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In an exclusive interview conducted by three Sierra Leonean journalists, Amadu Lamrana Bah, Amin Kef [Ranger] and Mohamed Fofanah, President Julius Maada Bio revealed the reasons he needs to travel out of the country, most of the times.
The interview took place at the US-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington DC on the 16th December, 2022.
Speaking to the three journalists who travelled to cover the summit, President Bio stated that he travels out of the country to make sure that Sierra Leone is part of the world.
Making reference to the US-Africa Leaders Summit, he spoke of how important it is to attend such event, stating that the whole of African leaders are in the US for the important engagement and as such Sierra Leone must be part of it.
He added that although sometimes people in Sierra Leone say he travels a lot, however, they must understand that it is because where there are other leaders he is supposed to be there to represent the country.
“As good as it is, you have to put up the inconveniences just to make sure that Sierra Leone is part of the world. The US-Africa Leaders Summit was meant for us at the Heads of State level to discuss pertinent issues of cooperation and partnership between Africa and the United States. So far the meetings are very productive.” He said.
Speaking on the importance of the summit to enhance growth in Africa, Bio, intimated that the United States has recognized that they were drifting apart adding that they, African countries and the US, were great partners in the past, but that faded away which he stressed is not good for their relationship and for development on both sides of the Atlantic.
“We need to reset and that is what I think we have done. We’ve had very productive discussions around that and how we can use this new relationship for the matual benefit of our countries, the United States and the rest of African countries and so I think we have a lot of reasons to be optimistic,” said President Bio.
He concluded that it was done in a very good atmosphere of frankness and that African leaders were given the opportunity to say what they think about the state of the relationship with the United States and how they can better that relationship to benefit the people.
