Welcome to Sierra Leone

Ernest_Bai_Koroma_February_2015His Excellency Ernest Bai Koroma
The President of Sierra Leone

Greetings and a warm welcome to the Commonwealth page of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

Our beautiful country, Sierra Leone, lies on the West Coast of Africa between the Republics of Guinea and Liberia. We joined the Commonwealth in 1961 as the 21st member state and have since enjoyed very fruitful and fraternal relations with other member states of this thriving Commonwealth of Nations.

A little over six years ago, one of the most unfortunate events in the history of our country, the 11-year rebel war, came to a dramatic end through the help and cooperation of a number of sister nations of the Commonwealth. We are very grateful for this as a nation.

Today is a new day of hope for Sierra Leone. As you explore our section of the Commonwealth page, I am happy to report a number of positive developments that are gradually restoring our image, which had been badly damage by the impact of our brutal rebel war

Sierra Leone successfully held her second presidential and parliamentary elections in August and September 2007 following the end of the rebel war in 2002. The elections where acclaimed the world over as free, fair and largely devoid of the violence that has come to characterize elections elsewhere. The elections also saw the election of my Government into power from the opposition benches in parliament. This is quite a remarkable feat in itself given the electoral record of opposition parties in Africa. It is a clear indication of the consolidation of democracy in our country.

Following my election into office, my Government has undertaken a broad program of national reconstruction under the theme “An Agenda for Change.” The program is aimed at rebuilding infrastructure and institutions to undertake our specific goals of national development as a postwar country.

We have instituted a system of results-based management in all Government ministries, departments and agencies and set ourselves quarterly benchmarks to mark progress. In the short term, we are implementing macro economic policies aimed at revitalizing the investment climate such as the removal of administrative barriers to doing business and investing in Sierra Leone and legislation for the effective execution of contracts.

I offer you my personal assurances that our economy is stable and open, again for business to all investors. Our abundant natural resources in the gold, diamond, fishing and tourism industries, to name a few, promise healthy returns on all investments. Our cities offer numerous tourist attractions, first class hotels and restaurants that provide “homes away from homes.” We have a coastline of over 270 miles of the most pristine beaches you will find anywhere in the world.

A United Nations expert who has traveled throughout Africa recently declared our capital city, Freetown, as the “safest city in Africa.”

Sierra Leone was once known as the “Athens of West Africa” for achievements in education. We are using our educational facilities to invest in our young people in order to equip them with the necessary tools to contribute to the tasks of national and global development.

As you browse through this Sierra Leone portal of the Commonwealth Website, I encourage you to pay a visit to our beautiful country and see for yourself the enchanting land that is our country. I am very sure that at the end of your visit, you will want to make Sierra Leone a second home and I welcome you to.

Thank you for visiting us in this virtual world. “Ekushe” as we say in local Krio. We look forward to seeing you soon.

source: http://www.commonwealthofnations.org/country/africa/sierra_leone/