The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Zainab Bangura (Mrs.) presented UAE Prince Sheik Abdulai Ben Zahid and delegation to President Ernest Bai koroma at State House on Monday 1st June and told the President that diplomatic meetings have been held with Prince Abdulai Ben Zahid involving various Government Ministers on areas of interests that need rapid development.
The Prince said they are friends of Sierra Leone and in sympathy with Sierra Leoneans because of the long sufferings of the people during civil war which devastated the country. He spoke of his desire to support the people of Sierra Leone to once more enhance the living conditions of the people.
Zainab Bangura informed President Koroma that the delegation is very much impressed with his leadership and are looking forward to further strengthen the bilateral ties and enhance the economic friendship. She intimated that during the meeting they were privileged to exchange ideas where he, the Prince told them his main areas of interest including humanitarian and investment opportunities.
Prince Sheik Abdulai Ben Zahid registered gratitude and appreciation for the hospitality accorded them and conveyed greetings from his leader. He added that they are looking forward to a new start of the relationship between Sierra Leone and the United Arab Emirate as Sierra Leoneans have been through a lot and said “we realized that the President and his Government are doing a very good job and as such they need to be supported”. Sheik Abdulai Ben Zahid assured President Koroma of his country’s unflinching support in the nearest future.
Responding, President Koroma said he has the fervent belief that the visit indicates the further strengthening of the bilateral ties that have already existed between the two countries pointing out that as two friendly countries they have enjoyed close bilateral ties over a period and have had shared values that they have manifested by participating in an International Organization the OIC, in which their two countries have served as members.
The President said that they have also common values of respect for the integrity of state and international law and have all worked jointly in the fight against drugs and terrorism despite the distance between the two countries.
President Koroma reiterated that as a developing country, they have been observing the positive development activities in the UAE, and that they are impressed with the stance they have taken in terms of the role they have been playing not only in developing peace and cooperation in the Arab world and beyond by ensuring that they put in place Institutions that they have supported, but that the UAE was ready to share such experiences with others. He emphasized that the most striking of all their activities is the guiding principle of their foreign policy and their assistance to others, which he believed is based on the thought that the wealth they are endowed with would not be of any benefit to them if it does not reach out to deserving people regardless of where they find themselves.
President Koroma thanked the king of UAE for the scholarships he gave to the people of Sierra Leone to attend the Hajj and also for the past support during the turbulent times noting that as a country they have tried to reposition themselves as they have now moved from the Humanitarian stabilization period, to a situation where the country now wants to move forward with real economic growth. He said that with a country that is coming from a war and with limited resources, “the focus on building relationship of those considered great friends must be enhanced and also we should position the country to become attractive for foreign investors”.
In that regard, he stated that his government has tried to do all it takes to make it investment-friendly and intimated the visitors that there is a potential in the areas of Tourism, Mining and Agriculture. President Koroma implored them to render assistance to the people of Sierra Leone as they are in dire need.
At a brief Press Conference Prince Abdulai Ben Zahid told Journalists that his country would render assistance to the government and people of Sierra Leon e in the nearest future as he was impressed with the President’s Leadership, determination and commitment.
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