By Information Department, Sierra Leone Embassy Beijing, China, contehidrissa1@gmail.com
Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, His Excellency Ernest M. Ndomahina, has called for a collaboration and partnership with Chinese company to construct the second sea port, which will further open Sierra Leone to many business opportunities.
The scheme of Exchange activities of Ambassadors to China is working towards building open economic system at a higher level, with the activity theme ‘strengthen cooperation of international economic, and promote Changsha to build a new open highland’
Stating the importance of the forum, H.E Ndomahina stated that it can bring collaboration and cooperation for businesses and companies. He therefore called for a collaboration from construction companies to partner with Sierra Leone in building a second sea port in Bonthe, Southern Sierra Leone.
Ambassador Ndomahina expressed his appreciation and gratitude to all stakeholders of the gathering for such a laudable initiative in an effort to boost trade. He stated that even at the midst of Covid-19 pandemic, trade between Hunan and Africa increased in 2020.
“According to data from China customs, the overall trade volume amounted to $4.47 billion in 2020, an 18.3 – percent year-on-year increase, with Hunan’s exports totaling $2.7 billion, up 7.4 percent, and its imports reaching $1.77 billion, up to 40.3 percent,” he said.
Ambassador Ndomahina applauded the construction of this pilot free trade zone, and that it will certainly add momentum to the vibrant trade links, especially with the ultra-modern equipment.
He further mentioned that it will enable enterprises within the zone to broaden their scope of business activities in Africa. “Sierra Leone for example has huge deposits of iron ore and other important minerals. Its Government is offering various business incentives for the exploitation of these minerals,” he added.
He pleaded for these companies to develop and sustain talents in Africa by offering tailor-made technical training courses to persons in Africa, adding that with such policies and channels China will be exporting its experties to the people of Africa.
China Association for the Promotion of National Trade took Ambassador Ndomahina and other Ambassadors on a conducted tour, among places visited was the Central South University.
In 1973 four doctors and three nurses were sent to Sierra Leone as the first medical aid in just 2 years after the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Sierra Leone and were sent from the affiliated hospital of Central South University (Xiangya Hospital). The doctors sent to Sierra Leone during the 2014 Ebola outbreak also came from the same hospital.
In 2018 the Chinese Government gave the Central South University the mandate to be providing medical teams for the running of the Chinese Friendship hospital located at Jui.
During President Bio’s visit to China in 2018 he made and extended visit to Changsha city, Hunan Province and paid a special visit to the Central South University to thank them for all the Chinese Government medical and personnel assistance channel through the university’s affiliated medical hospital (Central south university Xianga Hospital).
In 2020 in the outbreak of Covid -19, the medical team that was sent to Sierra Leone came from the affiliated hospital of the Central University.
Ambassador Ndomahina expressed his gratitude to the Central South University for the training of talents from foreign countries as there are seven Sierra Leone students currently studying in the University.
He concluded by extending invitation to the authorities of the University to witness the celebration of the 50th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
