Freetown – Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister Alhaji Timothy Musa Kabba met with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau in Washington to boost ties between the two countries. The talks aimed to grow trade, create jobs, and stop illegal migration.
In a statement from US spokesperson Tommy Pigott, both sides promised to work together on big issues like Africa’s growth and world peace.
They discussed ways to build stronger economies, improve diplomacy, and fix problems like poverty and weak jobs that push people to migrate illegally. Leaders said better development and more work opportunities will help keep people at home.
The officials also agreed to handle migration safely and legally, following global rules and protecting rights. Sharing info and teaming up will make this easier.
This meeting comes at a key time, just weeks after the US put a full ban on Sierra Leoneans entering America as immigrants or visitors, starting January 1, 2026.
The ban is due to high rates of Sierra Leoneans overstaying visas – about 15-16% for business/tourist visas and over 35% for student visas – and delays in taking back deported citizens.
It affects thousands, as the US gave over 3,700 visas to Sierra Leoneans from May 2024 to April 2025.
Sierra Leone’s government has called the ban unfair and is pushing to lift it.
The US wants better cooperation on deportations and even asked Sierra Leone to accept deportees from other countries as a condition.
Our Foreign Ministry says talks like this will help fix these issues.
On the economy, the US and Sierra Leone traded over $123 million in goods in 2022, with US exports like machines and farm products, and our exports like minerals and metals.
Sierra Leone gets special trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which could create more jobs here.
In October 2025, Sierra Leone launched a national plan for the Global Compact on Migration to manage flows better and protect our people abroad.
This meeting shows the US-Sierra Leone friendship growing, with focus on our economy, peace in the region, and links between people. High-level talks like this will bring real benefits to Sierra Leoneans and Americans, like easing the visa ban and boosting trade.
