By Saio Marrah
Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio during a cocktail to celebrate Sierra Leone’s attainment of the UN Security Council Non-Permanent seat said it affirms his vision of rebranding the country.
President Bio said this at a ceremony held at Freetown International Conference Centre on Monday 12th June 2023.
After describing the attainment of security council membership with an overwhelming vote of 188 out of 192 countries as a course of national pride, he said it calls for celebration of Sierra Leone’s great achievement at the heart of the international system.
According to him, upon being elected president in April 2018, he pledged to the people that, “I will transform Sierra Leone’s international reputation and standing, and as you know, when I talk, I do”.
However, he said Sierra Leone’s win was a big surprise “and this was a gift by the United Nations on the eve of our elections.”
He said with deliberate follow-up policy and international cooperation strategy, the country’s elections to the UN Security Council affirm that the nation can achieve greater things when the minds are set on achieving great success.
He said the country’s presence at the Security Council signifies hope for a country that has transitioned from a decade long of civil war.
Bio, therefore, said Sierra Leone will bring a wealth of first-hand experience drawing from an experience of conflict resolution, the role of women in peacekeeping and reconciliation processes, accountability, amnesty, and human rights.
According to him, the country has clearly defined objectives that are achievable at the Security Council in a transparent international global cooperation within a multilateral root base order.
He said during the two-year tenure, the country would be able to contribute to the mission of the Security Council an African Union agenda with a focus on enhancing seven shared priorities.
Among those priorities he said, are peacekeeping, human rights, accountability, prioritizing the broader world of women and youths in the pursuit of global peace and security with a focus on sexual and gender-based violence, and promoting and protecting the rights of women.
It also includes kick terrorism and influence of peace including the impact of climate change on global development, peace, and human security.
He said reforming the Security Council that provides for meaningful and equitable representation across all regions of the world is among the seven priorities.
The Sierra Leone Ambassador to the United Nations Alhaji Fanday Turay expressed his gratitude to ECOWAS for supporting Sierra Leone to represent West Africa. He also expressed gratitude to the African Union for overwhelmingly endorsing the country to represent the African continent.
He pointed out that Nigeria had wanted to contest, but had to step down for Sierra Leone.
He commended the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for ensuring that the country has a good bilateral relationship.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (14/06/23)
