By: Audrey Raymonda John
The Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Ohashi Keita, recently paid a courtesy visit to Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Iran, His Excellency Salamu Koroma.
During the meeting, Mr. Keita commended Ambassador Koroma for his positive diplomatic engagements, noting that many of his diplomatic colleagues had spoken highly of the Sierra Leonean envoy. He shared that this had motivated him to reach out and explore ways to strengthen collaboration between the Embassy and UNFPA.
Mr. Keita emphasized the longstanding partnership between Sierra Leone and UNFPA, which has spanned over five decades. Through this collaboration, the organization has provided comprehensive technical support to the Government of Sierra Leone and its partners in implementing programs that focus on sexual and reproductive health, gender equality, population management, and youth empowerment. He reaffirmed UNFPA’s commitment to continuing and enhancing these areas of cooperation.
In his response, Ambassador Koroma expressed deep appreciation for Mr. Keita’s visit and the kind sentiments shared. He acknowledged that diplomacy is an ongoing learning process and expressed his readiness to work closely with UNFPA on issues of mutual interest and concern.
The Ambassador, while acknowledging Mr. Keita’s Japanese nationality, extended gratitude to the Government of Japan for its support in capacity-building and other development initiatives through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). He also praised the vital role played by UNFPA in advancing reproductive health and addressing demographic challenges—issues that remain central to Sierra Leone’s national development agenda.
Mr. Keita expressed his delight at the strong ties between Japan and Sierra Leone, reaffirming both Japan’s and UNFPA’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with African nations, particularly Sierra Leone.
The meeting concluded on a note of mutual understanding, with both parties expressing optimism for deeper collaboration in the years ahead.