Among a distinguished gathering of African Presidents and Heads of State convening at the Saudi-Africa Summit, on the 10th November, 2023, was President Julius Maada Bio, where he is poised to introduce his Government’s Big Five Game changers initiative to global business leaders and prospective Saudi collaborators.
During his sojourn in Riyadh, President Bio will engage in bilateral meetings of shared interest with key institutions, focusing on his Government’s 2023-2028 Big Five Game changers initiative. This holistic strategy encompasses the FEED SALONE Program, Human Capital Development, Youth Empowerment, the Revamping of the Public Service Architecture, and the pursuit of Sustained Economic Growth through Technology and Infrastructure.
Historically, Africa and the Arab world have nurtured fruitful exchanges in trade, culture, and civilization through interpersonal interactions.
The Africa-Saudi collaboration, initially rooted in the Hajj pilgrimage, has diversified significantly over the past six decades, encompassing an array of mutually advantageous domains such as sustainable development, trade, investment, education, health, sports, culture, agriculture, mining, and oil and gas.
President Bio’s inaugural visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the Head of the Republic of Sierra Leone coincides with his participation in the inaugural Saudi-Africa Summit—a historic event for the Kingdom.
Among the notable Heads of state in attendance are Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, Gabonese interim President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, Mauritian President Prithvirajsing Roopun, Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, and Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine.
Simultaneously, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Timothy Musa Kabba, sealed two pivotal agreements with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The first, a Cooperation Agreement, is designed to bolster economic ties in sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, education, defense, mining, marine resources, and energy.
The second, a Memorandum of Understanding on Political Consultation, seeks to foster collaboration between the two nations as members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and underscores Sierra Leone’s role in global peace and security as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
In the lead-up to the summit, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr. Ibrahim Jalloh, who pursued studies in the Kingdom during the 1980s, expressed his eagerness for increased collaboration between the two countries, particularly through university exchange programs.
