NEWS Foreign Minister Zainab Bangura Reacts To Xenophobia in Sierra Leone Posted by This Day (Nigeria) on Jun 26, 2008, 13:04

Recent media reports about the surge of xenophobia in Sierra Leone may have been misinterpreted and exaggerated.In a strong denial at a forum in Abuja yesterday, the country's Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Hon. Zainab Hawa Bangura, stated that deliberate attacks on non-citizens in Sierra Leone was unthinkable.

Acknowledging the roles played by ECOWAS and the rest of the world in the restoration of normalcy to the once traumatised West African country, the minister said that her government had put in place policies that would encourage the much needed foreign investment. So, intimidating non-Sierra Leoneans, in her view, was senseless.

According to her, the misunderstanding of the situation arose from the implementation of the immigration reforms aimed at sanitising Sierra Leone's internal affairs and generating revenue - just like what obtains in other nations.
Her words: "What happened is an attempt by us to regularise the stay of thousands of non-Sierra Leoneans that entered Sierra Leone during the war and the period that preceded it... Not only will that help us to maintain a proper database of non-Sierra Leoneans, but it is an area of revenue generation (derived from residential permit) that has been ignored over the years... "Sierra Leone owes its existence now as a country to the general support of the neighbouring countries, ECOWAS and the generality of the international community. So, there's no way we as a nation in whatever manner can attempt to use xenophobia.

“Sierra Leoneans have always been receptive to other Africans. That's why all of us were shocked when we heard about this thing... We're doing all we can to encourage inflow of investment. The rumour about xenophobia is, therefore, a distraction. But we'll remain focused."