Ambassador Jongopie Siaka Stevens busy presenting credentials
On Thursday 17th June 2010, His Excellency Ambassador Jongopie Siaka Stevens, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the Republic of Italy with seat in the Federal Republic of Germany, presented his Letters of Credence as the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, Italy. (Photo: Ambassador Stevens presenting credentials to the the Vice President of the IFAD, Yukiko Omura)
At the headquarters of IFAD, he presented his Letters of Credence to the Vice President Yukiko Omura in a very impressive ceremony witnessed by the Regional Portfolio Adviser for Western and Central Africa Division Programme Management Department of IFAD and the Minister Counsellor and Head of Chancery in the Embassy of Sierra Leone, Ms. Crispina Wright.
After presenting his Letters of Credence, Ambassador Stevens conveyed greetings from the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr Ernest Bai Koroma and the appreciation of the Government and People of Sierra Leone for the immense cooperation and assistance received and is still receiving from IFAD in the development of agriculture in Sierra Leone.
Ambassador Stevens informed his host that Sierra Leone has achieved political stability and under the leadership of President Ernest Bai Koroma, the country is making meaningful strides towards socio-economic development.
Ambassador Stevens further informed that President Koroma on his assumption of office, promised the people of Sierra Leone that his government will explore all avenues to improve on the energy situation as he believed that sustainable energy provides the springboard for economic growth in any country.
Ambassador Stevens went on to inform that with the help of the World Bank and Sierra Leone’s other development partners, the Bumbuna Hydro-electric dam is now in operation. He conveyed to his host that the other primary objective of the present government is to improve infrastructural development in all areas with particular emphasis on the agricultural sector. Ambassador Stevens recalled that Sierra Leone was an exporter of rice prior to and after Sierra Leone achieved Independent status in the early sixties but due to many factors in the intervening years, rice production declined to the extent that Sierra Leone became an importer of rice.Â
He informed that it is President Koroma’s goal to reverse this situation and in order to actualize it, solicited on behalf of the Government and people of Sierra Leone, IFAD’s continued support.
Responding, the Vice President of IFAD informed Ambassador Stevens that President Koroma’s vision for the future of agriculture in Sierra Leone was in line with that of the President of IFAD, whose vision was to help the small farmers in countries like Sierra Leone not only to become self-sufficient but also to be exporters of agricultural products which will be a major step towards achieving one of the millennium goals, which is, alleviating hunger and poverty worldwide.
His Excellency Ambassador Jongopie Stevens next presented his Letters of Credence as Sierra Leone’s Permanent Representative to the World Food Programme to the President, Mrs. Josette Shareen (in photo above).
During his discussion with Mrs. Shareen, Ambassador Stevens conveyed the appreciation of H.E. the President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, the government and people of Sierra Leone for the immense food aid Sierra Leone received before and after the war especially to the Sierra Leoneans who were then internally displaced. He narrated the political and economic strides the APC government has made since it assumed the reins of government and President Koroma’s determination to eradicate poverty and hunger and to encourage small farmers to be self-sufficient.
Responding the President of WFP informed Ambassador Stevens that her Organization has been working closely with Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and was very impressed with Sierra Leone’s programmes for nutrition and food security.
She informed that the World Food Programme is voluntarily funded whose primary mission is to help the hungry of the world and to ensure that food reach the right people worldwide. She further informed Ambassador Stevens that in line with President Koroma’s vision to encourage small farmers to be self-sufficient and more productive in order to improve their economic status, the World Food Programme in Sierra Leone has linked school feeding with small farmers by buying more of their produce for the school programme.
She assured Ambassador Stevens that the World Food Programme will work towards integrating its activities with Sierra Leone’s agricultural strategies.
Ambassador Stevens’ final presentation was at the Headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and his Letters of Credence as Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was received by the Director General, Dr. Jacques Diouf in a short and impressive ceremony (in photo above).
During his discussion with Dr. Jaques Diouf, Ambassador Stevens conveyed the appreciation of H.E. Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, the government and people of Sierra Leone for the invaluable assistance Sierra Leone has been receiving from the Food and Agriculture Organization over the years. He informed that Sierra Leone now enjoys political stability, improved infrastructural development in the rural areas and better health care delivery services particularly in the area of maternal and child health care, among others. He further informed of President Koroma’s vision of an improved energy situation in the country which will provide the enabling environment for investment in the private sector.
Responding, the Director General Dr. Jacques Diouf warmly welcomed Ambassador Stevens to the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Headquarters and recounted some of the unforgettable memories of his stay in Sierra Leone as Director of the West African Rice Development Agency during the administration of the first Executive President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Late Dr. Siaka Probyn Stevens.Â
Dr. Diouf said that the FAO was impressed with President Koroma’s vision for an infrastructural developed agriculture sector in Sierra Leone and was working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to implement government’s strategies. He further explained to Ambassador Stevens that Sierra Leone has been the recipient of funding from FAO for the implementation of most of her programmes and assured Ambassador Stevens that the FAO will continue to work with and support Sierra Leone in achieving food security.
His Excellency Ambassador Jongopie Siaka Stevens was accompanied to these presentations by the Minister Counsellor and Head of Chancery, Ms. Crispina Wright.
Embassy of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany
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