Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to the Republic of India has addressed the maiden India-Sierra Leone Trade Conference in Kochi, India and assured participants, drawn from various business sectors, of a favourable investment environment in Sierra Leone.
Delivering his keynote address, High Commissioner Rashid Sesay commended the participants for attending the event to learn about the various trade opportunities in Sierra Leone. He said that his visit to the South-Asian state was focused on meeting with potential investors whose activities would align with His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio’s Big Five Agenda.
He informed the gathering that Sierra Leone’s development priorities were centered on the people with particular focus on agriculture, education, healthcare and youth empowerment. He also discussed ‘Feed Salone’ describing it as an initiative to increase food production and products value addition to reduce hunger, support the economy and provide jobs for people.
“We have one of the most youthful populations in Sub-Sahara Africa, so our government is interested in skills training and other employment opportunities to enable our young people contribute significantly to development. One area of partnership could be technology and innovation since India is a major global player in this sector.
High Commissioner Sesay also discussed Sierra Leone’s energy demands saying that the country was desirous to use energy as an engine for sustainable growth. The Envoy added that the provision of reliable energy would support the country in its food productivity drive by helping local farmers to preserve and increase the value of their products. He assured the gathering of Sierra Leone’s readiness to welcome them on a win-win basis.
“Over the years, our President has made several strides in making our country investment friendly. We have reviewed our laws and developed attractive investment regulations. We are supporting investments in several ways, including through the National Investment Board, to ensure businesses can thrive. We are open for business so, we welcome you all,” he stated.
Hon. Trade Commissioner of India-Africa Trade Council, Mr. C. Krishna Shankar said that the gathering was a testament of the relations between the two countries which were separated by distance but connected by shared values, aspirations and spirit of cooperation. He noted that the India-Africa Trade Council would provide a platform for collaboration, cultural exchanges and mutual growth aiming at creating sustainable and impactful partnerships between India and Sierra Leone.
Later on, High Commissioner Sesay also met with the Director for Central & West Africa Division at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Sandip Kumar Kujur in New Delhi, the Indian capital. The two men discussed ongoing bilateral relations between the two countries and plans to further improve the ties.
India and Sierra Leone continue to partner in different sectors, including healthcare, training and research and the economy. In the past, India had also provided humanitarian assistance to Sierra Leone, more recently during the COVID-19 pandemic. The two countries have also exchanged high-level visits, notably among was the visit of the Indian Vice President to Sierra Leone in 2019, where he met with His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio at State House in Freetown.
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