Salone New Foreign Minister Interacts with the Media

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

Press Release

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Prof. David J. Francis on Thursday 6th May, 2021 interacted with a cross section of members of the Fourth Estate at a Press Conference held at the Ministry’s main Conference Hall, Tower Hill, Freetown.

Welcoming members of the Press, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. David J. Francis said, since his appointment as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and his engagement with the senior leadership of the Ministry, he has thought it wise to engage the media in a Press Conference to present a new Foreign Policy Shift.

He informed the media of his first official encounter with senior and junior members of staff of the Ministry where he had encouraged them that there is an opportunity to change and transform the Foreign Ministry to make it a forward looking, progressive, dynamic and an enterprising Ministry that will project Sierra Leone as a confident, emerging country that is set to become a middle income country.

The Foreign Minister said he had called the Press Conference to present to the media a new Foreign Policy shift which would explain the direction Sierra Leone is heading, the type of international environment it would face, and how it should position itself as a small country to maximize the opportunities of the international system, and at the same time present Sierra Leone in terms of its opportunities, its favourable social and economic climate, and its foreign policy posture among others.

Minister Prof. David Francis explained to the media that they, himself and Deputy Minister are bringing to the Foreign Ministry a vision to strategically align His Excellency President Bio’s ‘New Direction’ vision to that of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Pro. David Francis said he would bring to the Foreign Ministry a strategic leadership focusing on competence, professionalism, clear knowledge and understanding of Foreign Policy and international cooperation to leverage the country’s role in the international system.

The new shift, he added, is to strategically position Sierra Leone in order to convert global challenges and crises into opportunities and to leverage those opportunities for the ‘New Direction’ Government. The shift, he told the newsmen is from Economic Diplomacy to Development Diplomacy as a national interest. He called on the media to help project the new Foreign Policy Shift to rebrand Sierra Leone.

He acknowledged the leadership of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mrs Nabeela Farida Tunis for her relentless role played during her reign especially in reviewing the country’s Foreign Policy with clear recommendations.

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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