Emir tells Koroma to consider Kuwait his second home
Sierra Leone’s Foreign and International Cooperation Minister has described President Ernest Bai Koroma’s three -day official visit to the State of Kuwait as “extremely fruitful”. Honourable Zainab Hawa Bangura made the statement in a brief telephone interview to Sierra Leone’s Press Attaché in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Alhaji M.B. Jalloh shortly after the end of the visit.
The Foreign Affairs Chief who was amongst the President’s high-powered delegation said His Excellency’s visit was not only an investment seeking opportunity for Sierra Leone, but was part of a diplomatic mission to maintain the strong and bilateral relationship that has existed between the two nations.
According to the Minister, the visit covered a lot of bilateral agendas aimed at promoting trade, sharing cultural ties and establishing a diplomatic mission in Sierra Leone. “The people of Sierra Leone share common values and a strong friendship with the Kuwaiti people,” the Minister quoted the President to have told the Emir of Kuwait.
Madam Bangura also told the Press Attaché that the President held meetings with various business people and bilateral meetings with the Emir of the State of Kuwait, His Highness, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Prime Minister, Speaker of Parliament, Managing Director of Kuwait Fund and Managing Director of Kuwait Investment Authority amongst others. “Both leaders agreed to strengthen the bilateral relations and to boost mutual cooperation,” Bangura reiterated.
In another development, various business people who accompanied the President – Managing Director of the National Petroleum, Managing Director Sam-King Group of Companies, to name but a few, also had separate and individual meetings with various business tycoons in Kuwait to build strategic relationship aimed at seeking investment partnership.
“As a matter of fact, all these meetings were geared towards finding the investment resources and capital assets to improving Sierra Leone business sector,” the Iron Lady said on the phone.
Asked whether the Emir of Kuwait intends to pay a return visit to Sierra Leone, the Foreign Minister was quick to say that:Â ” Both the Emir and his Prime Minister promised to visit Sierra Leone in the not too distant future.”
She added that: “The Emir even asked President Koroma to visit Kuwait as often as he would like both officially and privately and he wanted President Koroma to accept Kuwait as his second home.”
The Minister also disclosed the appointment of a Kuwaiti Ambassador designate for Sierra Leone, but promised to give details as soon as they are available.
The Emir, Madam Bangura said, expressed his profound interest in exchanging diplomatic mission between his country and Sierra Leone. “We all stand to benefit from such diplomatic mission and we are humbled by your official visit to our country,” the Emir was quoted to have told President Koroma.
As part of his visit, Minister Zainab Bangura mentioned that the President also addressed the Chamber of Commerce, gave a lecture at the Gulf University of Science and Technology, (GUST) on African Day and opened an African exhibition.
In his address, the Minister continued, the President was resilient and steadfast in promoting Sierra Leone’s readiness for foreign investment, the potential tourism industry and the need to develop a market oriented economy in Sierra Leone.
“Commerce is a gateway to prosperity and we all have a good chance to be stakeholders in securing our common interests,” the Chief Executive of Sierra Leone reportedly said to members of the Chamber of Commerce.
“A banquet was held by the Emir for the President as well as by the Prime Minister,” the Honourable Minister concluded.
Meanwhile, the President has returned to Freetown Wednesday, May 27, 2010. Commenting on the President’s visit, a veteran Journalist and political commentator who preferred anonymity said: “For the fact that the President of Sierra Leone was invited as guest of the Kuwaiti Royal Family, that’s a clear manifestation of the regard the leadership of this successful Arab country has for the Sierra Leonean leader and his people.”
Alhaji M.B. Jalloh, Information Attach̩/ Public Affairs Unit, Sierra Leone Embassy, Riyadh РKingdom of Saudi Arabia
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