By Salamatu Conteh
The Minister of Information and Civic Education, Honourable Chernor Bah, has paid a courtesy visit to the Ambassador of the Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Sierra Leone, His Excellency Saud Al-Musa’ed, at the Embassy in Freetown.
The visit provided an opportunity to strengthen the warm and longstanding relations between Sierra Leone and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, while exploring new areas of cooperation.
Speaking during the engagement, Minister Bah expressed appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its continued friendship and support to Sierra Leone. He commended the Embassy for the various partnerships and development initiatives it has supported in the country over the years.
Minister Bah expressed the Government’s interest in further deepening cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the areas of information, culture, technology and investment.
He proposed greater collaboration in sharing cultural heritage stories, including both Islamic and non-Islamic aspects of Saudi culture, through the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC). He noted that such collaboration would help strengthen cultural understanding and people-to-people ties between the two nations.
The Minister also highlighted the potential for Sierra Leone to benefit from Saudi Arabia’s growing expertise in Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies, noting the Kingdom’s significant advancements in the sector.
He further proposed that the Ministry of Information and Civic Education and the Saudi Embassy explore the possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise areas of cooperation and create a framework for sustained collaboration.
Minister Bah also highlighted investment opportunities in Sierra Leone and encouraged greater engagement with Saudi investors in areas that could contribute to the country’s economic development.
The Minister commended Ambassador Al-Musa’ed for serving as the first resident Saudi Ambassador to Sierra Leone and acknowledged his role in strengthening diplomatic relations and promoting greater cooperation between the two countries.
For his part, Ambassador Saud Al-Musa’ed welcomed Minister Bah and reaffirmed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s readiness to continue working closely with Sierra Leone. He noted the longstanding bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two countries and recognised the important role of the Ministry of Information and Civic Education in promoting national development and strengthening public engagement.
The two officials agreed to maintain regular engagement and explore new opportunities for partnership in information, culture, technology, investment and other areas of mutual interest, for the benefit of the peoples of Sierra Leone and Saudi Arabia.
