The three days working visit of President Ernest Bai Koroma and his delegation was full of activities.  Soon after his arrival at the Andrews Air-force Base on Tuesday night, President Ernest Bai Koroma and his team of experts held a planning meeting regarding the three days program and how it was scheduled.  (Photo:President Ernest Koroma being led out of the S.Leone Embassy by US Secret Service Agents,  after talking to Heads of Sierra Leonean organizations, Embassy Staff and granting interviews to some local and international)

Members of his delegation, Finance Minister Dr. Keifala  Marah, Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Matthew Samura Kamara, Information and Communications Minister Hon. Alpha Kanu, Health Minister Hon. Miatta Kargbo, State Chief of Protocol Ambassador Soulay Daramy, State House – Chief of Staff Dr. Richard K. Konteh, Executive Assistant to President Ernest Koroma Dr. Sylvia Blyden, Personal Assistant to President Koroma Mr. Brian A. Gilpin, Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Coordinator Mr. Mahmoud Idriss and  that of the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Washington DC (Ambassador Bockari Stevens, Deputy Chief of Mission Ambassador I.S. Conteh, Head of Chancery Mrs. Isatu Sillah, Fatmata Dao, Edward Kawa and Pasco Gerald Temple together with a delegation from  the Sierra Leone Permanent Mission to United Nations in New York led by the  Permanent Representative Ambassador Shekou M. Turay and comprised of the Deputy Permanent Representative for Legal Affairs, Ambassador Osman Keh Kamara , the Minister Plenipotentiary, Rev. Leeroy Wilfred Kabs-Kanu and the Head of Chancery, Mr. Alhusine Kamara. properly planned the attendance of scheduled meetings according to specialization and importance.

At 9:30 a.m. -10:00 a.m. of Wednesday, President Ernest Bai Koroma, Dr. Keifalla Marah, Dr. Matthew Samura Kamara. Hon Alpha Kanu and Ambassador Bockari Stevens in the Company of U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone Ambassador Owen and Control offuicer Andrew Silski met with the Acting Director of Peace Corps Carrie Hesslker-Radelet.

At 10:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m. President Ernest Bai Koroma  delivered a speech at a Peace Corps event with “Friends of Salone”(Former Peace Corps to Sierra Leone).

Mid-day to 1:30 p.m. saw him having a meeting with Bechtel executives. President Koroma and his experts were again engaged at 2:00 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. with  the Chief executive of MCC Daniel Yohannes, Ambassador Owen, Andrew Silski, Dr. Richard Konteh, Mr.Mamoud Idriss, Dr. Sylvia Blyden, Ambassador Soulay Daramy and Mr. Brian Gilpin.

President Ernest Bai Koroma addressing Sierra Leonean Heads of organization and Community groups at the Embassy of Sierra Leone

At 3:00 p.m., President Koroma and delegation met with Staff of Embassy of Sierra Leone Washington DC, cross section of heads of Sierra Leone community groups in USA and granted series of interviews to several media houses, including one of the most recognized Radio for breaking local and international news in the USA, with a very wide listenership of at least One hundred and fifty Million People – “National Public Radio”.

At 5:00 p.m. President Koroma was also interviewed by Voice of America Television crew “Day Break Africa”, “One on one” and “in focus”  hosted by Anchor – Sheka Ssali  and produced by  Deirdre Murray-Mcintosh, Senior Television Producer, Voice of America TV, Africa Division.

7:00 p.m., saw him attending a congressional meeting.

At 9:45 a.m. on Thursday March 28, President Ernest Bai Koroma attended a joint meeting with Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel at Defense Department (Pentagon).

Mid-day met him at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel meeting with First Step  and Samshi CFO Jonathan Shafer and World Hope’s John Lyon, Richard Schroeder and Steve Brown.

2:10 p.m. met President Koroma and his chosen few at the White House, where he successfully held a very unique and meeting with the world’s most powerful Country’s President Barack Obama.

At 5:00 p.m. President Koroma met with Chevron President Ali Moshiri and at 6:00 p.m. with the open Government Partnership and close the day by 9:00 p.m. with a meeting with Corporate Council for Africa (CCA).

The Four Heads of State in a round table discussion, chaired by Outgoing Assistant Secretary of State For African Affairs, Ambassador Johnny Carson(Center)

On Friday March 29th, 9:00 a.m. President Ernest Bai Koroma attended a roundtable  discussion with four other Heads of State at the Institute of Peace (USIP), before attending an Economic and Development Round Table at the MCC  from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. before departing for the most prestigious and protected Andrews Air-force Base in Virginia, where Air-Force One is kept at the hanger.

By Kabbs Kanu, Minister Plenipotentiary and Coordinator of the Committee of 10 on UN Security Coucil Reform, Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone to the UN, and Pasco Temple, IA, USA