New Benin Ambassador Pays Courtesy Call on Amb. Stevens Dean of West African Ambassadors Accredited to USA

The Dean of West African Ambassadors accredited to the United States of America His Excellency Bockari Kortu Stevens has said West African Ambassadors accredited to the United States of America should continue to work as a unified entity to enable them speak with one voice in so far as concerns of West Africa is concern.

Ambassador Stevens made this comment Friday May 16th 2014, when he received His Excellency Omar Arouna, the newly accredited Benin Ambassador to the United States of America, when he paid him a courtesy visit at the 1701 19^th Street NW Chancery.

The Benin Ambassador Omar Arouna and Ambassador Stevens

The Dean of West African Ambassadors gave a brief on historical ties and the relationship between the two Countries (Benin &Sierra Leone) and further appraised his colleague about the pending African Leaders summit with the United States President Barack Obama in August, and other Plans and programs, and further expressed his willingness to collaborate with the newly accredited Ambassador, in so far as issues relating to the West African block is concern.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT : Ambassador I.S.Conteh (Left),Mr. Hector Possett, Minister Counselor,Benin Embassy USA, Ambassador Bockari Stevens,Dean of West Afrrica AmbassadorsUSA,Ambassador Omar Arouna(Benin) Mrs. Isatu Sillah, Minister Counselor  –

Accompanying Ambassador Omar Arouna was Minister Counselor Hector Possett of Benin Embassy, while on the side of Amr. Stevens were Ambassador I.S. Conteh and Minister Counselor Mrs. Isatu Sillah.

Ms. Fatmatta Dao, earlier received the delegation.

Ambassador Bockari Kortu Stevens assumed the enviable mantle of Dean of West African Ambassadors accredited to the United States of America on 1^st May 2014.

Amb. Bockari Kortu Stevens has been serving as Ambassador since November 2007.

A Dean of the Diplomatic Corps is a title given to the longest serving ambassador to a Country: It is a high position in the order of precedence.

Amb. Bockari Stevens is also accredited to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, Canada, Jamaica, Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela, the Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago.

Amb. Bockari Kortu Stevens attended the Albert Academy Secondary School in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and holds a B.A. a post graduate Diploma London School of Economics and Political Science and an MA, University of East London.

After earning his B.A. Stevens served as Personnel Manager at the Sierra Leone Ports Authority from 1976 to 1981 and as an Ambassador to Guinea, Cape Verde, Mali and Guinea Bissau, from 1986 to 1992.