By Amin Kef (Ranger)
The Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC) Board Chairman, Rev. Shodankeh Johnson, has formally communicated the dates and details of the mediation dialogue between the Government of Sierra Leone and the All People’s Congress Party (APC). In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the APC on October 6, 2023, Rev. Johnson laid out the plan for the upcoming peace talks.
The mediation team, composed of representatives from the Commonwealth, the African Union (AU), and the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS), is set to arrive in Freetown during the week of October 8, 2023. The team will engage in separate consultations with both the government and the APC on Friday, October 13, and Saturday, October 14, 2023, with Sunday, October 15, 2023, designated as a rest day.
The Mediation Dialogue is scheduled to take place from Monday, October 16, to Wednesday, October 18, 2023, starting at 9:00 AM daily. The venue for the discussions will be the Ballroom of the Bintumani Hotel in Aberdeen, Freetown. All participants are requested to be seated by 8:45 AM to ensure proper time management. An opening ceremony will kick off the dialogue on Monday, October 16, 2023, promptly at 9:00 AM.
Rev. Shodankeh Johnson emphasized that only those who have received invitations will be granted access to the dialogue venue. He urged the APC to confirm its availability to participate in the dialogue on the specified dates and to provide the names of delegates who will be part of their negotiation team.
For any clarification or additional information, interested parties are instructed to contact Ms. Hawa Sally Samai, the Executive Secretary of ICPNC, at 076 603159 or via email at hassamai@yahoo.com or icpncsl@gmail.com.
Rev. Shodankeh Johnson expressed gratitude for the anticipated cooperation and looked forward to an early response from the APC as preparations for the crucial mediation dialogue move forward.
