Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs discusses investment opportunities with Qatar Investment Authority

24th February 2022
Sheraton Hotel, Doha

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Professor David Francis, today met with the Qatar Investment Authority’s Chief Investment Officer for Africa, Faisal Thani Al-Thani and discussed key development programmes intended to be implemented by the Government of Sierra Leone under the leadership of His Excellency Dr Julius Maada Bio.

During the engagement, the Hon. Minister noted that the Republic of Sierra Leone and the State of Qatar have signed a number of bilateral agreements, including agreements on Double Taxation, Air Service, Labour Migration, Trade and Investment, to deepen ties between the two friendly countries.

He also revealed Sierra Leone’s huge mineral potentials and assured the Authority of a peaceful and credible business environment for trade and investment, adding that the government is keen on having credible investors from the State of Qatar to invest in Sierra Leone.

Prof. Francis further disclosed the country’s ambitious development blueprint espoused in the Medium-Term National Development Plan (2019-2023), bordering on the construction of major roads and railway linking the 16 districts to commute goods and people, construction of the Lungi bridge project to open Lungi as the economic and administrative capital, investment in renewable energy as well as electricity transmission and distribution.

Concluding the meeting, they identified quick return investments in the hospitality sector with a key focus on the construction of a conference centre and hotel to service the new Freetown International Airport terminal in Lungi, investment in the agribusiness processing plant to stimulate value-chain production with the view to creating more employment opportunities for youths, generating revenues and reducing urban migration, and the construction of seaport to serve as a hub for the shipment of mineral deposits and other goods and services within the subregion.

Earlier today, Prof. Francis held a fruitful deliberation with the Director-General of the Qatar Fund for Development, Khalifa bin Jassem Al-Kuwari, and discussed the provision of funds to Qatar Charity for the implementation of the school feeding program, provision of solar-powered boreholes, implementation of the $20 million Pujehun project aimed at constructing schools, providing training for teachers and midwives, and provision of school learning materials. The Director-General of Qatar Fund stated that Sierra Leone was one of the three countries prioritized for the implementation of the economic empowerment project which would focus on improving the livelihood of families to alleviate poverty. A feasibility study to be carried out in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Foundation for the implementation of the said project is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2022.

Cyril Barnes,
Information Attaché,
Sierra Leone Embassy, the State of Kuwait
Email: information.attache@kw.slembassy.gov.sl