By Lansana Fofanah
Every foreign trip of His Excellency, President Dr Julius Maada Bio continues to make the headlines in newspapers.
This is because, many people think his presence in those gatherings comes with huge financial costs, thereby preferring the attendance of his foreign minister or ambassadors on international assignments.
For many critics, they see such trips as a waste of tax payers money since they continue to hit the economy hard.
Albeit such discussion, the mandate of the foreign ministry and embassies must not be misconstrued with that of the functions of the Presidency.
Sierra Leone like any country has its foreign policies and the mandate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is to make those policies visibly known to bilateral and multilateral partners to attract foreign direct investment and to maintain the bilateral and multilateral relations.
The country’s foreign missions ensure the well-being of Sierra Leoneans abroad and act as a direct link in building the diplomatic relations with other nations.
The foreign affairs Minister plays a supervisory role over the activities of those missions and diplomatic missions in the country, and in some cases enters into agreements on behalf of the government.
it is worth noting that when a government or world organization hosts an event such as the Sport for Sustainable Development in France, protocol demands the presence of Presidents and heads of States of invited nations.
President Bio being Sierra Leone’s Chief Diplomat has the mandate to honor such a vital state function abroad.
Currently, several world leaders such as Paul Kagame of Rwanda and the newly-elected president of Senegal, His Excellency Diomaye Faye, and the British Prime minister, are all in France to attend such an important global event.
They didn’t send their foreign ministers or ambassadors to grace the event, but attended because that is what protocol demands.
These are events where development agendas are set for the next decade and it is imperative on Heads of states to be present and to seek their country’s interest which is a key feature of every country’s foreign policy.
Such a high-powered event gives an opportunity for leaders to directly interact with development partners.
President Bio’s interactions with his counterparts and his global call for Sierra Leone to be considered as an investment destination, has brought so many goodies in the country.
Sierra Leone was able to secure USD$800 million pledges from international development and financial institutions at the High-level Sierra Leone Investment Roundtable on Renewable Energy and Food Security in Austria.
Such an event could be described as the Hallmark in international relations and diplomacy and that outcome could not have been achieved without the presence of His Excellency President Bio in that meeting.
Currently, there are investors from Morocco who are in the country to meet with the various ministries, departments and agencies for a possible investment in energy, infrastructure, tourism, agriculture and other viable sectors.
In a meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, they revealed that they were convinced to visit Sierra Leone after His Excellency President Bio met with the King of Morocco, Sidi Mohammed bin Hassan al-Alawi (Mohammed VI), and discussed business potentials.
This is the case for several investors whose investment appetite grew after meeting with the president.
While the world is slowly recovering from the economic crisis, Sierra Leone has not been left behind too.
The face of President Bio on the international stage, continues to impact the economy and give hope to foreign direct investors
as we are seeing a boom in trade and investment.