By Sallieu S. Kanu
Sierra Leone’s President Dr Julius Maada Bio on Tuesday, January 9, 2023, received a Moroccan business delegation at State House in Freetown.
The visit of the business delegation after President Bio invited a cross-section of private investor players during his state visit to the Kingdom of Morocco.
Headed by the Ambassador of His Majesty Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, in the Republic of Guinea and Sierra Leone, His Excellency Isam Taib, the delegates were drawn from Energy, the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Rabat-Sole-Kenitra Region, Electricity and Potable Water, OCP Africa.
Also among the investors are representatives from the Palace El Miria in Marrakech, Energy Transfo Company, Macobate Company, Sogui Marcom Central Purchasing Center, Ines Electro Sound Industries Company, SDM Morocco Cosmetic Company, GI Energy, and the Consulting Cabinet for International Trade and Investment, ZAFRIXCS.
Minister of Trade and Industry, Alpha Ibrahim Sesay, presented the team and revealed that the visit was a follow-up to the meetings President Bio had held with the private sector in Marrakech. He said their coming demonstrated the President’s commitment to making Sierra Leone a credible destination for foreign direct investment. He also stressed that, with the South-South cooperation, Sierra Leone could benefit a lot from Morocco.
On behalf of the delegation, Mrs. Zahra Maafiri from ZAFRIXCS, thanked President Bio for extending an open invitation to them to explore the available business opportunities in the resource-rich West African nation, pointing out that the two countries had enjoyed long-standing mutual bilateral relations.
She assured that more companies were now eager to come and participate on a bigger scale in the country, adding that as public-private companies they had sought to help the Government of Sierra Leone implement its five big game changer agenda.
Ambassador Taib, while conveying warm greetings from His Majesty the King of Morocco to His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, also extended his best wishes of happiness and prosperity to the government and people of Sierra Leone.
He noted that under President Bio this relationship between the two countries had grown ever stronger, reaching new levels as highlighted by the adaptation of the comprehensive roadmap from the cooperation, the opening of the Sierra Leone Embassy in Rabat and the steps taken by Morocco to open an Embassy in Freetown.
He said their visit would be remembered as a defining moment, ushering in a new chapter in the relationship of the two countries, adding that the delegation was multi-dimensional.
In his response, President Julius Maada Bio registered his profound gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI on behalf of his government and the people of Sierra Leone, welcomed and thanked the visiting delegation for honouring his invitation within a short time.
He assured that the country was ready for business and encouraged the team to explore the many opportunities that existed and establish businesses for the mutual benefit of the two countries. He also reminded them that his second term in office had taken agriculture as a flagship programme, adding that they were interested not only in fertiliser but also in working closely with the Kingdom of Morocco to attain food security.