Sierra Leone’s Foreign and International Cooperation Minister has told over 50 of her counterparts the positive strides made by his President, H.E. Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma to improve the country since 2007.
Honourable Haja Zainab Bangura who is currently leading a high -powered Sierra Leone delegation to the Thirty-Seventh session of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in Dushanbe, capital of the Republic of Tajikistan told over 50 Foreign Ministers and other dignitaries across the world Wednesday, May 19, 2010 that since he assumed power in September 2007, the Government of His Excellency President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma "has steadfastly continued to make positive strides in the socio economic, infrastructural and cultural development programs under his “Agenda for Change” programme."
She further told her audience that: "The main thrust for this agenda are Agriculture and Food Security, Energy, Infrastructure, and the provision of Social Services of Health Care delivery and Basic Education."
She said her government and people were grateful to member states of the OIC and its affiliated subsidiary organs for their contribution to the socio- economic development of Sierra Leone.
"We are particularly grateful to the OIC Secretary General in assisting to raise funds for Sierra Leone under the erstwhile OIC Trust Fund for Sierra Leone," the Foreign Minister said on behalf of her government and people.
She recalled the OIC’s participation in last year’s Investment Forum and Donor’s Conference for Sierra Leone held in London: "It is also gratifying to note, the participation of the Secretary General and staff of the OIC at the recent Investment Forum and Donor’s Conference for Sierra Leone held in London in November 2009."
"This, Mr. Chairman, is an indication of the OIC’s solidarity and sustained support and interest in the recovery of our country."
Below is the full statement delivered by the Honourable Minister this morning.
STATEMENT BY THE LEADER OF THE SIERRA LEONE DELEGATION MRS. ZAINAB HAWA BANGURA, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE TO
THE 37TH SESSION OF THE COUNCIL OF FOREIGN MINISTER MEETING – DUSHANBE, REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN –
18 – 20 MAY 2010
BISMILLAHI ARAHMANI ARAHIM
Mr. Chairman
Mr. Secretary General
Your Excellencies
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen
ASSALAMU ALAIKUM WARAMATULLAHI WABARAKATU
Permit me Mr. Chairman to convey to you warm and fraternal greetings from His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone to his counterpart, His Excellency Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of Tajikistan for hosting the 37th CFM meeting in Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan, and for his inspiring key note address which adequately addressed the salient issues facing our organization. The contribution of the Republic of Tajikistan to the tenets of the organization continues to be a source of inspiration and comfort to us all.
Mr Chairman, may I seize this opportunity on my own personal behalf as well as on behalf of my delegation, firstly to join previous speakers to congratulate you Mr. Chairman for your unanimous election as Chair of this August gathering, and there after thank you for hosting the 37th Session of our Organization, and for the warm hospitality accorded us since our arrival in this magnificent and green city of Dushanbe. Thank you my dear brother and colleague for creating a very conducive environment for the deliberation of issues of critical concern to us as members of the Muslim Ummah.
Finally my sincere thanks and appreciation to His Excellency Ekmeledin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the OIC and his able staff for their efforts in making the OIC a viable and vibrant organization we have all become proud of. In addition I wish to thank the Secretary General for the comprehensive report given yesterday by him on the general overview of the activities of this organization for the past year and the challenges facing the Muslim Ummah. We are confident that under his dynamic leadership and our collective support these challenges can be surmounted.
It is gratifying to note Mr. Chairman that the 37th Session of Foreign Ministers is being held on the provision of the newly adopted charter. This achievement therefore should prepare us to adequately address the challenges that lie ahead.
Mr. Chairman, your Excellencies the establishment of an International Commission for Humanitarian Affairs Department (ICHAD) within the OIC General Secretariat is a laudable achievement. As has already been mentioned we not only have the largest concentration of displaced persons and refugees in the world, but we are also hosting the largest number of the said affected populations. This Commission can therefore serve as a crisis response mechanism.
Mr. Chairman your Excellencies, unfortunately for all of us, terrorism is always associated with Islam. This mis-information un-doubtedly puts severe moral strains on the Islamic Umah. As a matter of fact, these acts of terrorism are carried out by a very insignificant group of individuals acting in the guise of Islam. As a Muslim organization, we must relentlessly continue to rectify this misconception through informed public debates, lectures, Islamic literature and religious intercourse. Similarly, the OIC should continue to support and cooperate with the wider international community notably the UN and other regional organizations to prevail on factions in conflict regions in order to restore peace, security and stability in those regions. The dividend of peace is price that no body can quantify. We in Sierra Leone as well as the chosen Theme for this years conference’ ‘ Shared vision of a more secured and prosperous Islamic World’ are a testimony of this.
Mr. Chairman, in this regard therefore, the government and people of Sierra Leone are grateful to member states of the OIC and its affiliated subsidiary organs for their contribution to the socio economic development of our country, after our almost 12 years extreme brutal conflict. We are particularly grateful to the OIC Secretary General in assisting to raise funds for Sierra Leone under the erstwhile OIC Trust Fund for Sierra Leone. It is also gratifying to note the participation of the Secretary General and staff of the OIC at the recent Investment Forum and Donor’s Conference for Sierra Leone held in London in November 2009. This Mr. Chairman is an indication of the OIC’s solidarity and sustained support and interest in the recovery of our country.
During the 26th Session of the COMSEC held last week in Antalya, Turkey, my delegation submitted a food security project for Sierra Leone for consideration. Food Security for Sierra Leone Mr. Chairman is at the moment one of my Government’s top most priorities as an agent for socio economic growth and development. Since assuming power in September 2007, the Government of His Excellency President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma has steadfastly continued to make positive strides in the socio economic, infrastructural and cultural development programs under his “Agenda for Change”, which has formed the basis of our Second Generation of Poverty Reduction Strategy for the economic transformation of our country. The main thrust for this agenda are Agriculture and Food Security, Energy, Infrastructure, and the provision of Social Services of Health Care delivery and Basic Education. These are in line with the 10 years Programme of Action of the OIC as promulgated in the Makkah Summit in 2005. The Government and people of Sierra Leone therefore wish to solicit the cooperation of member states both collectively and individually for the achievement of these objectives.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman my delegation wishes to express the hope that all the decisions taken at this meeting will lead to the benefit and prosperity of member states in the Islamic Ummah.
I thank you.
Photo: Zainab Bangura. File photo.
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