Sierra Leone Foreign Minister Holds Fruitful Discussions with China’s State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs

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Sierra Leone Foreign Minister Holds Fruitful Discussions with China's State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs

Press Release

The Foreign Minister of Sierra Leone, Mrs Nabeela Tunis, on 31st July 2020 had a tele-meeting with her China’s State Councilor Wang Yi. Minister Tunis in her initial remarks, reassured Councilor H. E. Wang Yi of Sierra Leone’s continued commitment to further strengthen the diplomatic ties that have existed between the two countries for nearly half a century.

Minister Tunis described China as a reliable partner to Sierra Leone’s socioeconomic development drive, and reiterated Sierra Leone’s commitment to continue working closely with China to achieve goals and objectives that are of common and shared  interest and  mutually beneficial to both countries, especially in the international arena.

Minister Tunis highlighted the current challenge that COVID-19 continues to pose to the development ambitions of the Government and appealed to her Chinese counterpart to consider working with the Government of Sierra Leone in investing in Education, agriculture, promotion of local industry, fisheries, and technology transfer.

In response, the Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister, H. E Mr Wang Yi, reaffirmed China’s commitment to strengthening the mutual trust and friendship that continues to flourish between the two countries. Minister Wang also reaffirmed China’s continued commitment to working with the government of Sierra Leone to defeat COVID-19, as well as to assist the country to recover from the economic setback caused by the pandemic.

Minister Wang disclosed that the Chinese Government will tap into special funds set aside for Africa to help Sierra Leone promote its development objectives in Education, health, agriculture, fisheries, and other areas. H.E., Councilor Wang Yi further informed of his government’s willingness to sign a cooperation agreement with Sierra Leone on implementing the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI).

Councilor Wang Yi and Minister Tunis agreed that the two countries should engage in proper planning and execution of cooperation agreements as diplomatic relations between Sierra Leone and China approach 50 years.

He concluded by confirming China’s willingness to work with African countries including Sierra Leone, for the advancement of common interests in the international fora.

 

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SIGNED 

Alimatu Fofanah

Head of Section Media and Public Relations Department

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

OAU Drive, Tower Hill, Freetown, Sierra Leone

Website: www.mofaic.gov.sl

Email: media@mofaic.gov.sl

Contact: +232 78 861 822/77 713 939

Foreign Minister Holds Virtual Bilateral Talks with Rwanda Minister

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Sierra Leone Foreign Minister Holds Virtual Bilateral Talks with Rwanda Minister

Press Release

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mrs Nabeela Farida Tunis on Tuesday July 28th 2020 held a Virtual bilateral conversation with Rwanda Minister, Mr Vincent Biruta.

During the virtual Meeting, the two ministers discussed several issues of mutual interest ranging from cooperation on the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, cooperation on international platforms including the United Nations and Africa Union, to the signing of a Joint Cooperation Commission in Sierra Leone later this year.

Minister Tunis, on behalf of the Government and people of Sierra Leone, expressed her sincere condolences to the Government and people of Rwanda for the precious Rwandan lives that have been lost to the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister Tunis appealed for a continued global and regional solidarity to defeat the COVID-19 disease. Minister Nabeela Tunis went on to inform her counterpart of the ratification by the Sierra Leone Parliament of the Cooperate Agreement that was signed between the two countries in 2019.

Minister Tunis told her Rwanda counterpart, Minister Vincent Biruta that Sierra Leone is looking forward to receiving a team of experts from Rwanda to operationalized the Agreements.

The Rwandan Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta assured Minister Tunis  of Rwanda’s commitment to further strengthen the already strong bilateral ties that have existed  between the two countries for decades.

Minister Biruta highlighted key areas of potential socioeconomic and technological cooperation between Sierra Leone and Rwanda .

Minister Biruta underscored the importance of the Joint Cooperation Commission that will be signed in Freetown after the COVID-19 restrictions on travel are relaxed.

Both Ministers agreed to continue working closely on issues of mutual interest both at the bilateral and multilateral levels.

