By Amara Thoronka & Sulaiman Jalloh
President Bio & VP Jalloh welcoming the Senegalese President to Sierra Leone
Senegalese President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye is in Sierra Leone on a working visit to strength the existing strong bilateral relationship between both nations. He arrived in the country on Thursday, June 13th, 2024, and was received at the Freetown International Airport by the Vice President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Juldeh Jalloh and a host of senior government officials with a ceremonious guard of honour parade by the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces. He was later received at State House by his Sierra Leonean counterpart, President Julius Maada Bio.
It could be recalled that Vice President Juldeh Jalloh, on the instruction of President Bio, was among the first African leaders to visit President Faye after his election as President of Senegal in March this year. President Bio also attended the inauguration of the youngest-ever Senegalese President.
President of Sierra Leone, Brigadier (Rtd) Julius Maada Bio will host his Senegalese counterpart in an engagement that is expected to consolidate bilateral ties in various sectors and also foster regional cooperation.
In a close-door meeting, both Foreign Ministries of Sierra Leone and Senegal signed a joint communique aimed at boosting trade, economic development, human capital development, regional cooperation and security, among others.
Speaking shortly to journalists, Sierra Leone’s presidential press secretary, Yusuf Keketoma Sandi, said the joint communique has to do with lots of things ranging from peace, security, among other things, saying the security in the region is a bit challenging and that Sierra Leone will use the opportunity at the UN Security Council, through the cooperation of Senegal, to promote peace in the subregion, adding the visit is to further strengthen the friendship between the two sister countries.
“Sierra Leone will use its platform at the UN Security Council to see how we can promote peace building, ensuring that our region is more secured,” the press secretary stated, noting while President Bio was welcoming the Senegalese President, he acknowledged that he is young and that he can do better, especially by bringing young people into governance
He said the Senegal’s President Commended President Maada Bio for all he has done for the people of Sierra Leone, pointing out that the visit will go a long way. “We believe that this visit will further strengthen the relationship between the two countries,” he stressed.
President Faye is currently the youngest president in the subregion, bringing a wave of optimism and youthful energy to the political landscape. His leadership is seen as a beacon of hope for younger generations across Africa, representing progressive governance and a forward-thinking approach.
Sierra Leone and Senegal have enjoyed long standing bilateral relations built on mutual respect which have translated into trade, investments beneficial to the two countries.
On April 2nd 2024, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio attended the swearing in ceremony of the Senegalese President and as a way of strengthening that relationship, he sent a good will message through his Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh on Friday 19th April, 2024.
On Wednesday 29th September 2021 in Dakar, the two Foreign Ministers of Sierra Leone and Senegal signed a Joint Economic Cooperation Entity Agreement. The agreements were to make way for the creation of the Joint Economic Council which shall establish a Senegalese-Sierra Leonean Joint Council at a Ministerial level for promoting and facilitating trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. It shall focus on mineral and petroleum, energy, manufacturing, agriculture; livestock development and food security, Fisheries, Trade, Banking, science and technology and tourism.
Copyright –Published in print in Expo Times Newspaper on Friday, June 14th , 2024 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)