By Mohamed Kamara
Freetown – The decades-long border dispute between Sierra Leone and Guinea over the contested town of Yenga continues to stir controversy, as senior security officials and civil society voices weigh in on the way forward.
Speaking at the weekly government press briefing hosted by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, the Coordinator of the Office of National Security (ONS), Mr. Abdulai Caulker, disclosed that the government of President Julius Maada Bio is engaged in high-level negotiations with Guinea’s ruling military junta over the status of Yenga. Both parties, he said, are presenting historical documents to support their territorial claims, with the aim of securing a peaceful resolution.
Caulker emphasized that there is growing optimism that these efforts could lead to lasting peace between the two West African neighbors—countries “created to live together but divided by colonial boundaries,” he said.
However, the negotiations have sparked debate within Sierra Leone. Emmanuel Thompson, a senior secondary school teacher in Freetown, voiced strong concerns about the legitimacy and sustainability of the current talks.
He noted that while Sierra Leone operates under a constitutionally elected civilian government, Guinea is presently under a military regime that seized power through a coup and governs by decree. “Their junta lacks democratic legitimacy and international recognition,” Thompson argued. He warned that any agreements made under the current Guinean regime could be overturned by a future civilian government, rendering the outcome unstable.
Thompson further criticized the prolonged inaction on the Yenga issue by both past civilian and military governments in Guinea, stating that their consistent claims to Yenga suggest a deeply rooted national interest, regardless of who is in power. He also lamented Sierra Leone’s continued investment of resources in maintaining a security presence in the disputed area, calling it unsustainable.
“It is time we stop romanticizing the historical, cultural, and traditional ties between the two nations when it comes to national sovereignty,” Thompson declared. “The most appropriate solution is for the government of Sierra Leone to take the matter before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or an arbitration tribunal.”
He concluded that once both sides present their claims before an internationally recognized legal body, the resulting judgment would serve as a definitive and enforceable resolution.
The Yenga dispute, which dates back to the early 2000s, remains one of the most delicate diplomatic challenges facing Sierra Leone’s foreign policy and national security apparatus.
