Ambassador Anderson Promotes Economic Cooperation with Prominent Turkish Investors

The Republic of Sierra Leone’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Turkey, Dr Francess Virginia Anderson, PhD, led a week-long working visit to Istanbul, stepping up the embassy’s economic diplomacy efforts by meeting with prominent business leaders and private-sector investors. Converting diplomatic relations into tangible trade and investment outcomes that complement Sierra Leone’s national development priorities was the main goal of the delegation’s meetings in Turkey’s commercial hub.

Ambassador Anderson centred the visit on a contemporary interpretation of diplomacy that goes far beyond political discourse. Her mission to promote trade, attract foreign direct investment (FDI), and facilitate business-to-business (B2B) partnerships was emphasised when she told partners during the visit that today’s ambassadors are economic envoys as much as they are political representatives. Moving Sierra Leone’s international engagement away from reliance on aid and toward mutually beneficial, long-lasting commercial relationships is the main goal, she said.
The engagements in Istanbul increased the momentum established earlier in the year. The first Trade and Investment Seminar was held in Istanbul on May 30, 2025, by the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Turkey. Government representatives, leaders of the private sector, investors, and business associations from both countries attended the event. In order to strengthen bilateral trade ties and make Sierra Leone a desirable location for Turkish and foreign investors, the seminar was a component of a larger plan.
Ambassador Anderson and embassy personnel determined a list of priority sectors during the week-long working visit that are in line with Sierra Leone’s development agenda and offer tangible prospects for Turkish companies. Among these were manufacturing and light industry, tourism and hospitality, fisheries and the blue economy, agriculture and agro-processing, education, infrastructure and construction, and renewable energy, with a focus on solar power. In order to promote market entry and long-term cooperation, possible project models, partnership structures, and incentives were discussed with potential investors.
The embassy confirmed that important Turkish stakeholders have been invited to take part in an upcoming Trade and Investment Mission to Sierra Leone after the meetings in Istanbul. Through that mission, Turkish investors, Sierra Leonean officials, and local business leaders will be able to directly engage in order to assess investment opportunities locally and pursue concrete commitments.
The visit was characterised by Ambassador Anderson as a significant step in strengthening Sierra Leone’s economic diplomacy strategy. Through strengthening relationships with Turkey’s vibrant private sector and pursuing partnerships focused on results, the embassy hopes to spur private sector-led growth and provide Sierra Leone with sustainable development outcomes.