The Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister, His Excellency CHEN Xiaodong accompanied by the Chinese Ambassador to the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Wu Peng and top officials of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, today paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Kaifala Marah at his Tower Hill office in Freetown.

Welcoming the Chinese Foreign envoy and entourage to the Ministry, Dr. Kaifala Marah underscored the significance of the visit of the Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister to the Republic of Sierra Leone, which is aimed at broadening and deepening the existing bilateral relations between the two countries. Dr. Marah lauded the contributions of the Chinese government in enhancing the socio-economic development of the country, particularly, following the official visit of His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma to China in 2016. He further dilated on the long standing bilateral relations between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Sierra Leone spanning a period of 47 years. Dr. Kaifala Marah expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to the Chinese government for their support and assistance to the Republic of Sierra Leone during the Ebola scourge in 2014-2015 and the mudslide and flood disaster that struck Freetown on August 14, 2017.

The Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister, His Excellency CHEN Xiaodong on behalf of the government and people of China extended sincere fraternal greetings and best wishes to the government and people of Sierra Leone, while congratulating Dr. Kaifala Marah for his recent appointment as Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. ‘‘I am here to further broaden and deepen the existing bilateral relations and to affirm our commitment to agreements reached between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Sierra Leone’’,  His Excellency CHEN Xiaodong concluded.

The two Foreign Ministers discussed several issues aimed at enhancing the existing bilateral relations and furthering cooperation on multilateral issues including the reforms of the UN Security Council and FOCAC, with the Republic of Sierra Leone. They further emphasised the need to cooperate on issues of common interest, particularly on economic development. They underscored the significance of broadening their engagements and scaling up cooperation in areas such as Agriculture, Infrastructure and education.

With a view to enhancing and deepening the existing partnerships and bilateral relations between their respective countries and the government and people of Sierra Leone, eight foreign envoys including the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Amb. Guy Warrington; the Ambassador of the Republic of the Gambia, Ambassador Femi Peters; the Honourary Consul of the Republic of Serbia and Dean of the Consular Corps, Dr. Adonis Aboud; the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Habiss Ibrahim Ugbada; the Ambassador of Republic of Liberia, Amb. Musu Jatu Ruhle; the Ambassador of the Republic of Lebanon, Amb. Brigitta Al Ojeil; the Honourary Consul of the Republic of Malaysia, Khalil Lakiss; the Honourary Consul of the Republic of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; and the Charge D’ Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Nadali Heydari, have paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Kaifala Marah at his Tower Hill office in Freetown.

The foreign envoys, during their separate meetings with Dr. Kaifala Marah, discussed several issues aimed at enhancing the existing bilateral relations and furthering cooperation on multilateral issues with the Republic of Sierra Leone. They further emphasised the need to cooperate on issues of common interest, particularly on the current spate of migration affecting developing nations such as Sierra Leone, and economic development. They underscored the significance of broadening their engagements and scaling up cooperation in areas such as Agriculture, education and Good Governance. The current electoral climate and cycle in the country was also discussed within the context of bilateral relations, underlining the common interests in developing political, cultural and economic relations as well as the interpersonal relations between the eight countries and Sierra Leone.

The foreign envoys further underscored their governments’ commitment to continue to provide assistance and support to Sierra Leone. They concluded by extending fraternal salutations and congratulatory messages from the government and people of their respective countries to the government and people of Sierra Leone.

Dr. Kaifala Marah welcomed the foreign envoys to the Ministry and assured them of the full support and cooperation of the Ministry both at bilateral and multilateral levels. The Minster also assured the foreign envoys of government’s commitment in ensuring a free, fair and credible election on March 7, this year. He lauded the support of the various countries that have in diverse ways made financial and material contributions since the commencement of the electoral cycle.

Present at the meeting were: the Director General and Ambassador-at-Large, the Deputy Director General for policy and operations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and the Deputy Director of Protocol of the Ministry.