Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Turkey Ambassador Mohamed Kaisamba has engaged a cross section of Sierra Leoneans in Istanbul in a bid to strengthen the relationship between the Embassy and the Sierra Leonean Community.

He noted that the main objective for the establishment of the Embassy is to serve Sierra Leoneans residing in Turkey while encouraging all Sierra Leoneans in Turkey to register with the Embassy in order to keep an updated data of its citizens residing in that part of country. Ambassador Kaisamba stressed the need to have identification cards which will qualify someone to benefit from opportunities provided by the Embassy.

The Head of Chancery Mohamed Khan updated the Community that the Emergency Travelling Certificate is a travel document issued only by immigration, and not by the Sierra Leone Embassies abroad.

The President of the Sierra Leonean Community, Mohamed Sheka Sesay expressed appreciations and commended the Ambassadorial Team for prioritizing Sierra Leoneans which shows that the embassy has value and concern for the Sierra Leoneans residing in Turkey.

Cataloguing the challenges faced as immigrants, Mr Mohamed Sesay disclosed that the status and situation are serious in Turkey, acknowledging that most Sierra Leoneans are illegal immigrants, and pleaded with the Ambassadorial Team to find possible solutions to their predicament. The President suggested that the Embassy should ask the Turkish Government for a blanket clemency in order to change their immigration status.

The Chairman for the meeting, Saifu Noah informed the Ambassadorial Team that the Community is going through hurdles in accessing medical facilities and in renewing their passports.

The Community requested for the help of the Embassy in addressing the illegal challenges, as well as render support to less privilege and venerable members of the Sierra Leonean Community.