Sierra Leone Deepens Bilateral Ties With Turkey

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and international Cooperation, Professor David John Francis met with his counterpart, H.E Mevlut Cavsoglu, Foreign Minister of Turkey at the Margins of the 3rd Africa-Turkey Summit, Istanbul, Turkey.

The two Ministers spoke of mutual bilateral benefits for their respective countries including cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, Education and training, infrastructure and mines.

On Sierra Leone’s seat for the non-permanent category in the the UN security council for 2024-2025, the Turkish Foreign Minister, H.E mevlut Cavusoglu, indicated that his Government may consider to support Sierra Leone’s seat bid for the UN security council.

A quick win for Sierra Leone was that the Government of Turkey made a commitment to provide 15 scholarships to Sierra Leone annually for undergraduates/post graduate and PHD in various fields with a possibility to increase Sierra Leone’s Scholarship quota.

For more information….
Membui Emmanuel,
+23276-631757
Director, Media & Strategic Communications
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

 

Government engages Peace Building Commission, Share lessons learnt on youths and Gender Issues

Ministry Of Foreign Affairs And International Cooperation, Tower Hills, Freetown, 9th December, 2021. Following the successful exit of Sierra Leone from the PBC configuration in 2020, the Government has engaged with the Peace Building Commission to share their lessons learnt in peacebuilding, with a particular focus on youth.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Madam Mamadi Gobeh Kamara, in her statement said the Government of Sierra Leone’s exit strategy emphasized aspiration towards peacebuilding that was situated within the broader framework of the Country’s Medium Term National Development plan (2019-2023), which is aligned with United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for sustainable Development and the African Union’s 2063 Development Agenda.

She said despite Sierra Leone’s exit from PBC, the Country remains with the Commission through out it post-conflict transition phase.
” we have continued to consolidate our hard-earned peace within the identified roadmap priorities focusing mainly on National Cohesion, Human Capital Development, Economic Diversification, Institutional Resilience and Governance and COVID-19 Response and Recovery efforts”. She stated.

 

She thanked the PBC for the current funding portfolio of the Secretary General’s peacebuilding fund to the tune of US$ 7.66 Million , which focuses mainly on the areas of inclusive land Governance and land related conflict management and youth empowerment, including community conflict management and support for young people at risk of recruitment into gang related violence.

Other speakers at the meeting were the Minister of youth Mr. Mohamed Bangura, the Minister of Development and Economic planning Mr. Kaikai and a representative of the 50-50 women’s empowerment group.

For more information….
Membui Emmanuel,
+23276-631757
Director, Media & Strategic Communications
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

 

Foreign Affairs Secures Ratification for 4 Agreements Between Sierra Leone and Turkey

House of Parliament, Tower Hills, 9th December, 2021. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and international cooperation, Madam Mamadi Gobeh Kamara, has today secured Parliamentary ratification for four bilateral agreements between the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Government of the Republic of Turkey.

The agreements on trade and economic cooperation signed on October, 2012, agreement on the elimination of double taxation with respect to taxes on income and the prevention of tax evasion and avoidance, protocol on cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation and protocol of cooperation on Higher Education scholarships between the Ministry of Higher education of the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related communities of the Republic of Turkey were all ratified by by the house of parliament.

These agreements, when implemented will help creating jobs, generate income for people, give consumers and businesses access to a wider range of high- quality products, strengthen institutional academic and administrative capacity, Improved quality of educational provision, Increased diversity of educational programmes and Increased efficiency of higher education systems achieved through economies of scale and scope resulting from transnational cooperation.

For more information….
Membui Emmanuel,
+23276-631757
Director, Media & Strategic Communications
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

 

Foreign Minister Hosts H.E Yang Jiechi, Deepens Bilateral Relationship with China.

Freetown, Tower Hills, Ministry Of Foreign Affairs And International Cooperation, 6th November,2021. Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister Professor David John Francis has today hosted His Excellency Yang Jiechi, Member of the Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee and Special Representative of H.E President Xi Jinping of the Government of the Peoples Republic of China on bilateral engagement in promoting common interests.

