By State House Communication Unit
The Deputy Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China Mr Zhang Ming on Friday 31 March 2017 paid a courtesy call on President Dr Ernest Bai Koroma at State House in Freetown. Mr Ming was in the country to show commitment on the consensus reached between President Xi Jinping and President Koroma during the latter’s last visit to China. That visit, which many described as the most successful, laid the platform for elevating bilateral relations in promoting a comprehensive, strategic and cooperative partnership that will foster economic and technical cooperation at both bilateral and multilateral levels.
Conveying cordial greetings from President Xi Jinping to his Sierra Leonean counterpart, Mr Ming said the construction of the Mamamah International Airport formed a key part for his visit, owing to the fact that China is deeply aware of the need to boost economic development in Sierra Leone. He also noted China’s special support and readiness to giving keen attention to the Mamamah Project. Mr Ming stated that as part of the comprehensive and strategic partnership with Sierra Leone, the visit will further enhance consultation and facilitate on financing of the project. He noted that the commencement of the Mamamah Project is now left with the Government of Sierra Leone, saying that the Mamamah Airport Project is also their project.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister also stated that China’s support on the common African position on the reform of the United Nations Security Council remains unwavering as the reform will improve global governance and give voice to developing countries. The Chinese envoy went on to state that the African common position will be a fulfilment of the long term and overall interest of Africa and as well uphold the fundamental national interest of China and the African continent.
Welcoming the Chinese envoy, President Koroma said his last visit to the People’s Republic of China was the most successful and has formed the highest level of bilateral relations that made the two nations to agree on a comprehensive and strategic partnership. While acknowledging China’s support to the government of Sierra Leone in many sectors, President Koroma informed that government is in serious discussion on the Mamamah project with the International Monetary Fund that is expected to be concluded in the next spring meetings in New York. The president registered government’s commitment to the Mamamah International Project. “I want to say government is committed to the Mamamah Project,” he stressed.
