Expanding Sierra Leone’s Diplomatic Agenda: President Bio Opens New Embassies in Africa and Europe

By Festus J. Lahai

Much to the chagrin of the opposition, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio flew a few too many times to various destinations to undo the stigma and the reputational damage to our nation that his Government inherited. It is directly linked to the country’s economy and our standing in the world.

As he continues to make Sierra Leone an attractive destination for investment, the President has opened two vital embassies in Morocco and Turkey. The re-opening of a resident Embassy in France is at an advanced stage and he is planning to open two High Commissions in India and South Africa.

With enormous knowledge in Diplomacy and International Relations, H.E. Bio has seen that trade is moving towards Eastern Europe, and Turkey is a strategic business centre, especially for African countries including Sierra Leone.

It is for this reason he decided to open the Embassy in Turkey, to deepen diplomatic ties thereby protecting Sierra Leoneans who are doing business in the European country.

We also have a lot of Sierra Leonean students in Turkey pursuing their studies at various universities across the country. The Embassy is now there to seek their welfare.

It will only take a wise and visionary leader like President Bio to know that it is of benefit to both friendly countries who share a common agenda like trade and investment and human capital development.

The Embassy in Morocco is also up and running as the two countries continue to enjoy their long-standing diplomatic relations.

As a young man in the 90s, one country the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) would contact for football friendlies was Morocco. During the era of former SLFA President, Isha Johansen, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with the Moroccan Football Association for training and other benefits to Sierra Leone.

Morocco, a North African country bordering the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, is an important destination for business, and a strategic transit point linking Africa to Europe and the rest of the world.

Sierra Leone’s Mission in Morocco is indeed a blessing to thousands of our citizens who are studying and doing business there.

Sierra Leone as a nation has received even more respect and greater standing in the last four years. The country successfully concluded its tenure as President of the Seventh Conference of State Parties (CSP7) to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).

Currently, Sierra Leone is co-chairing the Working Group on the Treaty on Universalization of the ATT. Dr Lansana Gberie, Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone in Switzerland, is the chair of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Council of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for 2022. That is the second most important Council of the WTO.

Sierra Leone serves as the vice-chair of the International Organization for Migration’s governing bureau. Sierra Leone is chair of the 4th inter-sessional meeting on Human Rights and Agenda 2030 titled “Investing in sustainable recovery, advancing gender equality and strengthening partnerships – Towards a renewed social contract anchored in human rights”.

Sierra Leone’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Alhaji Fanday Turay, has been elected as Vice President representing the African Group in the Bureau of the 27th Session of the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA).

In just four years, President Bio has been able to strengthen our diplomatic relations globally; both Diplomatic and Service Passport holders can now travel to Russia, and Turkey whereas people with Diplomatic Passport holders can as well travel to Dubai without obtaining a Visa.

President Bio’s visit to Russia during the Russia – Africa Summit in 2019 has strengthened bilateral relations with Russia. In 2020, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Professor David John Francis signed an MoU with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov for a visa-free movement between the two brotherly countries, who can boast of over two decades of mutual respect and benefits.

Other countries that have offered visa-free movement from Sierra Leone, for holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports under the leadership of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, are United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Turkey. For Russia and Turkey, holders of both Diplomatic and Service Passports are permitted to travel and stay within 90 days, and for UAE, only Diplomatic Passport holders can travel without Visa.

It is expected that with this development, more Sierra Leoneans will be able to travel to Russia, Turkey and Dubai/UAE, for business and other pursuits with little concern for visas.

At the United Nations General Assembly recently in New York, President Julius Maada Bio was highly recognised by the UNSG to co-chair the Transforming Education Summit, all thanks to his fantastic Free Quality Education initiative, his democratic credentials, regional and global position on the rule of law, and opening of the democratic space for free speech.

With overwhelming endorsements from ECOWAS, African Union, CEN-SAD, Sierra Leone is poised to return to the UN Security Council in the non-Permanent category in 2024/25, for the second time, after over 50 years of absence and non-selection. President Bio formerly presented the bid at the just concluded UNGA.

The real rebranding of Sierra Leone with a renewed and cleansed image locally and internationally has begun. With suavity and panache, President Bio has elevated the country’s status in the world.