By: Mamajah Jalloh
The Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, has paid a courtesy visit to the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Sierra Leone, His Excellency Saud Al-Musa’ed, at the Saudi Embassy in Freetown.
The visit provided an opportunity to strengthen the longstanding relations between Sierra Leone and Saudi Arabia and explore new areas of cooperation.
During the engagement, Minister Bah expressed appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its continued friendship and support to Sierra Leone. He also commended the Embassy for its various partnerships and development initiatives in the country.
Minister Bah said the Government is interested in deepening cooperation with Saudi Arabia, particularly in information, culture, technology and investment.
He proposed greater collaboration in sharing cultural heritage stories, including Islamic and non-Islamic aspects of Saudi culture, through the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC). He said such collaboration could strengthen cultural understanding and people-to-people ties between the two countries.
The Minister also highlighted the potential for Sierra Leone to benefit from Saudi Arabia’s growing expertise in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.
He further proposed that the Ministry of Information and Civic Education and the Saudi Embassy explore the possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalize areas of cooperation and establish a framework for sustained collaboration.
Minister Bah also highlighted investment opportunities in Sierra Leone and encouraged greater engagement with Saudi investors in sectors that could contribute to the country’s economic development.
He commended Ambassador Al-Musa’ed for serving as the first resident Saudi Ambassador to Sierra Leone and acknowledged his role in strengthening diplomatic relations and promoting cooperation between the two countries.
Ambassador Al-Musa’ed welcomed Minister Bah and reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s readiness to continue working closely with Sierra Leone.
He noted the longstanding bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two countries and recognized the important role of the Ministry of Information and Civic Education in promoting national development and strengthening public engagement.
The two officials agreed to maintain regular engagement and explore new opportunities for partnership in information, culture, technology, investment and other areas of mutual interest for the benefit of the peoples of Sierra Leone and Saudi Arabia.