His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio recently received a courtesy call at State House in Freetown from Dr. Ali Bin Sammikh Marri, the State of Qatar’s Minister of Labour. This visit, which aimed to reaffirm Qatar’s commitment to bolstering bilateral cooperation with Sierra Leone, particularly in the areas of labour and employment, was a significant step in the development of the two nations’ international relations.
Minister Marri’s official visit was meant to explore possible collaboration between the labour sectors of the two countries, according to Mr. Mohamed Rahman Swaray, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Labour and Employment, who welcomed the Qatari delegation to President Bio. The importance of this interaction was emphasised by Minister Swaray, who also emphasised the potential for mutually beneficial strategic partnerships.
“Your Excellency, I am pleased to introduce my counterpart, the Minister of Labour from Qatar, who is here to engage with us on strategic collaboration and deepen the ties between our two ministries,” Minister Swaray said, setting a positive tone for the ensuing talks.
In his remarks, Dr. Marri expressed gratitude to President Bio for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to him and his delegation. He discussed his ties to Sierra Leone and his early academic exposure to the country over 30 years ago. He remarked nostalgically how good it felt to return to the place where he had studied.
“It’s a pleasure to be in Sierra Leone,” Dr. Marri said. More than thirty years ago, I was given a writing assignment about Sierra Leone when I was a student. I’m thrilled to be here in person today as Qatar’s Minister of Labour to talk about cooperation, particularly in labour market policies. With Your Excellency as ECOWAS Chairman, we see a unique opportunity to support your leadership in regional labour development and cooperation.
Minister Marri also took the opportunity to convey a congrats message from Qatar’s Emir, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. He emphasised the importance of this leadership position and congratulated President Bio on his recent election as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
“I am sending you the fraternal greetings of your brother, the Emir of Qatar, who has congratulated you on your recent appointment. In closing, Minister Marri emphasised Qatar’s dedication to deepening its relationship with Sierra Leone. “We appreciate your hospitality and look forward to strengthening our bilateral ties,” she said.
President Bio responded by extending a hearty welcome to the Qatari Labour Minister and thanking him for the visit and the Emir of Qatar’s message. He pointed out the significance of Dr. Marri’s visit, President Bio responded by welcoming the Qatari Labour Minister with open arms and expressing gratitude for the visit and the Emir of Qatar’s message.
“I sincerely appreciate your visit. President Bio greeted you on behalf of the people and government of Sierra Leone. He praised the growing partnership between Sierra Leone and Qatar and expressed his desire to expand cooperation, particularly in areas where Sierra Leone is making major investments and progress, such as agriculture, education, and the digital economy.
As Chairman, President Bio also welcomed the opportunity to explore broader labour cooperation across the ECOWAS region. To promote regional development and common African interests, he underlined the significance of utilising international partnerships.
In closing, President Bio expressed his commitment to enhancing global cooperation and collaboration for the region’s benefit by saying, “It is an exciting moment to lead ECOWAS, and I see it as an opportunity to further engage the international community on shared priorities for West Africa.”The two leaders’ meeting is a crucial step in strengthening the relationship between Qatar and Sierra Leone and opens the door for future partnerships that could be very advantageous for both countries.
