Freetown, Sierra Leone – April 8, 2026: The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) has initiated a strategic partnership with the Mano River Union (MRU) Secretariat to enhance regional cooperation on migration, human trafficking, and cross-border human rights protection.
The engagement, led by HRCSL Executive Secretary Joseph Kamara, brought together senior officials from both institutions, including MRU Secretary General Ambassador Simeon M-B. Moribah, Sierra Leone’s Deputy Secretary General to the MRU Secretariat Madam Ama Gborie, and Deputy Secretary General for Administration and Finance Mr. Mamady Dioumessy. Staff from HRCSL’s Directorate of Migration and Human Trafficking also participated.
Mr. Kamara emphasized the urgent need for strong institutional partnerships, noting that effective collaboration with regional bodies like the MRU is critical to advancing HRCSL’s mandate. He highlighted the Commission’s role in handling cross-border complaints and stressed that migration and trafficking issues demand coordinated responses beyond national borders.
HRCSL Director of Migration and Human Trafficking, Madam Sidratu Kargbo, cited the recent deportation of over 900 Sierra Leoneans from Guinea as a pressing example of the need for structured cooperation. She underscored that such incidents carry serious human rights implications and require humane, coordinated regional responses.
Ambassador Moribah welcomed the initiative, stressing the importance of aligning efforts to address shared challenges. He called for HRCSL to provide detailed documentation of its mandate to help identify specific areas of collaboration. He further proposed the development of a formal framework to guide cooperation, enhance coordination, and strengthen engagement with other National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) across the MRU region.
He noted that the MRU’s convening power could be leveraged to organize regional meetings, promote dialogue among member states, and advance a coordinated human rights agenda, particularly in migration governance and anti-trafficking efforts.
The meeting concluded with both institutions reaffirming their commitment to building a formal partnership that will strengthen regional cooperation and safeguard human rights across the Mano River Union basin.