IPNEWS: Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone signed a joint communiqué following a high-level tripartite summit in Conakry, Guinea, on Monday, March 16, 2026, following the escalating border tensions, specifically shooting incident on March 11, 2026, and reports of Guinean military incursions in the Foya-Sorlumba area of Lofa County, Liberia.
The Communiqué calls for Border De-escalation. The leaders committed to a peaceful diplomatic resolution of territorial disputes and the reinforcement of mechanisms for stable border management.
The summit emphasized the role of the Mano River Union (MRU) and ECOWAS in maintaining regional peace and unity. All parties agreed to cease inflammatory actions and promote dialogue to resolve concerns affecting communities along their shared borders.
Those participating in the submit were Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr.: President of Liberia, Mamadi Doumbouya: President of Guinea (Host), Julius Maada Bio: President of Sierra Leone and current Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority Alassane Ouattara, President of Ivory Coast.
The meeting took place at the Mohammed VI Presidential Palace in Conakry and followed days of bilateral dialogue between ministerial delegations at the border.
Just hours before the emergency summit of the Mano River Union, Liberia’s raised contention regarding the territorial incursion following the March 16, 2026, with discussion at the summit in Conakry centers on the defense of its sovereign boundaries in the Sorlumba area of Foya District, Lofa County.
The Liberian government, led by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, maintained that Guinean military forces committed a serious breach of sovereignty through several specific actions:
Territorial Encroachment: Liberian authorities contend that Guinean troops crossed the border and asserted control over approximately 100 acres of territory that Liberia maintains lies within its sovereign boundary.
A major point of contention was the reported removal of the Liberian flag by Guinean soldiers, who then hoisted the Guinean flag at the Sorlumba Border Point.
Guinean forces halted sand-mining operations by a Liberian company (BK Enterprise Inc.) and confiscated its equipment. Guinea claimed the activity was on their territory and suspected it involved illegal mineral extraction.
Liberia pointed to the deployment of Guinean troops and helicopters to the area, as well as an incident on March 11, 2026, where a Liberian civilian was allegedly shot by Guinean forces.
While a preliminary dialogue on March 8 temporarily eased tensions, residents reported renewed incursions shortly after, leading to the emergency Mano River Union summit on March 16. At this summit, Liberia sought a diplomatic resolution and reinforced mechanisms for peaceful border management to prevent further escalation.
Guinea’s specifically contented its territorial incursion into Liberia centered on a resource and boundary dispute involving the Makona River.
Guinea contended that the portion of the Makona River where Liberian sand-mining activities were occurring falls within its national territory. Guinean elders and officials argued that because the river originates in Guinea, it should remain under their control.
A major point of contention was Liberia’s unilateral granting of a sand-mining permit to BK Enterprise to extract sand from the river, which serves as a natural boundary. Guinea claimed Liberia failed to obtain their consent for mining a shared boundary resource.
Guinean authorities alleged that Liberian security officers had moved the Liberian national flag closer to the riverside than its original checkpoint, which they viewed as a provocative act of territorial encroachment.
Guinea seized mining equipment under the suspicion that the site was being used to mine high-value minerals like gold or diamonds rather than just sand.
At the summit hosted by Guinean President Mamadi Doumbouya and attended by Liberian President Joseph Boakai, the leaders signed a Peace and Cooperation Communiqué. Both sides agreed :
- Relocate the Liberian flag back to its original checkpoint to ease immediate tensions.
- Inspect the seized equipment by the Guinean Ministry of Mines before its potential return to Liberia.
- Respect recognized boundaries while utilizing technical teams to address specific disputed areas through diplomatic channels.
