Sierra Leone’s President Koroma Arrives in Brazil

President Koroma Arrives In Brazil

Sierra Leone’s President, Dr Ernest Bai Koroma has arrived in Brazil, the first visit by the President to that country since he was elected in 2007 and the first visited ever to be made to that country by a Sierra Leonean President.  The government is reported to be working on plans to open a foreign mission in that country. Upon his arrival in the country on the 18th of August, the President is reported to have told African diplomats who paid him a courtesy call at his Brazilia Alvorada Hotel that the need to strengthen ties with Brazil could not have come at a better time.

According to a release issued by the President’s Press Secretary, the President told the group of 28 diplomats based  in Brazilia that  he is happy  that the  ‘are working as a group… and that your working relationship with President Lula is good and strong… I believe this is happening because of the commitment he has to develop the South-South relationship. Brazil has had a wonderful experience in transforming itself and there’s a lot all of us will learn from this experience.”

The President is reported to have also emphasized the need to further strengthen the relationship because of the striking similarities Africa has with Brazil in terms of background, environment, culture, “and, broadly speaking, our people are the same”. According to the President, it therefore makes more sense to tap from the Brazilian experience “instead of those that are far removed from us.”

On the socio-political status of Sierra Leone, the President Koroma is reported to have said, “As a country, we don’t want to dwell in the past, but Sierra Leone has accepted a democratic process, Sierra Leone is ready to move forward as a nation, and Sierra Leone is ready to make Africa what is expected of it.” He went on to narrate how he was elected a little less than two years ago from being an Opposition Leader to President, having first lost his initial bid for the presidency in 2002: “We had a very peaceful transition from opposition to governance, and because of where we are coming from, our focus is to consolidate the peace – because nothing will happen where there’s no peace – and to move forward with the development of the country.”

Speaking on the strides of his government s towards achieving this goal, the President said, “In the area of economic development, we have identified priorities in agriculture, energy, infrastructure and social services. The aspirations of our people and our own determination are captured in a document we called ‘the Agenda for Change’. I must say that Sierra Leoneans are determined to ensure that we implement it and there’s good will from the international community and from our neighbors… The country is peaceful now. Every inch of it is safe and we are looking forward to moving on in a transparent and democratic manner.”

On international relations, President Koroma said, “We are not an island and we belong to Africa, and within Africa there are sub-regional groupings. The most immediate is the Mano River Union”, which membership has recently admitted Cote d’Ivoire to add to Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. Although the union was dormant for a while due to politico-military upheavals, President Koroma was happy to report that there’s strong commitment to waking it up, as “all of the structures within the union have been reactivated:” He said now the countries within the union are relatively safe and are working towards giving support to Guinea “to see her through this difficult time – and not to shy away – but to ensure they meet their democratic commitments.”

Within the context of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), President Koroma said structures are being changed and are working towards economic integration and the establishment of individual arms with Nigerian President Musa Yar’Adua as Chairman. He said they are collaborating to implement major projects like the West African power pool, the Trans West African highway (with Sierra Leone trying to link up Conakry and Monrovia), youth development and empowerment, “as the international community is more likely to support us through these groupings.”

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