ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief historical overview of Sierra Leone since independence, before moving to a more in-depth analysis of the role of the diplomatic community in Sierra Leone. It focuses on the contributions made by the most active bilateral players, the United Kingdom and the United States, which were the only two major non-African countries with diplomatic representation in Sierra Leone for the majority of the period under analysis. The UN Panel of Experts reports on Liberia and Sierra Leone helped raise international community awareness and improve the understanding of the regional aspects of the conflict in Sierra Leone. Although peace in Sierra Leone remains somewhat tenuous, diplomatic involvement in Sierra Leone over the past 15 years has allowed the country to move out of civil war and begin the long and arduous path towards democratization and rebuilding.
