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SISLAA: An auxiliary to Sino-Sierra Leone bilateral relations

SISLAA: An auxiliary to Sino-Sierra Leone bilateral relations

The SINO-Sierra Leone Alumni Association (SISLAA) was officially launched at the Chinese Embassy in Freetown on the 21st August 2013 by Kuang Weillinthe Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone.The launching of SISLAA is another epoch making ceremony in the history of the SINO-Sierra Leone bilateral relations.  (Photo: From left: Abu Bakarr Sesay (author), Amb. Kuang Weillin and President of SISLAA, Ibrahim Seibure)

What we are experiencing today from the bilateral relations between China and Sierra Leone, reminded me of the “I HAVE A DREAM”speech delivered by one of United States of America’s most revered civil right activist, Martin Luther King. That was the dream our leaders then had when they decided to sign a bilateral agreement in 1971 between Sierra Leone and the People’s Republic of China.

In recent months, a group of Sierra Leoneans who studied in China gathered and decided to form SISLAA with an inspiring “SINO-Sierra Leone dream” on the 19th of January 2013. This dream was narrated by the president of SISLAA, Ibrahim Seibure when he was delivering his speech at the official launch of SISLAA. The vision of the association is made clear and brief: “to become a leading diverse, graduate-centred community that is dedicated to academic excellence, teamwork, innovation, and promotion of the socio-cultural values of Sierra Leone and the People’s Republic of China.

If China and Sierra Leone should continue to appreciate each other and continue to smoothen it relations, SISLAA should play a critical role in all of that, because I firmly believe that SISLAA can help shape our society in several unique and meaningful ways.  The reason is simple and evidentiary; SISLAA members have studied in China at least a year, and in different communities/societies meeting different people with diverse cultural makeup in China that helps the association to have a blend of experience about the country we signed a bilateral agreement with.The formation of SISLAA will further strengthen this four decade bilateral relations.

SISLAA members remain an essential part of the Chinese society today, and with their rich socio-cultural and academic experience, it can contribute immensely to the educational development of Sierra Leone.

At the launching ceremony Ambassador Kuang Weillin’s face beamed with happiness when he looked at SISLAA members as part of his country’s contribution to Sierra Leone’s human resource development. Ambassador Weillin over expressed the importance of the SINO-Sierra Leone bilateral relations saying since 1976, 468 Sierra Leoneans have benefitted from the Chinese scholarship scheme. Almost every sector of our society have benefitted from this relationship; ranging from medical doctors, lecturers, the military, police, civil servants, engineers, journalists, the list goes on. These Sierra Leoneans pursued their education in different disciplines and in various parts in China where they learnnot only theChinese culture but also the language.

Like the saying goes: “to whom much is given much is expected”; SISLAA members are expected to help promote the Chinese values to Sierra Leoneans who may be ignorant or unknowledgeable of China’s growth and peaceful rise. Today we are seeing Sierra Leoneans who studied in China are occupying positions of trust and have also demonstrated leadership abilities in Sierra Leone thereby contributing immensely to the country’s development drive, and some serving as models in their respective institutions.

When I carefully looked at SISLAA’s planned activities,it gives me a sense of reassurance that it can serve as an auxiliary to the SINO-Sierra Leone bilateral relations. It has a long list of planned activities, but these few ones really captured my attention:

  • SISLAA will assess the socio-cultural gap between Sierra Leone and China and identify areas for development in the country to enhance the significance of both countries cultural values
  • SISLAA will take leadership role in working with the Chinese Embassy and a wide range of institutions and organisations inside and outside of the country to identify investment prospects for and chances of creating job opportunities for SISLAA members and non-members alike.
  • SISLAA will explore the possibility of expanding the association’s prominence in China and Sierra Leone by making greater use of its member’s good work and expertise.

The SINO-Sierra Leone Alumni Association is not a political organization, rather a socio-cultural and an academic/professional association that will strictly follow and maintainnot only its motto of “UNITY and PROSPERITY”, but it mission, vision and values coupled with its constitution.

The positive impact of education through Chinese scholarships in our society today is enormous.This is an achievement we must claim and celebrate. We must congratulate ourselves; we must applaud our government and the Chinese government for providing such opportunities to us.

The SINO-Sierra Leone relation has dated way back in 1971, and has been growing from strength to strength, both in terms of human and infrastructural development. From 2000 to present date, there are approximately 40 Chinese official development finance projects identified in Sierra Leone according to different media reports. These projects, according to reports range from a $22 million debt relief, to assisting in highway repair projects and construction of hydropower project, and a concessional loan of $16.6 million to support Sierratel’s CDMA project that government is currently executing to revive the country’s national telecommunication network.

Since the reform and opening up of China in the late 1970, we have succeeded as a country in finding a correct path that leads to development and progress between the two countries. This relationship has bolstered our economic growth over the years through its investment in the country. There is serious Chinese investment in the country today and that has helped reduce youth unemployment rate.

To make the SISLAA’s dream come true, Sierra Leoneans and our government must stick to the socio-cultural values of both countries; advocate the SISLAA spirit and pool its strength. The dream of SISLAA is the dream of Sierra Leonean people with the fundamental purpose of delivering benefits to the country.

As SISLAA will be focusing on building the relationship between the two countries, I want to encourage every SISLAA member or Sierra Leonean that have studied in China to pursue his or her dream of making Sierra Leone a better place for human habitation.

But this can also be achieved if SISLAA gets the support of the Chinese Embassy here in Sierra Leone and the Sierra Leone government to create the conditions that will help its members secure jobs and make themselves meaningful not only to Sierra Leone but China as well, we truly believe that It will continue to smoothen the bilateral relations between the two countries, thereby continue to build on our peace and security, development, cooperation between the two countries and more opportunities to Sierra Leoneans and the country as a whole.

Looking at the increasing numbers of Sierra Leoneans who studied in China, it should be acknowledge that SISLAA has a major role to play in stabilising the relationship of the two countries. With full cooperation and support from both the government of Sierra Leone and the Chinese Embassy here in Sierra Leone, SISLAA can serve the cog upon which this bilateral relationship rides.

SISLAA is in the move to establish regional bodies in the country so it will have a national character and total inclusion.

Wise people say, a thousand miles journey starts with the first step, and SISLAA’s first step is the establishment of a secretariat at the China Friendship House (aka China House) in Freetown.

Long Live SISLAA!

Long Live SINO-Sierra Leone bilateral relations!

Submitted by Abu Bakarr Sesay

MA Int. Relations (Jilin University PRC)

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