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OIC and UK DFID organize a special session on development in Sierra Leone

Author: Essa Thaim Kurugba - USA

International Development (DFID) organized a Special Session for the OIC Member States and financial institutions to support a development plan submitted by the government of Sierra Leone entitled “Agenda for Development”.

The Session was chaired by the OIC Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Ambassador Atta El-Manan Bakhit who read the statement of the OIC Secretary General.

He extended his thanks to the UK government for playing a major role in ending the war in Sierra Leone and for being a main partner for providing budget support and institutions building assistance to the country. He called on OIC donor Member States and institutions to mobilize their resources to support Sierra Leone in which the OIC has opened an Office in 2004. He also urged them to channel part of their emergency and poverty reduction assistance through the OIC Poverty Alleviation Programme implemented in Sierra Leone by the OIC Office which.

The Session was officiated by the former UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair who expressed his support for development and investment in Sierra Leone. He called on the OIC Member States, financial institutions and donors to render support for implementing projects in various sectors including education, energy, infrastructure, fisheries and agriculture.

For his part, the Minister of State for International Development, Gareth Thomas, who represented the UK government, emphasized the need for strengthening OIC engagement in Sierra Leone, a country which represents a role model for interfaith tolerance.

‏The Minister of Finance and Economic Development of Sierra Leone presented an overview of the OIC development assistance in Sierra Leone and expressed his government’s readiness for close cooperation with the OIC Member States and financial institutions willing to invest in his country.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sierra Leone, Zainab Bangura, for her part, stated that her country urges OIC to organize a donor conference for Sierra Leone in 2010 to mobilize an amount of at least USD700 million to finance development projects and called upon the OIC Member States to pledge adequate funds for her government’s plan.

‏The delegates of the financial institutions who participated in the Session expressed their unlimited support for the development of Sierra Leone which is of priority to them and reaffirmed their commitment to support the development plan submitted by Sierra Leone to enhance peace and development in the country. They also agreed to work collectively and to form a consortium for Sierra Leone. The consortium, which will hold its first meeting in January 2010, will study the details related to financing of the projects that will be submitted by the government of Sierra Leone.

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OIC and UK DFID organize a special session on development in Sierra Leone

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