H.E Yang Jiechi commended President Julius Maada Bio’s efforts in promoting private sector developments, in the face of Coronavirus disease, adding that the two countries would fight the disease together in solidarity to achieve economic recovery.Professor Francis, in his comprehensive but concise statement welcomed H.E. Yang Jiechi and his delegation on behalf of the President, His Excellency Rtd. Brig Julius Maada Bio. He thanked President H.E Xi Jinping and the Government of the People’s Republic of China for the continuous support to bilateral relations with Sierra Leone. He said both Countries will continue to work together in win-win situation to promote and safeguard their common interests.

For more information….
Membui Emmanuel,
+23276-631757
Director, Media & Strategic Communications
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

 

Foreign Affairs holds a day retreat on the development of the soft infrastructure of the Foreign Service Academy

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Tower Hill, 2nd December,2021. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has today holds a day retreat on the development of the soft infrastructure of the Foreign Service Academy in order to ensure a buy-in (ownership) of specific key stakeholders across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as other relevant educational and professional institutions and faculties.

According to the architectural plan, the complex presumably ranks among the very few purpose-built physical infrastructures in Africa. When completed the four-story building will offer Four (4) 30-seater Classrooms, a 100-pax capacity Library, two large100- and 200-pax Conference Rooms, five (5) Rooms for office accommodation, a 30-seater Computer Room, Offices for-the-Director and Deputy Director of the Academy, Archive, Waiting Room, Lounge, 6 Rooms (Offices spaces), 6 Standard Guest Rooms and 2 VIP Guest Rooms with Common Room for research plus restroom facilities on all floors.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Professor David Francis said the retreat will provide the opportunity to make further inputs into the plan, particularly the operational organogram, governance structure of the Academy, the curricúlum, business model and the annual budgetary Implication. He said the preparation was to enable the academy to start operations just after the completion of the construction work in September, 2022.

He encouraged every participant to be bold and contribute to the success of the first foreign Service academy in the Mano River Union.

For more information….
Membui Emmanuel,
+23276-631757
Director, Media & Strategic Communications
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

 

Foreign Minister Receives Copies of Letters of Credentials from H.E. Jeroen Verheul, And 2 Others.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, OAU Drive, Tower Hill, Freetown, 2nd December, 2021. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has received copies of letters of credentials from three Ambassadors designates from Netherland, Norway and Austria.

The copies of credentials were presented by H.E Jeroen Verheul, Ambassador designates of the Kingdom of the Netherlands based in Accra, H.E Mrs. Ingrid Mollestad, Ambassador designates of the Kingdom of Norway based in Accra and H.E Dr. Gerlinde Paschinger, Ambassador designates of Austria all residents in Dakar.

 

The Ambassadors designate commended the Government on what they referred to as proactive Governance and efficient policy reforms that has added more value to the Country’s democracy. The establishment of the Peace and National Cohesion Commission, the abolishment of the death penalty, the amended Public Order Act 1965, which repeals the 55-year-old seditious libel section that criminalized free speech, were among the gains highlighted. 

 

On behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone, Professor David Francis welcomed the Ambassadors designate as he formally received copies of their credentials. He reiterated the Government of Sierra Leone’s commitment towards strengthening the longstanding relationships of mutual supports that exists among the various Countries with Sierra Leone. He highlighted series of issues they will be engaging on after their official presentation of Credentials to His Excellency President Maada Bio on Friday 3rd December, 2021. Key among those issues geared towards Security Council reforms, Sierra Leone’s bid for the UN Security Council in the non-permanent category for the term 2024-2025, gender equality and empowerment, SDGs implementation, Education, Agriculture and post-COVID-19 recovery.

Professor Francis assured them of a peaceful stay as they await their official presentation of credentials to His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio.

more information….
Membui Emmanuel,
+23276-631757
Director, Media & Strategic Communications
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.