The Sierra Leone Ambassador to Germany, Dr. M’Baimba Lamin Baryoh together with a team of German investors have jet into Sierra Leone with plans of helping to promote the private sector.

The team said they were interested in investing in  “Plastic in the Environment” They told the stakeholders that,  they were interested in  recycling used plastics into useful plastic materials, thereby creating more jobs and minimizing the health hazard posed by plastic waste in our cities. Their project focuses on Green Economy, Mass Flow, Value added Chains, Technology and Recycling. The project will also develop a system to reduce the amount of plastic waste that enters the environment, particularly marine ecosystems in less developed countries like Sierra Leone. The project will be comprised with a set of concepts and preliminary designs that detail the implementation of a waste collection infrastructure, as well as vessel base treatment system and a method of commercialization of plastic waste.

Dr. M’baimba Lamin Baryoh and Dr Sankoh of FBC, being the architects and pioneers of this exemplary move had earlier built a friendly educational relationship between the University of Sierra Leone and German Universities “Institute of Marine Biology and Oceanography” with the Technology services, and “Bremen University of applied sciences “, all in Berlin, Germany. of which memorandum of understanding were signed among the institutions. This move made by Ambassador M’Baimba and Dr. Sankoh will support the unflinching effort made the President in bringing education to the doorstep of the people of Sierra Leone.

The “plastic waste recycling’ investors said they were ready to support the Government by bringing permanent plastic recycling ship to settle in Freetown. This will help in promoting the plastic industry.

The team led by the Ambassador M’Baimba Lamin Baryoh met with different stakeholders which includes Her worship the Mayor of the Freetown municipalities, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, the Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay and the Country’s Chief Minister, Professor Francis.

The stakeholders were very impressed with the outstanding move made by Ambassador M’Baimba Lamin Baryoh and encouraged him to continue the good job for the transformation of the country.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry on Thursday 9th May, 2019 received a high power delegation of Italian investors led by the Ambassador of Sierra Leone to Germany Dr. Mbaimba Baryoh.

According to the national president, Confimpresaitalia, Prof. Dr. Luigi Manganiello, he said they are on an investment scoping mission to see how they can contribute to trade and investment in the country. He added that they are a trade union organization founded by a group of Italian entrepreneurs with the task of protecting entrepreneurs in the trade union, economic-financial, technological and environmental sectors.

Prof.  Manganiello disclosed that their main focus is to develop Small and Medium Enterprises, and Small Industry in promoting Value addition, especially on Cocao, Coffee, and other Industry and have intention to establish a shoe manufacturing company using local products for domestic and export use.

Prof.  Manganiello emphasized that the SMEs are the main engine of Italian economic development, so the services provided provide the tools necessary to be competitive on the national and international market.

Responding, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Peter Bayuku Konteh, welcomed the delegation and outlined all the reasons why Sierra Leone should be their destination for business.

The engagement was very cordial and demonstrated great potentials for business.

The community Denkendorf had a special guest on Thursday, 4 April in the meeting room of the town hall: His Excellency M’Baimba Lamin Baryoh, Ambassador of the Republic of Sierra Leone in the Federal Republic of Germany. The visit was arranged by Willi Drechsler, honorary consul of the Republic of Sierra Leone. In addition to the entry in the Golden Book, the honor of the rector of the Ludwig Uhland School Claudia Zährl and Birgit Förster, who has been involved in the Schul-Förderverein for many years, was part of the program for the new Ambassador.

He was accompanied by the Deputy Ambassador, Jonathan Leigh, Head Of Chancery, David Benjen and Mrs Elizabeth Baryoh, wife of the ambassador.

Story Credit: Gemeindearizeiger Denkendorf. 11, April 2019

Reception for Ambassador Baryoh from Sierra Leone in the town hall

“The regular support of the Republic of Sierra Leone is a matter of the heart,” said Mayor Ralf Barth at his welcome. He emphasized that the community wants to continue to actively work for international understanding. Prior to the reception in the town hall, the head of the administration, together with the new ambassador of the Republic of Sierra Leone in the Federal Republic of Germany SE. M’Baimba Lamin Baryoh visits the Ludwig Uhland School. Barth handed the ambassador a gift basket with products from Denkendorf, Esslingen and the region. In addition, Baryoh was allowed to register in the Golden Book of the community. “I have not received such a reception in the five months since I am ambassador in Germany,” the physician thanked him and reported on the situation of his country, the great poverty in Sierra Leone and the great gratitude for support from all over the world, including Denkendorf. The visit was arranged by Honorary Consul of the Republic of Sierra Leone Willi Drechsler from Denkendorf. Drechsler reported on numerous activities in Baden-Württemberg for Sierra Leone. The community Denkendorf has supported Sierra Leone since 2006, among other things with several fire engines.

