By Abubakarr Bah, Information Attaché, Saudi Arabia
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), His Excellency Mohammed S. Barrie, has called for a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. He made this call at the Twentieth Emergency Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday, 7th March 2025.
Ambassador Barrie led Sierra Leone’s delegation to the summit, representing the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Alhaji Timothy Musa Kabba. The summit, attended by 57 member states, reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing comprehensive peace in the Middle East and adopted the Arab League’s proposal to rebuild the Gaza Strip under the future administration of the Palestinian Authority.
In his address, the top Sierra Leonean envoy conveyed warm greetings from His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman, as well as the OIC Secretariat. He described the OIC’s commitment to addressing the urgent issues of the Palestinians for a lasting peace, with the Arab-Islamic plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip, as commendable.
“The ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people is not merely a regional issue; it is a matter of human rights, dignity, and justice,” Ambassador Barrie said. He added that Sierra Leone strongly condemns the actions that have led to the suffering of countless innocent civilians in Gaza and called for a just and lasting peace to protect innocent lives caught in the conflict.
The Head of delegation emphasized Sierra Leone’s firm support for a two-state solution, based on the 1967 borders, as recognized by relevant UN Security Council resolutions. This solution, he furthered, ‘would allow both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples to coexist in peace and dignity in the Middle East.’
In conclusion, Ambassador Barrie joined other member states in welcoming the reinstatement of the Syrian Arab Republic to the OIC, which was suspended in August 2012.
In another development, H.E Mohammed Barrie paid a courtesy call on the Secretary-General of the OIC, His Excellency Hissein Brahim Taha, on Thursday, 6th March 2025. During their meeting, the two top diplomats engaged in discussions on matters of mutual interest, focusing on strengthening ties between the OIC and Africa. Secretary-General Taha took the opportunity to congratulate Ambassador Barrie on his recent appointment and assured him of the organization’s unwavering support.
Ambassador Barrie was accompanied by Alhaji Ahmed Tejan Kabba, Head of Chancery of the Embassy.
