By Abubakarr Bah, Information Attaché, Saudi Arabia
At the Twentieth Emergency Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 7, 2025, His Excellency Mohammed S. Barrie, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), made a passionate appeal for a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. His remarks came during a critical gathering attended by representatives from 57 member states, all reaffirming their commitment to fostering peace in the region.
Leading Sierra Leone’s delegation, Ambassador Barrie represented the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Alhaji Timothy Musa Kabba. The summit focused on addressing urgent issues affecting the Palestinian people, including the adoption of a significant proposal by the Arab League aimed at rebuilding the Gaza Strip, which will be managed by the Palestinian Authority in the future.
In his address, Ambassador Barrie conveyed warm greetings from His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio to prominent leaders including the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, and Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman. He commended the OIC’s dedication to addressing the pressing needs of the Palestinian people, highlighting the Arab-Islamic initiative to rebuild Gaza as a commendable step toward achieving lasting peace.
“The ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people transcends regional boundaries; it is fundamentally a matter of human rights, dignity, and justice,” Ambassador Barrie stated emphatically. He expressed Sierra Leone’s strong condemnation of actions that have inflicted suffering on countless innocent civilians in Gaza, reiterating the need for a just and enduring peace that safeguards innocent lives caught in the crossfire.
The ambassador underscored Sierra Leone’s steadfast support for a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, as recognized by pertinent United Nations Security Council resolutions. He emphasized that such a solution would enable both Israeli and Palestinian peoples to coexist peacefully and with dignity in the Middle East.
In a spirit of unity, Ambassador Barrie welcomed the recent reinstatement of the Syrian Arab Republic to the OIC, a significant development since its suspension in August 2012. This move was seen as a step towards fostering greater collaboration among member states.
In a related engagement, Ambassador Barrie paid a courtesy visit to the Secretary-General of the OIC, His Excellency Hissein Brahim Taha, on March 6, 2025. During their meeting, both diplomats discussed matters of mutual interest, particularly the importance of strengthening ties between the OIC and the African continent. Secretary-General Taha congratulated Ambassador Barrie on his recent appointment and assured him of the OIC’s unwavering support in his diplomatic endeavors.
Accompanying Ambassador Barrie on this important mission was Alhaji Ahmed Tejan Kabba, Head of Chancery at the Sierra Leone Embassy. The summit and subsequent meetings highlighted Sierra Leone’s commitment to international cooperation and peace-building efforts in the Middle East and beyond.
