Parliament Approves Newly Appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation

/in /by

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation designate Mr Musa Timothy Kabbah was among the 13 Ministers who were approved today by parliament.

Mr. Kabba appeared before the Committee on Presidential Appointment and Public Service on Friday, July 21st, 2023, for screening and assessment of his suitability in terms of skills and qualifications for the new role of Minister of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation to which he has been appointed.

Presenting the nominees in the Well of Parliament, the Leader of Government Business Honorable Matthew Nyuma, described them as fine gentlemen and ladies who have been appointed by His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio to deliver on his government’ five Big Changers. He noted that they were thoroughly grilled to ascertain their various qualifications in line with their appointments.
He called on those approved to work in the interest of the country and not to betray the trust of the President.

Honorable Member of Parliament from Kailahun district, Hindolo Gevao Esq, described the Foreign Minister’s appointment as a step in the right direction as the Minister designate has proven track records in his previous appointments.

Hon. Gevao admonished the Foreign Minister to address the challenges he would be faced with which may have also served as stumbling blocks for his predecessors.

Hon. Alice Konnia Sandy Esq. from Kenema District said that the appointment of Minister Timothy Kabba serves as a testament to the trust that President Bio has bestowed on the youths in terms of leadership.

Hon. Emerson Lamina from Kono District described Minister Timothy as a fine gentleman that changed the face of the mining sector in Sierra Leone.

“Timothy Kabba is amongst the best multilingual in this country. He was able to negotiate better mining agreements for this country through his diplomatic approach. We do not doubt that he would also succeed in his new assignment.

Other Honorable Members included Sheka Sama from Pujehun District, Veronica Kadie Sesay Bashiru Silikie, and Mohamed Bangura from the opposition All People’s Congress who made meaningful contributions on the appointment of Minister Timothy Kabba.

From the Directorate of Strategic Communications
MoFAIC, Tower Hill, Freetown.
+23276571819

Following Due Diligence… IPRP Exonerates Ministry of Foreign Affairs

/in /by

 

The Independent Procurement Review Panel (IPRP) has exonerated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation over a matter that was brought before the Panel by a bidder, Fayia, Unity Garage against the Ministry over the awarding of contract.

In a press release dated 14th July 2023, the IPRP published its findings on the matter that was brought before the Panel.

According to the Panel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation followed due process by widely advertising a bid in local newspapers, for a Framework Contract for the supply of Spare Parts and Maintenance of Vehicles (Lot 1), and also evaluated all applicants before awarding the contract to the successful bidder and those that were not successful in the evaluation stage were notified as well.

During the hearing, the Ministry informed the Panel that the said garage has proven ineffective over the execution of similar contracts in the past due to poor maintenance of vehicles as well as during the cause of repairs seven vehicles were grounded among which were VIP vehicles.

“The Panel finds that the Appellant’s garage space can only house eight vehicles at a time and the recommended winner of the bid had a more spacious garage. The roads leading to the Appellant’s garage were not in good condition. The Panel finds that the Appellant had all documents required, coupled with his lowest bid but was evaluated on the status of his garage, and it is evident that his garage is not spacious…. The Panel, therefore recommends for the MoFAIC to proceed with the contract and award the winner,” the release states.

Reacting to the IPRP verdicts, the Director General & Ambassador at Large in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Victoria Sulimani commended the Panel for laying the matter to rest in the interest of the public.
“In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we believe in transparency and accountability in whatever we do. This has been proven by the IPRP over this matter,” she said.
Dr. Sulimani admonished journalists and the media to always crosscheck any information with the Ministry before publication.

From the Directorate of Communication,
FSA, MoFAIC, Tower Hill, Freetown
+23276571819.

The Islamic Republic of Iran Congratulates President Bio On His Reelection: Calls For Strong Bilateral Relations & Partnership

/in , /by

MoFAIC Buiding Tower Hill, Freetown, 7th July 2023-

The Iranian Ambassador to Sierra Leone Seyed Khalil Sadati Amiri Friday congratulated His Excellency the President Dr. Julius Maada Bio on his re-election through the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Professor David J. Francis.

Delivering a congratulatory message on behalf of the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hussein Amir Abdollahian, Ambassador Seyed Khalil Sadati Amiri, said the people and government of Iran congratulate President Bio for his re-election by the people of Sierra Leone and also congratulated the Government for winning a seat in the non-permanent category of the United Nations Security Council for the period 2024-25.

With growing bilateral and diplomatic ties with Sierra Leone, Ambassador Seyed said, Iranian companies are expressing interest to explore opportunities for cooperation in the country in the areas of medicine, trade, and investment. 

He extended an invitation to the Hon. Foreign  Minister to the planned  Iran – Africa conferences – one for Foreign Ministers of African countries and another for Cultural Ministers. These high-level engagements will advance joint cooperation with African countries including Sierra Leone.

Ambassador Seyed highlighted projects that are currently being undertaken by the  Iranian Embassy in Sierra Leone which includes the establishment of a Nursing School which has enrolled 87 students.  

Ambassador Seyed also called for a JCC on visa waiver between the two countries which will encourage Iranian investors to come and realize the tourist potential of Sierra Leone. It also open doors for the Sierra Leonean business community in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Professor Francis thanked the Government of Iran for their support and congratulatory message on the victory of President Bio.

“We thank all our friends, allies, and partners for congratulating His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio for winning an election that was peaceful, credible, free, fair, and transparent. Your congratulatory message will be conveyed to His Excellency appropriately and be rest assured that Sierra Leone will be participating fully in the upcoming Ministerial conferences for Africa in Tehran at all levels,” he said.

Professor Francis thanked the Iranian government for their support during the UN Security Council elections. This he said demonstrated the strong bilateral relations Sierra Leone has with other nations.

He commended the Iranian Embassy for establishing a health institution for the training of nurses which is in line with the government Human Capital Investment of the President.

Professor Francis recommended the hosting of a trade and business forum between the two countries as there are opportunities in the mining sector, health, agriculture, and infrastructure that Iranian investors would love to tap into. 

The Minister said that Sierra Leone will be invited to the UN Security Council on the 1st of October to observe principles and procedures, in preparation for their full engagement in January 2024. 

He emphasized that Sierra Leone will be playing a crucial role in promoting peace, security, and stability around the globe.

 

For more information,

Contact the Directorate of Strategic Communications

+23276571819.