29.5 C
Sierra Leone
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Orientation for New Diplomats Ends

HomeAYV NewsOrientation for New Diplomats Ends

Orientation for New Diplomats Ends

Date:

Related stories

Parliament ratifies Defence Agreements

The Parliament of Sierra Leone has debated and ratified...

Bishop Tamba Charles puzzled by low turnout for Holy Week activities

Archbishop Edward Tamba Charles of the Catholic Archdiocese of Freetown...

Pujehun District Entertainment Association Awards: Hon. Zombo: ‘Most Influential, Developmental Persons

The Pujehun District Entertainment Association, (PuDEA) has awarded Hon....

EVP hosts successful 2nd Championship Debate Competition in Sierra Leone

In celebration of its 14th anniversary, the ECOWAS Volunteer...

APC Party speaks on arrest of Dj Boxx in Guinea

The All People's Congress (APC) Party has issued a...

In his keynote address, President Bio thanked the host for conceptualizing the orientation for diplomats that outlined key elements of the broader vision of the government’s foreign policy trajectory in line with the New Direction manifesto.

He said the foreign ministry had faced many challenges over the years and observed that many institutions, charged with the responsibility of servicing the country’s international relations and the promotion of her national interest, were barely capable making any significant marks on the international scene and enhancing Sierra Leone’s image on the world stage.

“By the time I assumed office, it was very difficult for our country to attract the much needed foreign direct investments. The lack of clear foreign policy direction and the low calibre of some of the people appointed in the past as diplomats to pursue our country’s interest abroad, constituted a precarious challenge to increasing the gains from the country’s diplomatic and foreign relations,” he said.

He noted that the induction session marked both a defining moment in the country’s history and also a major turning point for his government’s foreign policy trajectory, adding that, the ceremony again signified a new and vibrant foreign policy approach for the country. He called on the new diplomats to have a clear focus on promoting favorable development and trade relations consistent with the evolving global trends for the country’s long-term national economic development.

“Together, we have chosen to lead this nation onto a new path. This new path must be progressive, result-oriented and disciplined. We must put our country first and extol our potentials as a force for good in the international system. It cannot be business as usual. The people of Sierra Leone deserve better. We have to be the gold standard and to consistently deliver what we promised,” he averred.

Whilst acknowledging the immunities attached to diplomats in their host countries as guaranteed by the Vienna Conventions on diplomatic relations of 1961 and the consular relations of 1963, President Bio pleaded with the new diplomats not to misuse or abuse those diplomatic privileges. He said they should rather effectively use those privileges to facilitate productive bilateral relations between Sierra Leone and the accredited countries.

Latest stories

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once