The Uganda High Commissioner to Sierra Leone His Excellency Nelson Ocheger on Monday 10^th December, 2018 presented copies of Letter of Credence to the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mrs. Nimatulai Bah-Chang. The ceremony took place in the Minister’s office, Tower Hill in Freetown. The Uganda High Commissioner conveyed warm greetings from the Uganda Foreign Minister and informed the Acting Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister of Sierra Leone on the commonalities between the two countries in the area of difficult political past. He commended the people of Sierra Leone for the fair and peaceful elections that were held in March this year, describing those elections that brought in new Government as a remarkable achievement. Uganda and Sierra Leone, he explained, have wide range of mutual interest and cooperation. He named mining, agriculture and tourism as some of the areas of interest Uganda will explore for trade and investment. He referred to the Lungi International Airport as a good touristic destination.

High Commissioner Ocheger expressed desire to transform the agricultural and tourism sectors with the aim of creating employment for citizens of both countries. The Ugandan High Commissioner said that Sierra Leone and Uganda have similar educational system, because the two countries were colonized by the British. He assured of exchange of students between the two countries to enhance Africa integration in terms of culture. Such exchange programme will target youths. He called on the Acting Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister to look into the proposal for the drafting of a Cooperation Framework between the two countries that will enhance trade and other Government programmes.

The Acting Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Mrs. Nimatulai Bah-Chang told High Commissioner Ocheger that Sierra Leone and Uganda are members of the Commonwealth and African Union. She opined that it is because of the strong bilateral relationship that has existed between the two countries that Sierra Leone Embassy in New York is presently at Uganda House. Uganda she explained has a good record in the area of agriculture, stressing that agriculture and tourism are vital to the Government of Uganda. Mrs. Bah-Chang expressed interest for Sierra Leone to learn from Uganda in the area of tourism, noting that because Uganda is practising ecotourism the country’s tourism sector is booming compare to Sierra Leone which practises beach tourism. She encouraged the Uganda High Commissioner to help improve agriculture in Sierra Leone especially in the area of aquaculture, in order to enable Sierra Leone export fish to other countries.