By Abu Bakarr Kargbo (People’s Daily Online) 16:00, January 06, 2023

Sierra Leone Foreign Minister Prof. David Francis, Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone Wang Qing and Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio cut the ribbon to mark the symbolic opening of the Foreign Service Academy in Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital city.

China Aid has funded the construction of the first Foreign Service Academy in Sierra Leone and the Mano River Union Countries, which was built by the China Railway Seventh Group (CRSG) Company. The multi-million dollar modern building, the 19th Foreign Service Academy in Africa, was officially commissioned by Sierra Leone’s President, Dr. Julius Maada Bio on Jan 5, 2023 in Freetown.

Expected to fully commence operations on Feb. 1, 2023, the Foreign Service Academy was established to serve as the professional training and educational institute of the Sierra Leone Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and to address the capacity gap in the Foreign Service and promote research, educational excellence, career development and service to the nation.

Deputy General Manager and Country Director of China Railway Seventh Group, Du Xinguo, remarked that his company is extremely grateful to hand over the Academy after two years of intensive work following a high-quality design done by Chinese professionals. He thanked the Government of Sierra Leone, the Chinese Embassy, and all those who supported the projects. “We have worked collaboratively with local staff to complete the project on time,” he said, adding that their teamwork has proven that CRSG is a reliable partner.

Front view of the newly constructed Foreign Service Academy in Sierra Leone.

The company, he said, is known for good work in its completed projects such as the Lungi-Port Loko Road; the Mange-Mambolo Road; the Grafton-Regent Youyi Road; the Wilkinson Road; the Bo-Kenema Highway; the Makeni-Matotoka Road; the Wellington-Masiaka Highway, the Juba and Savage Street bridges.

“With true friendship, CRSG has been growing bigger in Sierra Leone and we are committed to working with the Sierra Leone and Chinese government to further strengthen their ties,” he said.

Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone Wang Qing revealed that the brand new, state-of-the-art Foreign Service Academy Building is a Christmas and New Year gift from the Chinese government and people to the Sierra Leonean government and people, and added that capacity building is essential to nation building. “I hope and believe this academy will become Sierra Leone’s ‘Cradle of Diplomats’ where more career diplomats from this country and even the sub-region will be nurtured and cultivated,” Wang said.

“While Sierra Leone makes progress under the New Direction Agenda, China’s new journey will create more opportunities for our bilateral cooperation including market access and investment. Standing at this new starting point, under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Julius Maada Bio, we can be sure that China-Sierra Leone relations will have a brighter and more promising future,” the Chinese ambassador said. He continued by thanking the Chinese experts from the China Railway Seventh Group and all other Chinese and Sierra Leoneans for their active support and contributions. “You have overcome various challenges, especially the COVID-19 pandemic. My colleagues in the Embassy and I appreciate your hard work,” Ambassador Wang said.

Sierra Leone’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Professor David Francis, said the new Academy shows that this is the right time to significantly increase his country’s investment in diplomacy. He thanked the CRSG for completing the work in record time and stated that he is impressed by the quality of the work that has been done.

Prof. Francis said the new Academy will serve as a center for excellence that will provide high-quality and professional training to all cadres in the Foreign Service. He added that it will also provide local and international short courses to their African compatriots. “It is a majestic, magnificent Academy that will be put to good use,” the Foreign Minister said, adding that it is a core delivery priority that will provide quality programs and activities. International best practices will be used in the Academy, he went on to say.

Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio, described the new Foreign Service Academy as a testament to the mutual cooperation and shared vision with the People’s Republic of China. He thanked President Xi for supporting Sierra Leone’s socioeconomic development. “Our ties with China have deepened good development cooperation in key sectors like agriculture, education, infrastructure and health.” Bio said the new Academy is one of the achievements in his government’s drive to develop human capital.

“It will help solidify our efforts in building Sierra Leone’s good image across the world and it will train people to become professional diplomats. It will enable diplomats to represent us well and they must ensure that they are well-trained and competitive,” he noted.

Xinhua
06 Jan 2023, 22:18 GMT+10