Sierra Leone

=== Foreign relations ===

{{Main|Foreign relations of Sierra Leone}}

The Sierra Leonean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is responsible for foreign policy of Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone has diplomatic relations that include China, Russia,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ambassade de la Fédération de Russie en République de Guinée|title=Russia and Sierra Leone diplomatic relations|url=http://guinea.mid.ru/web/guinee-fr/actualites-de-l-ambassade/-/asset_publisher/u42vl5IwZdlL/content/55th-anniversary-of-diplomatic-relations-between-russia-and-sierra-leone?inheritRedirect=false&redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fguinea.mid.ru%2Fweb%2Fguinee-fr%2Factualites-de-l-ambassade%3Fp_p_id%3D101_INSTANCE_u42vl5IwZdlL%26p_p_lifecycle%3D0%26p_p_state%3Dnormal%26p_p_mode%3Dview%26p_p_col_id%3Dcolumn-1%26p_p_col_count%3D1|website=mid.ru|access-date=2 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816063823/https://guinea.mid.ru/web/guinee-fr/actualites-de-l-ambassade/-/asset_publisher/u42vl5IwZdlL/content/55th-anniversary-of-diplomatic-relations-between-russia-and-sierra-leone?inheritRedirect=false&redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fguinea.mid.ru%2Fweb%2Fguinee-fr%2Factualites-de-l-ambassade%3Fp_p_id%3D101_INSTANCE_u42vl5IwZdlL%26p_p_lifecycle%3D0%26p_p_state%3Dnormal%26p_p_mode%3Dview%26p_p_col_id%3Dcolumn-1%26p_p_col_count%3D1|archive-date=16 August 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Libya, Iran, and Cuba.

Sierra Leone has good relations with the West, including the United States, and has maintained historical ties with the United Kingdom and other former [[British Empire|British colonies]] through its membership of the [[Commonwealth of Nations]].<ref>{{cite web |date =October 2008 |title =Background Note: Sierra Leone |publisher=U.S. Department of State |url =https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5475.htm |access-date =7 October 2008}}</ref> The United Kingdom has played a major role in providing aid to the former colony, together with administrative help and military training since intervening to end the Civil War in 2000.

Former President [[Siaka Stevens]]' government had sought closer relations with other [[West African]] countries under the [[Economic Community of West African States]] (ECOWAS), a policy continued by the current government. Sierra Leone, along with [[Liberia]], [[Ivory Coast]] and [[Guinea]], form the [[Mano River Union]] (MRU). It is primarily designed to implement development projects and promote regional [[economic integration]] between the four countries.<ref>{{cite web |year =2006 |title =Welcome to the Mano River Union Website |publisher =Mano River Union |url =http://www.manoriverunion.org/ |access-date =7 October 2008 |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20080706124624/http://www.manoriverunion.org/ |archive-date =6 July 2008 |url-status =dead }}</ref>

Sierra Leone is also a member of the [[United Nations]] and its specialised agencies, the [[African Union]], the [[African Development Bank]] (AFDB), the [[Organisation of Islamic Cooperation]] (OIC), and the [[Non-Aligned Movement]] (NAM).<ref name=foreign>{{cite encyclopedia |year =2007 |title =Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations |encyclopedia =Sierra Leone Encyclopedia |url =http://www.daco-sl.org/encyclopedia/1_gov/1_2mfa.htm |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20090223182542/http://www.daco-sl.org/encyclopedia/1_gov/1_2mfa.htm |archive-date =23 February 2009 |access-date =7 October 2008 |url-status =dead |df =dmy-all }}</ref> Sierra Leone is a member of the [[International Criminal Court]] with a [[Bilateral Immunity Agreement]] of protection for the [[Military of the United States|US military]] (as covered under Article 98).