By MFAIC Communications Unit
The Charge d’ Affaires of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Sierra Leone, Ali Ibrahim Alheji, on Monday, 18th December, 2023 paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Mrs. Francess P. Algali.
Mr. Ali Alhaji expressed thanks and appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone for giving the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the needed support for the opening of the Saudi Embassy in Freetown which will become operational anytime soon.
He said the government has secured a suitable place for the construction of a permanent chancery of the Saudi Embassy, and they were only waiting for the final agreement between the government of Sierra Leone and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
He hailed the recent Political Consultation and General Cooperation Agreements that were recently signed by both governments in Saudi when Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Kabba visited the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, adding that both countries stand to benefit a lot from the agreements.
Alhaji said the opening of a Saudi embassy in Sierra Leone will adequately address pilgrimage concerns as they would work with relevant authorities to facilitate the process easily.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mrs. Francess P. Algali commended the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for taking the step to open an embassy in Sierra Leone, which she said demonstrated the long-standing bilateral relations between the two countries.
The Deputy Minister said the Government of Sierra Leone is also working on the cooperative framework agreements that were signed by the two countries during the Saudi Africa Summit in Riyadh on the 10th November, 2023. This she said will advance trade and investment between the two countries.
Mrs. Algali said that suitable land has been provided for the construction of a permanent Saudi Chancery while reassuring Government support to the Charge d Affaires that everything will be done to see the realization of that.
The Deputy Minister assured that Sierra Leone remains a relatively peaceful country in the sub-region.
The Saudi Embassy is expected to resume effective operation in a temporal structure, whilst final arrangements are being made for the construction of its permanent chancery.
The Republic of Sierra Leone and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have enjoyed long bilateral relations spanning 42 years.
