May 17, 2021
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Prof. David J. Francis on the 11th May, 2021 held an interactive session with members of the Consular Community in Sierra Leone at the Ministry’s main Conference Hall, Tower Hill, Freetown to present the new political leadership of the Ministry as well as the country’s new shift in Foreign Policy approach from Economic Diplomacy to Development Diplomacy.
In his presentation of the new Foreign Policy shift ideology, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Pro. David J. Francis shared with the Consular Community the activities he had embarked on since he took the mantle of political leadership at the Ministry.
This he said, for the past couple of days he has been engaging members of the Diplomatic Corps and the media on the new country’s foreign policy shift.
He maintained that, his mission would not be completed without engaging members of the Consular Corps given the pivotal role that they play in achieving the national interest objective of this country and, by definition the missions and countries they represent.
Speaking on the essence of the interactive session, Prof. David J. Francis reiterated that it was to appreciate what the shift is all about and what the Ministry and the Consular Corps can do cooperatively and collaboratively to garner a win-win outcome that would promote the new shift for the attainment of Sierra Leone’s national interest in the concept of the priorities and objectives set out to be achieved including the interest each Consul represent.
Minister Francis added that he had brought to the Foreign Ministry three objectives: firstly, a clear understanding of President Bio’s vision of the foreign policy approach; secondly, adherence to procedures, directives and principles of international cooperation and lastly to strategically align the President’s vision with that of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation which include monitoring and supervising of the functions of the Ministry.
He added that the shift to Development Diplomacy is motivated by an increasingly diminishing global appetite for development assistance and foreign aid. A trend he said that had been necessitated by donor promotion of the concept of ‘Trading out of Poverty’; the global COVID-19 pandemic and the international economic and financial crisis and, the attendant devastating impact on foreign aid to least developed and low income countries.
The Minister emphasized that the Diplomacy posture aims at to achieving Sierra Leone’s Development priorities and aspirations outlined in the Mid-term National Development Plan; the Human Capital Development flagship programme and the SLPP People’s Manifesto Commitment and that at the core of the new Development Diplomacy, is also the primary focus on Trade & Investment in all of Sierra Leone’s bilateral and multilateral foreign relations and diplomatic exchanges.
This, he said would increase Foreign Direct Investments, improve exports and support the President’s Human Capital Development flagship programme; the Mid-term National Development Plan and the SLPP Manifesto commitments.
The session was climaxed by discussions from members of the Consular Community on the way forward in promoting the new shift.
In attendance were the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Madam Mamadi Gobeh Kamara, the Director General and Ambassador-at-Large, Mrs Florence Nyawa Bangalie, the Director of Americas and South Pacific, Mrs Isha Sillah, the Director of Africa, Mr. Unisa Sahid Kamara, Deputy Directors and senior staff of the Ministry.