His Excellency B.C. Pradhan, the Indian High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, paid a courtesy visit last week to Nabeela Farida Tunis, Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, to strengthen bilateral ties and explore new avenues for collaboration in the creative and tourism sectors. The discussions, which took place at the Ministry’s offices on King Harman Road in Freetown, focused on strengthening tourism, culture, and people-to-people ties between the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Government of India.
Both delegations described the discussions as constructive, with a focus on practical ways to increase capacity in Sierra Leone’s tourism sector and promote cultural exchange. Capacity building emerged as a key theme, with participants looking into opportunities for training programs, skill development, staff exchanges, and knowledge-sharing initiatives tailored to the needs of ministry officials and industry stakeholders. The discussions centred on how targeted cooperation could enhance institutional capabilities and enhance service delivery throughout the tourism and hospitality value chain.
Minister Tunis used the meeting to highlight Sierra Leone’s expanding tourism potential, emphasising the country’s abundant natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and increasing stability as key selling points. She cordially invited Indian investors and tour operators to consider opportunities in Sierra Leone’s expanding tourism and hospitality sectors. She emphasised Sierra Leone’s potential as an eco-cultural destination in West Africa, pointing out that the country is well-positioned to welcome visitors seeking authentic experiences in nature, history, and local culture.
The Minister also mentioned India’s large and dynamic outbound travel market, which sees more than 50 million Indians travel abroad each year, as an opportunity for Sierra Leone to attract new visitors. She encouraged collaborative initiatives to raise Sierra Leone’s profile in India, such as cultural festivals, film and media partnerships, culinary exchanges, and community-led tourism linkages that aim to provide mutually beneficial experiences and strengthen people-to-people ties.
High Commissioner Pradhan praised the Ministry’s strategic vision under Minister Tunis and reiterated India’s willingness to collaborate with Sierra Leone to promote sustainable tourism development and cultural exchange. He reaffirmed India’s commitment to supporting initiatives that provide tangible benefits to communities and industry actors in both countries, as well as to exploring practical steps to translate today’s discussions into concrete programs and partnerships.
The meeting ended on a positive note, with both parties agreeing to continue communicating and identifying specific projects and timelines for collaboration. The visit is expected to pave the way for increased collaboration in tourism promotion, cultural diplomacy, and capacity-building initiatives that will strengthen the friendship between India and Sierra Leone.
