Welcoming The Princess Royal to State House, President Koroma vividly reflected on the strong bilateral and multilateral relations between Sierra Leone and the UK, describing the UK as Sierra Leone’s largest bilateral partner. He said relations between Sierra Leone and the UK go beyond Independence, citing UK government’s support towards the fight against the deadly Ebola epidemic, ongoing support to the President’s Recovery Priorities and recent funding to the biometric voter registration exercise. President Koroma also acknowledged the UK’s role towards institutional reforms in Sierra Leone.

The two sides discussed various areas of mutual collaboration and partnership, underlining the success achieved in the fight against Ebola. The President said that although the Ebola outbreak came as a shock, the collaboration with development partners, including UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), helped the country to acquire the required skills to defeat the virus and prepare for future outbreaks. In all of this, President Koroma pointed out, his nationwide social mobilization drive for community ownership of the fight against Ebola turned out to be the game changer in stopping the chain of transmission of the disease.  

Princess Anne arrived in Freetown on Wednesday 5 April and was warmly received by the Minister of State North Mr Alie D. Kamara, traditional leaders, the Minister of State II Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Madam Isata Kabia, and the British High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Mr Guy Warrington.

During her stay in the country, Princess Anne is expected to meet with several cabinet ministers and other state dignitaries. A reception will be hosted in the Ballroom at State House by His Excellency the President in honour of The Princess Royal. She departs the shores of Freetown on Friday 7 April, 2017.