Dr Alie Kabba, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation, made the disclosure to a group of lawmakers from the Foreign Affairs Committee in parliament.
He said the move is in line with the government’s ‘New Direction’ agenda and that the facility will be built at no cost to the government. Kabba said the funding will come through engagement with multilateral and bilateral partners including China.
The Foreign Minister, according to a statement issued via the Ministry’s website on Tuesday detailing the outcome of the engagement with the lawmakers, was giving an overview of the activities of his
department within the eight months of the new Sierra Leone Peoples Part-led government in office.
The meeting was convened at the Ministry’s Chinese built office on Tower Hill in Freetown. “The President’s bilateral engagements during this period in Governance has been fruitful vis-a-vis the area of strengthening and deepening bilateral ties through trade and investment,” Foreign Minister Kabba said, citing State visits of the President to countries like Ghana, which he said opened doors for mutual trade and investment opportunities.
He said as a result of the meeting between Bio and his Ghanaian counterpart, Sierra Leone’s Export Promotion Agency is scheduled to host a forum to present its trade and investment blue print in Accra later this month.
Dr Kabba also mentioned the signing and ratification of bilateral agreements on trade and investments with other countries like Morocco, South Africa, and China. He singled out the recent visa waiver agreement with the Chinese government for holders of Diplomatic and Service Passport, which he said would deepen relations between the two countries.
Other reforms and development undertaken in the ministry include ongoing Management and Functional Review carried out by the Public Sector Reform Unit, with the aim of undertaking a transformative recalibration of Sierra Leone’s diplomatic landscape through a reform agenda that focuses on structural, functional and organizational capacities of the Foreign Affairs Ministry and its overseas missions.
Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, Chairman of the Committee of Foreign Affairs, who is also the Leader of the opposition National Ground Coalition party in the House, praised the Minister and team for their
efforts and achievements within the period under review.