By Sheriff Mahmud Ismail
Freetown – 17th March, 2020 – As the world continues to grapple with the ravages of the ‘New’ Corona Virus (COVID -19), meaningful collaboration has become even more urgent to tackle this scourge and the other underlying challenges crippling the aspirations of our global community. Experts believe that the real problem is the dearth in what they describe as ‘principled leadership’ which only few around the world have demonstrated.
In a letter to President Koroma which this writer has seen, the Chairman of Horasis, Dr. Frank Jurgen Richter, has applauded Sierra Leone’s highly distinguished statesman, His Excellency Ernest Bai Koroma, for such inspiring leadership.
Dr. Richter writes:
“At this particularly pivotal moment, our dedication to convening a community of like-minded leaders to jointly inspire the future is stronger than ever, and we’re very grateful to count you as a part of the Horasis community. Many thanks again for endorsing the Horasis Declaration”.
It follows former President Koroma’s endorsement of the Horasis Declaration after his widely acclaimed decision, being among the first among African leaders, to suspend all his international travels amidst concerns of the spread of the COVID-19.
Below are excerpts from the Horasis Declaration:
At the dawn of a new decade, humankind faces unprecedented challenges to the wellbeing of our planet and the prosperity as well as survival of our species. Confronting the perils of climate change, economic, racial, ethnic and gender inequality, and most recently disease outbreak, urgently necessitates increased international and inter-generational collaboration and collective creativity.
Yet, the trend towards populism is sowing seeds of division and isolation within society, undermining this capacity to effectively work together to address the globe’s most pressing issues. ‘Us versus them’ ideologies further strain socio-economic, racial and government relations, all while neglecting to provide solutions.
To access the full declaration please follow the link below.
