In 2007, Sierra Leone made an important step on its way towards consolidation of democracy and peace by organising successful presidential and parliamentary elections.

Key issues in EU-Sierra Leone relations

A joint country strategy paper elaborated by the EC, UK Department for international development DFID and Sierra Leone was signed in December 2007. The new strategy covers the period of the 10^th European Development Fund (2008-2013) and provides € 242 M of assistance to Sierra Leone.

The EC-Sierra Leone cooperation will concentrate on two focal areas: good governance and institutional support (€ 37 M) and rehabilitation of priority infrastructure (€ 95 M). The EC will also provide general budget support of € 90 M. The remaining € 20 M will support Sierra Leone’s endeavours in the areas of trade, agriculture and regional programmes.

The mismanagement of natural resources (smuggling of so called blood diamonds) was one of the root causes of the conflict in Sierra Leone. The country has engaged in the Kimberly process designed to certify the origin of rough diamonds from sources which are free of conflict. The EC is a part of the process, assuming the chairmanship in 2007.