BY: MOHAMED SAHR
Outgoing Counsellor and Diplomat to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Counsellor Mohamed Sulaiman Sankoh has bade farewell to the Embassy in honour of his dedicated and diplomatic work during his tenure on Monday 26th August 2024 in Riyadh as he heads back to the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for further duties.
Counsellor Mohamed Sulaiman Sankoh assumed his diplomatic duties in the Kingdom in March 2018 as First Secretary. Sankoh was rewarded for his hard work and dedication to the Sierra Leone Mission in the Kingdom as he was among the officials recently promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Counsellor.
Counsellor Mohamed Sankoh thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their shared commitment and cooperation with Sierra Leone Embassy in Riyadh.
He commended the Head of Mission, the Deputy Chief of Mission, the Head of Chancery, and the entire management and staff of the Mission for the teamwork spirit he enjoyed at the Embassy.
Sankoh urged the staff of the Mission to continue the spirit of teamwork and dedication to duty, adding that “hard work, honesty and commitment are the key mantra to success.”
He said apart from the vast knowledge he gained during his service; it was also gratifying for him as a Muslim to serve in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where he was able to perform the Hajj pilgrimage several times. He said when he resumed duties at headquarters, he would advocate for the Embassy to ensure that some of the pressing issues or challenges affecting the mission were addressed.
Head of Mission of the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Dr. Ibrahim Jalloh appreciated his work and wished him good luck as he moves to higher level at headquarters.
Ambassador Jalloh described the workplace as “a place where people from various backgrounds meet to serve for a period of time and separate,” adding, “it is very sad to see that Mr Sankoh is leaving, but the moments shared and memories we made will always be remembered and cherished.”
He said Sankoh would be remembered for his honesty, professionalism and hard work.
Ambassador Jalloh said it was a pleasure working with Sankoh for the past five years, describing him as a disciplined officer that was always dedicated to duty.
The outgoing Deputy Ambassador of the Embassy, Ambassador Mohamed Hassan Koroma, expressed similar views for him.
Alhaji Ahmed Tejan Kabba, Head of Chancery (HOC) said the Embassy thought it necessary to organise a farewell ceremony to celebrate Sankoh and appreciate his remarkable work at the Mission, and to wish him the best of luck upon his return to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Freetown.
“Mr. Sankoh is a mentor and inspiration to many at the Embassy over the years. He is a talented and honest person who is always productive and can be trusted to get the job done,” Mr. Kabba said.
Alhaji Ibrahim Koi-Dowui, Representative of Local Staff said it was great working with Mr. Sankoh and wished him the best in his future endeavors. “Mr. Mohamed S. Sankoh joined us in 2018 and since then, he has shown the qualities of a true diplomat: he is reliable, committed, disciplined and patriotic.” Mr. Koi-Dowui added that Mr. Sankoh’s generosity and selflessness were beyond measure.
“As words cannot be enough to express how much we will miss Mr. Sankoh, I assure him of our appreciation for his selfless services to this Mission, the entire Sierra Leonean community in the Kingdom and all those who came across him particularly during the periods of Hajj. On behalf of the Liaison Unit, I wish Mr. Sankoh all the best in life and more achievements in his career,” Mr. Koi-Dowui concluded.
