By Kabs Kanu
In a huge diplomatic blow to the Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP ), and to the country , as well as compromised institutions like the Millennium Challenge Corporation ( MCC ) , PRESIDENT MAADA BIO HAS SUFFERED A MAJOR SNUB BY U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
President Maada Bio has not and will not be invited to the World Leaders Democracy Summit to be held by President Joe Biden on December 9 -10.
A U.S State Department official told Cocorioko International Newspaper that President Bio will not be invited to the Summit but he did not elaborate or give reasons. Yet, the reasons that President Bio was not invited are clear to his countrymen and women and people all over the world following up events in Sierra Leone —-His human rights and democratic records are very horrendous and disgraceful and he does not qualify to participate in such a summit that is meant to bolster democracy around the world.
Neighboring Guinea was also not invited but Liberia , despite failing the MCC scorecard , was invited, bringing to question whether President Biden respects the MCC ‘s opinions .
The official gave Cocorioko the list of all the countries that will participate in one of the biggest virtual world summits ever. The summit will foster good relations between the U.S and countries helping to promote democracy in the world. Sierra Leone, under President Bio, is not one of these countries , unfortunately .
According to ABC News, “With democracy in recession around the world, President Joe Biden made a campaign pledge to convene a summit of democracies in his first year in office to promote human rights, counter corruption and discuss ways to strengthen democracies against authoritarian models that have gained strength in recent years.”
The White House, in a press statement said : “President Biden is pleased to announce that in December he will bring together leaders from a diverse group of the world’s democracies at a virtual Summit for Democracy, to be followed in roughly a year’s time by a second, in-person Summit. The virtual Summit, to take place on December 9 and 10, will galvanize commitments and initiatives across three principal themes: defending against authoritarianism, fighting corruption, and promoting respect for human rights. “
The White House further said that “Following a year of consultation, coordination, and action, President Biden will then invite world leaders to gather once more to showcase progress made against their commitments. Both Summits will bring together heads of state, civil society, philanthropy, and the private sector, serving as an opportunity for world leaders to listen to one another and to their citizens, share successes, drive international collaboration, and speak honestly about the challenges facing democracy so as to collectively strengthen the foundation for democratic renewal.”
One wonders how President Bio’s many paid sycophants on social media will defend this massive snub but speaking to COCORIOKO, Joseph KOROMA, a social media activist said “ It is because they do not have shame that is why they will try to defend this glaring snub by the United States, which shows that the world has a very dim view of President Bio’s democratic and human rights credentials . This is indefensible “ .
Calls made to spokesmen of President Bio and the SLPP for their own version of the snub were not returned.
We will bring you more details in subsequent articles.
Summit for Democracy: 110 Invited Participants
Albania
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Bahamas
Barbados
Belgium
Belize
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Cabo Verde
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Democratic Republic of Congo
Denmark
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Estonia
European Union
Fiji
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Grenada
Guyana
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kosovo
Latvia
Liberia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Mongolia
Montenegro
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Niger
Nigeria
North Macedonia
Norway
Pakistan
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Republic of Korea
Romania
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
Spain
Suriname
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Timor-Leste
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tuvalu
Ukraine
United Kingdom
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Zambia
