Dr. Alie Kabba made this disclosure today during his first official meeting with senior administrative and technical management staff and other support staff in the Ministry’s Conference Hall, Tower Hill, Freetown.
The newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Alie Kabba expressed thanks and appreciation to the management and staff of the Ministry for the warm reception accorded him. Dr. Kabba extended fraternal greetings from His Excellency Julius Maada Bio to the Staff of the Foreign Ministry, noting that His Excellency has expressed deep interest in the way the officials of the Ministry articulate the Government’s foreign policy in conformity with the country’s overall New Direction. A New Direction the Foreign Minister maintained, that has captivated the interest of many people not just in country but globally. The New Direction, he said, 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 added.
The Foreign Minister stressed that ‘Foreign Affairs is everyone’s affairs’, noting that this Ministry serves as a hub and gateway through which other Government MDA’s are able to deliver on the objects of the New Direction. He therefore 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. He emphasised that staff should integrate technological innovations to their work and enhance image cultivation which are part of the national development blueprint of the New Direction. Dr. Alie Kabba underscored that time management is crucial in order to successfully execute of the Ministry’s mandate.
In his welcome address, the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr. Paul Minah on behalf of the Ministry, congratulated the Minister for his appointment and extended a warm welcome to him.
The Director General expressed delight over the new assignments of the Minister and his Deputy Madam Nimatulai Bah-Chang who was unavoidably absent. Mr. Paul Minah underscored that staff of the Ministry hoped to benefit immensely from the expertise and experience of the newly appointed Minister to enhance and project the new foreign relations outlook – Economic Diplomacy. The Director General assured the Minister of the management Staff’s utmost cooperation and support to ensure a successful tenure of office.
The vote of thanks was delivered by the Deputy Director for Policy, Dr. Michael Kargbo.
Present were: the Director General; Deputy Directors General for Operations and Policy; Directors of various Divisions and Heads of Sections and Support Staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.