Egyptian Ambassador Pays Courtesy Call on Minister Kenyeh Barlay: Discusses Stronger Economic and Development Cooperation.

The Egyptian Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Her Excellency Rasha Soliman Mohi Eldin Soliman, has reaffirmed her country’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with Sierra Leone, particularly in areas aligned with the government’s Medium-Term National Development Plan (2024–2030).

During a courtesy call on Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Madam Kenyeh Barlay, discussions centered on opportunities for cooperation in fisheries, agriculture, energy, capacity building, and scholarships for Sierra Leonean students in Egypt.

Ambassador Soliman emphasized Egypt’s demand-driven approach to development partnerships, noting that Cairo remains ready to align its support with Sierra Leone’s identified national priorities. She further highlighted key Memoranda of Understanding and executive cooperation programs signed during President Julius Maada Bio’s state visit to Egypt in March 2024, stressing the importance of operationalizing them in the coming months.

Minister Barlay, in her remarks, welcomed Egypt’s commitment and provided an overview of Sierra Leone’s seven-year MTNDP, which serves as the national roadmap to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. She outlined the government’s “Big Five Game-Changers”: Feed Salone (agriculture and food security), Human Capital Development, Youth Employment (with a target of 500,000 jobs), Technology and Infrastructure Development and Public Sector Transformation

“These game-changers are the backbone of our national plan and are supported by clear performance targets to ensure accountability across ministries,” Minister Barlay stated. She further noted that while progress has been strong in sectors such as fisheries and agriculture, a financing gap of $2.5 billion remains, requiring bankable projects and stronger international partnerships.

Ambassador Soliman outlined Egypt’s areas of comparative advantage, particularly in health, agriculture, and public administration reform. She noted Egypt’s capacity as a leading producer of affordable medicines and expressed readiness to support Sierra Leone in expanding access to pharmaceuticals. On agriculture, she underscored Egypt’s extensive farming expertise across Africa, offering knowledge transfer and technical assistance to boost Sierra Leone’s productivity.

A particularly significant discussion point was Egypt’s support for establishing a Center of Excellence in Public Administration in Sierra Leone. Modeled on Egypt’s civil service training system, the center would provide continuous professional development, examinations, and performance evaluations for government staff.

Minister Barlay described Sierra Leone’s ongoing reforms in public administration, including plans to launch a Civil Service Cooperative in partnership with the Ministries of Public Administration and Trade. She also explained the role of NASSIT in managing pensions and disability benefits, while noting current efforts to extend social protection to informal workers. The Ambassador shared Egypt’s experience with a solidarity-based fund for workers outside the formal pension structure, offering a model for collaboration.

Both parties agreed to continue knowledge sharing in cooperative development and pension reforms, while also exploring joint investment opportunities in fisheries, hydropower, eco-tourism, and digital innovation.

The Ambassador concluded by inviting Sierra Leone to participate in upcoming international forums in Egypt, including the Aswan Forum, which Minister Barlay had previously attended. The Minister expressed appreciation and affirmed her willingness to participate again, noting the importance of such platforms for advancing Sierra Leone’s development diplomacy.

The Development Secretary, Ambrose James and the Director of Public Investment Management, Alpha K. Bangura were part of the meeting.

For more information,

please contact Alfred Kabia at

‪+232 79174027‬,

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