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SIGNED 

Alimatu Fofanah

Head of Section Media and Public Relations Department

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

OAU Drive, Tower Hill, Freetown, Sierra Leone

Website: www.mofaic.gov.sl

Email: media@mofaic.gov.sl

Contact: +232 78 861 822/77 713 939

Minister Nabeela Tunis Held Bilateral Talks with Turkish Foreign Minister

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Lebanon Charge d’Affairs, Mr Hadi Jaber Bids Farewell to Salone Foreign Minister

Press Release

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Mrs. Nabeela Tunis, held a virtual meeting with her counterpart, the Turkish Foreign Minister, H.E. Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Opening the discussion with the usual diplomatic courtesies, Minister Tunis highlighted the unprecedented human and material cost unleashed by the pandemic and more specifically, the resultant socio-economic difficulties encountered by developing countries. In reference to the situation in Sierra Leone, Minister Tunis shared lessons from an early response strategy instituted by government which has helped to curb the spread of the disease. Noting that support from friendly countries was critical in ramping up the national response, Minister Tunis thanked the Turkish government on behalf of H. E. the President, Dr Julius Maada Bio, for its donation of respiratory equipment and medical supplies through the Kar Power Electricity Company in Freetown.

During the conversation, Minister Tunis conceded that the pandemic had shifted focus away from other important developmental processes that Sierra Leone had been engaged in prior to the outbreak. However, she appealed to her colleague to remain committed to the cooperation agreements they signed in 2019 on education, technology and industry sectors as well as capacity strengthening of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, among others.

Minister Tunis informed her colleague that an appreciable parcel of land has been allocated to the Turkish Embassy in Sierra Leone to construct its Chancery and Residence.      

In response, the Turkish Foreign Minister expressed his country’s appreciation of the excellent relationship between the two nations and committed to strengthen it further by fulfilling the cooperation agreements and providing diplomatic training and other support for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. He disclosed that the Turkish International School in Freetown will be upgraded to a higher level and shared plans to improve on the cultural relations between the two nations.

H.E. Mevlut Cavusoglu also informed of a planned visit by a Turkish business delegation as soon as the pandemic eases and reaffirmed his country’s readiness to facilitate the acquisition of land for the construction of the Sierra Leone Embassy in Ankara.

Both Ministers agreed that concluding the current Cooperation Agreement on Trade and Development, including the one on Double Taxation, was the first step to strengthening the diplomatic ties between the two nations.

They also agreed on an immediate virtual meeting between the two Presidents to be followed by a State Visit.

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SIGNED 

Alimatu Fofanah

Head of Section Media and Public Relations Department

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

OAU Drive, Tower Hill, Freetown, Sierra Leone

Website: www.mofaic.gov.sl

Email: media@mofaic.gov.sl

Contact: +232 78 861 822/77 713 939

Signing of Exchange of Notes on Japanese Grant-in-Aid to Support the Fight Against COVID-19 in Sierra Leone

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Press Release

On 8th July 2020, the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Government of Japan signed Exchange of Notes for a Japanese Grant-in-Aid worth about 3.6 million United States Dollars.

The Exchange of Notes were signed by H.E Mrs Francess Virginia Anderson, High Commissioner of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the Republic of Ghana and H.E Mr. HIMENO Tsutomu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of Sierra Leone.

During the signing ceremony the Japanese Ambassador reaffirmed Japan’s determination to strengthen the bond of friendship between the two countries and assured the Sierra Leonean side of his country’s commitment to assist Sierra Leone, not only in the fight against Covid-19, but in other areas of the health sector as well, and other sectors of social economic development such as energy and education through support to the school feeding programme of HE President Bio’s Free Quality Education initiative.

High Commissioner Francess Virginia Anderson responded by first conveying the thanks and appreciation of H.E President Julius Maada Bio for Japan’s continued support to Sierra Leone. She also assured her Japanese counterpart of the government of Sierra Leone’s commitment to expand and strengthen bilateral cooperation with Japan.

The High Commissioner further reassured of her Government’s readiness to receive the medical equipment that will be provided through this grant-aid, which she said will save many Sierra Leonean lives.