Under the West Africa Electoral Peer Support Initiative, the Chief Electoral Commissioner and Chair, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh on the 24th May, 2023 led a delegation of Electoral Commissioners and staff of the ECSL to the Republic of Guinea, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of the Republic of Guinea, for the use of Guinean ballot boxes in the 24 June 2023 elections in Sierra Leone.
The signing ceremony was jointly coordinated by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization which is responsible for elections administration in Guinea and the Sierra Leonean Embassy in Guinea.
The MoU signing ceremony which was chaired by the Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, Mory Conde was witnessed by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Guineans Abroad, Agriculture & Breeding and the Minister of Post and Telecommunications, Dr. Mory-Sanda Kouyate, Muhamadu Nagnalein Barry and Ousmane Gawal Diallo respectively.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mory Conde, on behalf of the Guinean Government pledged his country’s commitment to foster bilateral relationships with another sister country and to help in time of need. According to the Minister, “..Guinea as a pioneer of Pan Africanism is happy to promote Africa and Pan African exchange of ideas and materials in the area of Government…”.
On his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mory Sanda Kouyate stated that according to the MoU, eleven thousand (11,000) empty ballot boxes will be released to the ECSL to be used as Guinea’s assistance in the conduct of the forthcoming elections in Sierra Leone.
In response, Chairman of ECSL, Mohamed K Konneh, extended warm greetings from the Government and People of Sierra Leone noting the historical and family relationships that exist between the two sister countries.
Chairman Konneh further registered his Commission’s gratitude and appreciation to the Guinean Authorities as the ECSL conducts elections in a month.
Chairman Konneh also stated that Guinea’s “generosity has made us work harder to achieve the task of conducting credible elections in Sierra Leone..” and also ” this support will make a significant impact towards our success…”
Before signing the MoU, which climaxed the event, the ECSL boss promised to take good care of the electoral materials and to return them in good order.