Around 60 guests accepted the invitation to the reception. In addition to mayor Peter Jahn aD and his wife Regina, former mayor Walter Dieterich, the ladies and gentlemen of the municipal council were also the ARGE chairman Walter Reber, the ARGE honorary chairman Fritz Drechsler, pastor Dr. med. Rolf Noormann, as well as the director of the Rolf-Deuschle-Heimatmuseums Rolf Deuschle from Denkendorf represented. The Bundestag and Landtag delegates had to apologize as well as District Administrator Heinz Eininger. Dr. Denkendorf was also a guest in Denkendorf. med. Beate Jacob from the German Institute for Medical Mission from Tübingen, the managing director of the Foundation for Development Cooperation Baden-Württemberg Klaus Weingärtner and Barbara Böttcher from the association Sierra Leone Baden-Württemberg eV and representatives of the State Fire Brigade Association,

The “Trio Emiliana” musically accompanied the Ambassador reception.

Honors for the commitment of the Ludwig Uhland School

The Ludwig-Uhland-Schule and its sponsoring association have joined the AG step by step since 2005 for the Republic of Sierra Leone. In Rotifunk three schools, a teacher’s house, a first aid station, a bakery and a fountain on a campus for about 400 girls and boys have emerged. Rector Claudia Zährl and Birgit Förster have now been honored by Ambassador Baryoh with a certificate of honor and a trophy for their extraordinary commitment. Honorary Consul Willi Drechsler highlighted the numerous fundraising activities in his laudatory speech.

Mayor Ralf Barth thanked for her exemplary volunteer work. “We’ve gone ahead, but that’s only possible if you have a team that shares the same vision,” said Claudia Zährl. Birgit Förster also emphasized: “We only managed that together. I thank you all.

Sierra Leone is being urged by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to amend text of the SMALL QUANTITIES PROTOCOL (SQP) and conclude the ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL (AP) as part of safeguards agreement with the watch dog body based in Austria Vienna.

Copies of the relevant documents were on Tuesday April 10th 2019 handed over to the Sierra Leone Deputy Ambassador to Germany Mr. Jonathan Leigh in a bilateral consultation meeting with officials of the IAEA in Vienna during the two-day IAEA SAFEGUARDS OUTREACH WORKSHOP FOR DIPLOMATS. Sierra Leone has a Permanent Member seat in the IAEA.

Ambassador Jonathan Leigh was also informed that Sierra Leone is to host a United States Of America Mission Department of Safeguards Outreach in Freetown between June 17^th to 21^st  in which the IAEA will also be involved.

The IAEA members were briefed on the involvement of their work and project in Sierra Leone both in Agriculture and Health based on feedback received a week earlier from Shaukat Abdulrazak, the Director for the Division for Africa at the IAEA Department of Technical Cooperation in a meeting and interactive session in Berlin with some African Diplomats. And the request to help train one of Sierra Leone’s medics in nuclear medicine was forwarded to the team.

During the two days events, Mr. Derek Lacey, Special Assistant to the IAEA Director-General on Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguards, Christian De Francia Legal Officer, Non-Proliferation and Policy Making, Office of Legal Affairs and Susan Pickett, Section Head Safeguards Training Section took participants through a wide range of issues including Implementation of the IAEA Safeguards (reporting obligations and verification activities, State System of Accounting for and Control of Nuclear Material: Collecting Information, and Cooperation with the IAEA respectively).

Tuesday morning started with a meeting of the Department of Technical Cooperation in which the Section Head gave an overview of the IAEA TC Programme highlighting their partnership with the WHO ( focusing on Cancer radiotherapy not control), the FAO in relation to animal decease control and nuclear technology control in Agriculture, plant breeding, resources and food safety and the UNEP focusing on ground water which invariably is the main strength of the IAEA.

The workshop was climaxed with visitations to the IAEA Laboratories in Seibersdorf for meetings with the IAEAs Office of Safeguards Analytical Services, the Nuclear Sciences and Applications Project Manager, Environmental Sample Head and the Head of the Dosimetry Laboratory.

Sierra Leone is being considered for the provision of a radiotherapy to treat cancer in the coming years but the country already has the technique to detect and control.

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF TOURISM AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS HON. MEMUNATU PRATT AT THE SIERRA LEONE PRESS CONFERENCE IN BERLIN GERMANY AT THE  INTERNATIONAL TOURISMUS BOURSE (ITB) 2019. WEDNESDAY 6TH MARCH 2019

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am honoured to address this gathering at the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show; ITB Berlin is the foremost business platform for global touristic offers bringing together operatives and investors within the travel, tourism and hospitality Sector. Let me hasten to thank the organisers, UNWTO, ITB, for jointly organising this all-important event. My appreciation is also extended to the German government and the people of Berlin for being an exceptional host bringing together participants from different countries globally.

Please permit me to also bring you warm greetings from His Excellency, President Julius Maada Bio who is very passionate about Tourism and its commitment to make Sierra Leone an enviable destination.

Tourism is among one of the critical areas that Sierra Leone’s ‘New direction’ government has identified as one of the three priority sectors and wants to use it to help diversify the country’s economy from mineral dependency. The aim is to boost the country’s economy, create job opportunities, and instill pride among Sierra Leoneans regarding the beauty and appeal of their country.

