Dr. Alie Kabba made this disclosure recently during his first official meeting with senior administrative and technical management staff and other support staff in the ministry’s conference hall at Tower Hill in Freetown.
The newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation expressed his thanks and appreciation to the management and staff of the Ministry for the warm reception accorded him. He extended fraternal greetings from His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio to staff of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, noting that the president has expressed deep interest in the way officials of the ministry articulate government’s foreign policy in conformity with the country’s overall ‘New Direction.’
He said the ‘New Direction’ has captivated interest in many people not just in the country but globally and that the concept should be achieved through a disciplined and utmost professional approach and delivery as its main focus.
‘We are custodians of our national aspiration and we must accordingly act in a way that is consistent with the expectations of all of our people’, he said.
The Foreign Affairs Minister stressed that ‘Foreign Affairs is everyone’s affairs’, noting that the ministry serves as a hub and gateway through which other government MDA’s are able to deliver on the objectives of the ‘New Direction.’
He called on staff of the ministry to work towards the accomplishment of key deliverables in the New Direction through resource mobilization, collaboration, re-alignment of priorities and coordination.
The ‘New Direction’, he further explained, seeks to identify thematic areas to shape government policies in scaling-up of engagement with development partners, and emphasized that staff should integrate technological innovations to their work and enhance image cultivation, which is part of the national development blueprint of the ‘New Direction.’
Dr. Alie Kabba underscored that time management was crucial in order to successfully execute the ministry’s mandate.
In his welcome address, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr. Paul Minah, congratulated the Minister on his appointment and extended a warm welcome to him.
The Director General expressed his delight over the new assignment of the Minister and his Deputy, Madam Nimatulai Bah-Chang, who was unavoidably absent.
Mr. Paul Minah however underscored that staff of the ministry hope to benefit immensely from the expertise and experience of the newly appointed minister to enhance and project the new foreign relations outlook – Economic Diplomacy. He assured the new minister of the utmost cooperation and support of management and staff.
