The Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, His Excellency Wang Quing, has paid a courtesy call on the new Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, at his Youyi Building office in Freetown.

The visit marks the first high level visit to the Minister and can be viewed as an expression of China’s eagerness to continue to work in very close collaboration with the government and specifically the new Ministry of Information and Civic Education.

Welcoming the Ambassador, the Minister expressed his happiness at receiving his first high level guest, stating that the two countries have mutual interests that converge around multilateralism and support for global peace and international security and stressed Government’s support for the one China Policy and cooperation with the People’s Republic of China on several key issue-areas relating to socio-economic development.

The new Minister emphasized that the courtesy call is a great opportunity to firstly: express sincere thanks and appreciation to the people’s Republic of China through the Ambassador for current and previous support to the Ministry of Information and Communications.

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“Chinese Government’s support ranges from office equipment, audio-visual and ICT tools, motorbikes, and capacity building of the staff in the ministry. The support, I am reliably informed by the former Minister, went a long way in enhancing the Ministry’s mandate,” he said.

The Minister went on to say that the Ambassador’s visit was a golden opportunity to not only comprehensively expand and deepen the bilateral friendly ties, but also aimed at enhancing the mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields in the Information and Civic Education sectors.

Mr. Chernor Bah also stated that the ministry would solicit China’s support in enhancing the human capital development, through staff training, fellowship programmes, infrastructure for e-records and archiving, information bureaus, audiovisual equipment, including Conference Simulcast equipment, mobile outside broadcast with PA systems, computers, and  transport for senior and administrative staff of the ministry; among other things.

In his remarks, The Chinese Ambassador, H.E. Wang Quing, praised President Bio for appointing the new Minister, whom he referred to as having a credible international profile and what it takes to make for comprehensive development profiling and visibility of Government’s work.

He thanked the Minister for providing the space to continue the relationship between China and Sierra Leone and promised that all what the Minister said in his short speech, will be taken into serious consideration.

He referred to the ‘5 Big Game Changers’ in the Government’s manifesto going forward, as a good framework within which China will play a positive role and ensure the impact is felt.

He also spoke about south-south cooperation and the opportunities it would create for a continued engagement on the government’s development aspirations.

It is expected that following the visit to the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, the Chinese Amabassador will also pay a similar visit to the New Minister of Comunications, Technology and Innovation.

Credit: Strategic Communications Unit, Ministry of Information and Civic Education