The specific policy actions covers (i) Improving the Policy and Legal Environment; (ii) Developing Historic Sites; (iii) Developing the Infrastructure;(iv) Promoting Marketing and Improving International Image; (v) Skills Development and (vi) Diversification of Tourism Products.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, permit me to give you a brief background about Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone is located on the West Coast of Africa with an area of 73 326 sq metre and a population of 7.396 million with a GDP of USD$ 3.77 billion in 2017.  Agriculture is the main economic activity (subsistence) with export earnings provided by diamonds, rutile bauxite and iron ore. The Tourism Sector is promising and a potential contributor to the socio-economic development of the country.  Sierra Leone is a unique and fascinating destination blessed with a landscape of extraordinary beauty, rich and diverse tropical wildlife, miles of pristine, unspoilt white and golden beaches with an interesting history and heritage, the climate is ideal for winter, sun seekers.

These attributes have attracted the attention of major Tour Operators, Travel Writers and the country has been classified as one  of the 10 top tourist destination in 2009, by Lonely Planet Magazine and as described in the 2009 Bradt Guide.

The country’s tourism asset portfolio comprises (31) protected areas with unique wildlife including the Pygmy hypos, Chimpanzee, jungle elephant, rare species of birds, 18 National Cultural Heritage Sites one of which  is the Bunce Island which is linked to the country’s rich past Slave Trade and home for returning Slaves.   Opportunities for big game fishing and bird watching attract the high spending eco-tourism clientele.

The country’s proximity to Europe of only (6) flying hours, (8) hours from the United States and (3) hours within the sub-regions, places the destination in an advantageous position of no jet lag for tourists and business clientele.

Tourism launch is three-fold – to change the negative perception of the country to the outside world, to attract more tourists and business travelers and to raise awareness of the value of wildlife tourism for the country’s economy. Additionally, it highlights the positive story to tell about the country’s heritage and offerings.

It is about time for more people to know about Sierra Leone, because we believe they will be pleasantly surprised. Therefore, we look to your assistance.

Our country has come a long way in recent times. In addition, from a tourism perspective, we know it needed to. We have grabbed your newspaper headlines far too often, and for all the wrong reasons, in the past.

We do not disguise it; our country has been blighted by first a civil war and then the threat of Ebola. However, as a nation, we are delighted to say that we have moved forward. The entire country is stronger, safer and healthier than it has ever been.

We are now ready to throw open our doors and welcome travelers from across the globe to visit our amazing country, which has many wonderful surprises in store for the more adventurous traveler.

I will highlight just a handful of the top reasons why you should visit Sierra Leone, some of these reasons are:

1. World’s most pristine beaches
2. Beautiful and breathtaking landscapes
3. A top destination for travelers seeking new, exotic experiences
4. Close proximity to Europe
5. Hospitable and friendly people

It is also important to emphasize that our tourism infrastructure is still in its infancy, despite plans are on the way to develop the tourism infrastructure. I am pleased to inform you that the Government under the New Direction will construct a bridge that will connect the airport to the rest of the country, develop and upgrade five ecotourism sites; the quantity of accommodation options is expanding, whilst the quality of hotels and lodges continues to improve.

We have identified numerous high-quality tourism attractions to be found only in Sierra Leone, meaning that there is huge appeal for those who seek vibrant culture, unique wildlife or just relaxing on a beautiful beach.

Unlike some countries in the Africa, Sierra Leone is not a finished, highly polished tourism destination. In addition, we know that for many travelers this simply adds to its charm and appeal. Sierra Leone does have a wealth of worthy attractions and visitors can enjoy a sense of pioneering, as they will be able to claim they are amongst the first to arrive.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Currently in Sierra Leone, the economic environment is conducive, infrastructural support such as better road networks, improved energy, stability and improved fiscal and physical incentives are indications of better days ahead. Investment opportunities are eminent. Other important reforms in the pipeline include:

• the provision of is a on arrival for selected target markets
• the review of the different cost elements of flight tickets geared towards reducing or eliminating excessive costs,
• the implement measures aimed at easing the process of doing business in Sierra Leone
• provision of light infrastructural development for tourist attraction sites
• preservation of cultural and historical sites including Bunce Island a 17th century slave fort considered as one of the most authentic in the sub-region
• the protection of the ecosystem and biodiversity through collaborating and empowering local communities to protect their resources
• Harnessing the creativity of our youths by investing in fashion filmmaking, art and crafts, music pageantry, sports etc.
• Expanding the tourism offer from the predominantly hospitality –based to include culture, ecosystem and biodiversity

Sierra Leone is peaceful – country and people – according to the Annual Global Peace index

Whether you are a travel journalist, tour operator or investor, I encourage you to listen to the ideas of my team and myself and we look forward to hosting you in Sierra Leone in the very near future.

COME TO SIERRA LEONE – AND YOU WILL DISCOVER THE SIERRAOUSLY SURPRISING