UAE and Sierra Leone sign major trade pact

The UAE and Sierra Leone have signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) aimed at strengthening trade and investment cooperation.

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio witnessed the signing of the agreement, which will reduce trade barriers, enhance investment flows and promote private sector collaboration in key sectors.

Sheikh Mohamed said it reflects the UAE’s longstanding commitment to building partnerships with countries around the world, aimed at driving sustainable development, fostering shared prosperity and creating new opportunities for future generations.

The pact was signed during a ceremony at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi by Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, and Ibrahim Alpha Sesay, Minister of Trade and Industry of Sierra Leone.

Bilateral non-oil foreign trade between the UAE and Sierra Leone reached $153 million in 2025.

Al Zeyoudi said the CEPA with Sierra Leone is an important step that strengthens the UAE’s presence in West Africa and opens new horizons for trade and investment cooperation with one of the continent’s promising economies.

He added that the agreement will contribute to boosting bilateral trade, especially in the sectors of minerals, iron ore, bauxite and agricultural products such as cocoa and fish.

Sierra Leone is one of the world’s leading producers of rutile, accounting for about 14 per cent of global production, in addition to its exports of diamonds and iron ore.