Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Freetown, Republic of Sierra Leone
PRESS RELEASE
PRESIDENT KOROMA LAUNCHES FIRST EVER FOREIGN SERVICE MAGAZINE
13th July 2017.
His Excellency, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma has officially launched the maiden edition of the Leone Diplomat Magazine as well as the first ever Directory of Sierra Leone’s Foreign Missions and Consulates at a ceremony held at State House in Freetown during a Forum for Diplomatic and Consular Relations.
The aim of the Leone Diplomat Magazine, President Koroma stated, is to further strengthen collaboration and interactions with the global society.
In his address on the theme, ‘The President’s Foreign Policy Statement 2017’, President Koroma stated that his government remained committed to the country’s broad foreign policy ideals of promoting national interest, sub-regional, regional and inter-African cooperation and unity; and for the consolidation of international peace and security. ‘We support the settlement of international disputes by negotiation, conciliation, arbitration and adjudication’, President Koroma added.
President Koroma condemned acts of terrorism, radicalism, extremism, racism, ethnic, and religious persecution, and encouraged sustained international engagement for a just and peaceful resolution of issues within, between and among countries.
He appealed to members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps to muster their energies to actions that support inclusiveness, and also, the eradication of poverty in developing countries and in the world at large as envisioned by the Sustainable Development Goals.
In his opening remarks, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Samura M.W. Kamara explained that this annual leg of the collective interaction between His Excellency the President and Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Consuls accredited to Sierra Leone provides an important and productive occasion to discuss the practical challenges and opportunities involved in their diplomatic and consular relations. ‘It is also a forum meant to facilitate the President’s closer interaction with the Diplomatic and Consular Corps’, he added.
Under President Koroma’s leadership and guidance, the Minister disclosed, Sierra Leone is transforming and refining the country’s international relations noting that the country is now pursuing a more focused, rigorous, result-oriented and pro-active approach to diplomatic and consular relations aimed at facilitating mutually beneficial political and economic partnerships.
The Dean of Diplomatic Corps, H.E Lotfullah Balikiari, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, on behalf of his colleagues, maintained that the annual Presidential Forum for members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps serves as an encouragement, renewal of energies, and increase motivation that leaves its inspirational influence on members of the Diplomatic Community to double their continued committed efforts.
He thanked President Koroma for what he described as his silent and creative innovation that continues to manifest his wisdom, focus and good intent, which has attracted with pleasure all members of the Diplomatic Community in Sierra Leone.
It could be recalled that this is the second annual Presidential Segment of the Forum on Diplomatic and Consular Relations since its inception in 2014.
The call to order and welcome statement was delivered by the Director General and Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Khadijatu Bassir. Also present at the ceremony were Ministers of Government, Senior Government officials, and Senior Staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
