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Executive members and intending flagbearer aspirants of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) met with Commonwealth Secretary-General H.E. Shirley Botchwey today, urging continued commitment to national unity agreements.
The high-level meeting took place concurrently with interfaith prayers held at State House to commemorate Sierra Leone’s 65th Independence Anniversary. At the time of reporting, it remains unclear whether the main opposition party was officially invited to the state-sponsored ceremony.
During the meeting with the Secretary-General, APC representatives expressed their gratitude for the Commonwealth’s ongoing involvement in the country’s democratic and peacebuilding processes.
Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, who was in attendance, stated that the party utilized the occasion to thank Botchwey for the Commonwealth’s “instrumental role” as an International Moral Guarantor of the Agreement for National Unity. She also acknowledged the recent participation of the Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General in a concluding guarantor mission.
Tying the diplomatic meeting to the national holiday, Aki-Sawyerr emphasized that following through with established agreements is critical for the country’s stability.
“On this 65th Independence Day Anniversary, we noted that it is critical for national cohesion and unity to be strengthened by the timely, inclusive, and effective implementation of the Tripartite Recommendations,” Aki-Sawyerr said in a public statement following the meeting.
According to the Mayor, these vital recommendations include the establishment of a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, a move the opposition views as essential for transforming the country’s political landscape.
