Afripoli

EU suspends $21 million in aid to Sierra Leone over fugitive

3 October 2026

The European Commission has suspended €18 million ($21 million) of 2026 budget support to Sierra Leone because Freetown has not extradited Jos Leijdekkers, a Dutch cocaine trafficker convicted in the Netherlands and Belgium, Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel said on 1 October. About $26 million planned for 2027 could also be withheld. Information Minister Chernor Bah said the delay stemmed from procedural issues with a financing agreement, not the case. Tying EU budget support to a single criminal case could set a precedent for other aid recipients. Watch whether Freetown arrests Leijdekkers, who is believed to have lived there since 2023.

Politics · Tags: Sierra Leone, European Union, Netherlands

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