It was on Saturday the 8th of August, 2015 when another mile stone was attained as the China-Sierra Leone Cooperation continually expanding in deepening the relationship on the basis of mutual understanding and respect for principles, culture and traditions of each other’s major concerns and core interests which have been manifested in the recent visit of the Foreign Minister of PR China- wang Yi who paid a courtesy call on His Excellency, President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma at State House in Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone. In addition to that, PR China’s great support, relentless effort and commitment being the first International response player in fighting to mitigate and eradicate the ongoing ebola plague that enters the fabrics of Sierra Leone and the two (2) other sister Countries-Liberia and Guinea over a year ago causing a socio-economic break down and systemic risk in the overall system of the Country.

Photo showing the welcoming of the foreign Minister of China-Wang Yi by the President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma and the Foreign Minister, Dr. Samura Kamara

The visit of the Foreign Minister was purposely a tri-national tour of the three (3) Ebola affected Countries-Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea to thoroughly evaluate and examine the ebola situation and hold discussions in ensuring a complete and final eradication of the ebola plague to be able to identify PR China’s position and role to be played in the post-ebola recovery Plan of revamping the socio-economic activities and broken Health systems in the aforesaid countries. The President of Sierra Leone and the foreign Minister held lively, friendly and healthy discussions about post-ebola recovery plans and the also the alarming issue of Africa’s common position on the United Nation’s Security Council with further discussion on the issues dealing with security threat in the African Continent such as the Boko Haram menace in Nigeria and the conflict in Mali etc, that has made the Africa Continent to face with major difficulties and challenges towards sustainable peace, security and socio-economic growth and development in the west Africa Region in particular.

The Minister in his final address expressed by assuring the President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma of China’s continuous effort to support Sierra leone and commended him for his resilient and effective leadership in fighting the ebola plague with strategic national ebola response plan and the outlined post-ebola plans in regaining socio-economic livelihood with focus on five(5) main indicators. Namely;

Ø Establishing a West Africa Center for disease control and Prevention which will be base in Sierra Leone

Ø Increase on the capacity of Chinese Medical service personnel to Sierra Leone in order to scale up for better, efficient and quality health service operation within the country.

Ø Industralisation and Mining cooperation to be strengthen and preference on the processing of mineral products for value addition to create more job, grow the economy and prepared market for global competitiveness

Ø Agriculture and Fishing strengthen to encourage Chinese fishing Companies to invest in Sierra Leone

Ø Strengthening Infrastructural development which is a significant hub for socio-economic growth and development, for instance the “Mamamah” Airport and promoting human resource capacity building by kick starting the construction of the youth Village

A fraction of Sierra Leone Government Ministers

Throwing light on how it all began with the fact that the establishment of this Formal diplomatic married between the two (2) countries started over four(4) decades ago on the 29th July, 1971, when a communiqué was signed “as they agree to develop diplomatic relations, friendship and cooperation between the two countries on the basis of the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equity and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.” Since the signing of this communiqué, both countries have continued to strengthen and enjoy excellent bilateral relations. The One-China policy has always continued to be the cornerstone of Sierra Leone’s foreign policy towards China. This was clearly demonstrated when Sierra Leone in 1971, together with other African countries, stood firmly behind China in her bid to win back her permanent membership seat in the UN Security Council from its secessionist province of Taiwan; at a time when there were no signs that China will today rise to her current status in global affairs.

Sierra Leone Government Officials

There are many faces to China’s presence in Sierra Leone and its present role there. Chinese investments, ‘gifts’ and trading activities have gone some way to reshaping the stereotype of Beijing as solely an exploiter of Africa’s minerals resources. On the contrary, in impoverished Sierra Leone the Red Dragon not only has re-emerged as a serious bilateral trade partner, but also continues to invest in several urgently needed areas of development. By exploring the Sino–Sierra Leonean relationship in the current acute developmental phase of a conflict-shattered country, this policy brief comes to the main conclusion that China’s activities are unquestionably of extreme importance and may promote overall economic growth in Sierra Leone. China’s substantial support and assistance to Sierra Leone has been in the form of tangible goods and infrastructural development project such as bridges, roads, stadium public buildings and currently China aided infrastructure projects such as Charlotte, Bankasoka and Makali hydro power station and the completed Regent to Kossoh road project as well as the Bo stadium and Siaka Steven Stadium and also capacity enhancement allocating a yearly CSC scholarship quota for sierra Leonean scholars and civil servants to pursue further studies in various discipline ranging from undergraduate to Doctorate level are all pointers of China’s presence in Sierra Leone.

It's worthy to also note that the volume of trade between the two (2) Countries reached $3.6 billion at the end of 2014, making the Asian country the single biggest trading partner with the Sierra Leone and the economic and trade co-operation has achieved gratifying results, trade volume has surged from less than $100 million in 2000 to $3.6 billion in 2014.

Sierra Leone’s exports to China have also increased significantly, rising to over 80 %, against the backdrop of decrease in total international trade.
The country’s exports to China hit $1.1 billion, a historical high. This year marks Sino-Sierra Leone 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, and the trade between the two have steadily increase especially the last five years when Sierra Leone started producing Iron Ore .All the indicators of China-Sierra Leone cooperation are ranking high in China- Africa cooperation. The achievements of both country’s co-operation have not grown overnight; it is jointly cultivated and nurtured through mutual political trust.
Sierra Leone is facing serious economic crisis in its history due to the ebola virus, registering a high challenge in its budget and rising public debt. The precarious economic situation, amplified by erratic power supply, forced the government to turn to the international community for financial assistance.
Despite the country’s wobbling economy, Chinese enterprises say they still have confidence in the economy, while China has also urged its companies to invest more in the country.
In recent years, Sierra Leone’s economy encountered some difficulties, while most of the foreign investors are pessimistic about the economy and decrease investment due to the ebola, Chinese enterprises still have confidence in Sierra Leone’s market,” the Chinese embassy said.
According to Xinhua news on Thursday July 09, 2015 says . “The Chinese government encourages Chinese companies to invest in fields such as energy, aviation, manufacturing and agriculture.”China’s non-financial direct investment in Sierra Leone is over $80 million in 2014, despite the ebola. China is willing to keep close policy dialogue, improve co-operation mechanisms, exchange governance experiences and properly solve the existing problems through consultation and co-operation with Sierra Leone.”

CONCLUSIVELY,

DESPITE THE EBOLA PLAGUE THAT HAS DEVASTATED THE ECONOMY, SIERRA LEONE AS A PEOPLE IS RESILIENT AND READY FOR POST-EBOLA RECOVERY OPERATION AS PLANS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE AND ALSO AS A NATION WITH THE THIRST FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC EXPANSION & GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS ARE THEREFORE CALLING ON ALL AND SUNDRY TO COME AND BUILD AND DEVELOP BOTH THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR IN FOSTERING BUSINESS TIES, BILATERAL TRADE AND FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT FOR A WIN-WIN SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND DIPLOMATIC COOPERATION. ALBEIT THE MENACE, THERE IS STILL ROOM FOR FRIENDLY BUSINESS ACTIVITIES, CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENTAL PLATFORM FOR A RELIABLE, SOUND, SAFE, QUALITY, EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE COOPERATION AND HOME FOR INVESTORS AND TRADE PARTNERS WITH HIGH CERTAINTY OF PROBABILITY OF POSITIVE RETURNS ON INVESTMENT & TRADE.

LONG LIVE THE CHINA-SIERRA LEONE RELATIONSHIP!!! LONG LIVE THE PEOPLE OF SIERRA LEONE!!! LONG LIVE THE PEOPLE OF PR CHINA!!!