The Organisation of Southern Cooperation (OSC) participated in the Third Africa High-Level Forum on South-South and Triangular Cooperation for Sustainable Development during an official visit to Sierra Leone from 7 to 9 May 2025. The event provided an opportunity for the OSC to contribute to discussions alongside other Greater South partners on shared priorities for sustainable development and international cooperation.
Under the theme “The Role of the Global South in Reshaping the New International Order,” the forum organised by the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) of the African Union gathered heads of state, ministers, and senior officials from across the Greater South to advance a shared vision for a more equitable and inclusive international system. The OSC delegation, led by Secretary-General Manssour Bin Mussallam and accompanied by his Special Envoy for Multilateral Affairs, Teshome Toga Chanaka, played a prominent role in the discussions.
Addressing the opening plenary, the Secretary-General called for accelerated regional integration, high value-added industrialisation, and stronger South-South partnerships grounded in equity. He also addressed the official opening dinner and participated in the closing ceremony of the forum.
During the visit, the OSC deepened bilateral engagement with key partners. Secretary-General Bin Mussallam met with Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio to explore cooperation in areas such as Balanced and Inclusive Education, endogenous technologies, and solidarity-based development finance. Further discussions were held with Marie-Antoinette Quatre, CEO of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM); Ahmed Araita Ali, Vice-Chair of the APRM Panel of Eminent Persons; Sierra Leone’s Environment Minister Jiwoh Abdulai and Public Administration Minister Amara Kallon; United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation Senior Advisor Samba H. Thiam; and Algeria’s Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Hachem Abdelhafid.
The visit underscored the OSC’s commitment to enhancing collaboration across the Greater South and promoting a renewed multilateral framework founded on solidarity, equity, and sustainable development.
