By KABS KANU
One of the best ambassadors appointed by President Ernest Bai Koroma has been the Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Adikalie Foday Sumah.
Since Ambassador Sumah assumed office in New York in 2016, he has been playing an indelible role in helping to cement the impeccable profile Sierra Leone enjoys at the UN and the international world.
For those who do not know, Sierra Leone is an important player at the UN and in the field of international diplomacy. Sierra Leone continues to be very active in the major priority areas of the UN — The promotion of international peace and security and human development and rights she presently leads the frontline for Africa at the UN Security Council Reform negotiations as Chair of the African Union Committee of 10 ( C-10), which is thrust with the responsibility to promote Africa’s interests in the negotiations.
Additionally, Sierra Leone continues to have an important voice in the African Union, the European Union ( EU) and other international organizations in the world at large and based at the UN, like the Non -Aligned Movement ( NAM) , the Peacebuilding Commission ( PBC ), , the Economic and Social Council ( ECOSOC ) , etc.
One man who has become an embodiment of Sierra Leone’s participation in many of these international organizations is Ambassador Sumah. Because he is a very eloquent speaker and a productive diplomat, he is held in high esteem by his peers and colleagues. He is well-trained lawyer . Besides being a reader and a commentator on the Laws of Constitution , he has attracted the recognition and respect of his colleagues . He has acquired the attention of colleagues for his role in the UN Security Council Reform negotiations and human rights protection and enforcement ( Specialist areas of Ambassador Sumah’s mettle and credentials ).
THIS is evident in the fact that he has been invited and continues to receive invitations from his colleagues to participate in conferences and deliver papers in thematic issues.
Since Ambassador Sumah presented his credentials to the then Secretary General of the UN, Mr. Ban Ki-moon , Ambassador Sumah has gone to 20 countries .He has been to Queto, Equador (on Sustainable cities ), Israel, Sweden, India, Singapore, China ( Where he delivered a statement on the 45th Anniversary of China’s return to the UN Security Council ) , Brussels ( Where he took part in the African Diamond Conference in 2017), Germany, Addis Ababa etc.
Yet with all this participation in international affairs and representation of his country , Ambassador Sumah remains so humble about himself and does not trumpet his achievements in the UN , unlike other native born of Samu Chiefdom, Kambia, who glamorize themselves about their sojourn at the UN.
Ambassador Sumah’s recent participation at the Doha Regional Dialogue on Peace in Qatar , where he participated as one of the guest speakers and eloquently outlined the linkages between sustaining peace and development , with particular reference to the role of youth, was classic.
His colleagues found his inputs about how to solve the problems of youth participation in nation – building very useful and he was highly commended for his delivery.
Before he came to the UN, Ambassador Sumah was Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the Republic of Guinea, where he also excelled himself.
