Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio is gearing up for the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit in Beijing this September.

The summit presents a key opportunity for Sierra Leone to strengthen its relationship with China and secure vital investments for the country’s development.

China’s Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Wang Qing, recently highlighted the potential benefits of FOCAC for African nations, including Sierra Leone. He pointed to President Bio’s successful state visit to China earlier this year, where he met with top Chinese officials and explored potential areas of collaboration.

President Bio’s visit included meetings with Chinese companies like China Kingho Group and China Railway Group, as well as visits to research institutions. Notably, he received an honorary doctorate from China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) and established a cooperation agreement with Kono University of Science and Technology in Sierra Leone.

The FOCAC summit, announced by China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi in March, will see African leaders gather with their Chinese counterparts to discuss economic cooperation and exchange governance expertise. Mr. Wang emphasized the summit’s role in fostering “traditional friendship, deepening solidarity and cooperation, and opening up new space to accelerate common development” between China and Africa.

He further noted that China views Africa as a partner in its own development, stating, “African nations are waking up and realizing that externally imposed models have not brought stability and prosperity. China will continue to stand firmly with them and support a truly independent Africa.”

President Bio, meanwhile, has assured Chinese investors of a welcoming environment in Sierra Leone. He cited successful examples of Chinese companies already operating in the country, such as the Leone Rock Company.

While China remains Africa’s largest trading partner, recent years have seen a decline in infrastructure investments financed by loans due to concerns about debt levels in some African nations. The upcoming FOCAC summit will likely see discussions on more sustainable models for China-Africa cooperation.

Sierra Leone hopes to leverage this summit to solidify its ties with China and attract crucial investments that will benefit the nation’s long-term development goals.