“The project is to lay a 721.5-kilometer fiber-optic network covering 15 major cities in the northern, eastern and southern regions of Sierra Leone, with a project value of 30 million US dollars. At present, China is waiting for the Sierra Leone side to confirm the project and prepare relevant information at the request of the Export-Import Bank of China, after which the Chinese side will continue to promote the follow-up work of the project together with the Sierra Leone side in accordance with due procedures,” the acting Ambassador said, adding that another project that his country has accepted to fund under the Chinese Military Aid Gratis is to help develop the barracks.

He said: “With a view to further developing the friendly relations between the armed forces of China and Sierra Leone, the Chinese Ministry of Defense decided to provide 50 million Yuan ($7.5m) military aid gratis to the RSLAF. The gratis will be utilized for the refurbishment of military officer’s quarters, mess and so on. At present, the project is being actively pushed forward by the two sides.” 

Counselor Xinmin further said that the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Alie Kabba pushed for a Foreign Service Academy to provide better training services for career diplomats. He went on to say that the Sierra Leone government proposed to construct a Foreign Service Academy by using Chinese Government Aid Fund and that as a partner who always acts swiftly to the requests of Sierra Leone, China’s government is actively studying the project and “it is positive that we will do it for Sierra Leone,” the acting Ambassador said.