NEWS > Commentaries Countdown To Donor Conference in England: A Case For Sierra Leone Posted by Michael Massaquoi, London, UK on Nov 13, 2009, 20:59

President Koroma... Business- Oriented- a Connoisseur With Astonishing Credentials

Unruffled by recent fears of armed robbery and concerns over national security, President Koroma is heading for the United Kingdom in less than two weeks to promote trade partnership with international corporate organisations and entrepreneurs, and to further widen donor partnership. The president is armed with a team of senior government officials and top civil servants who will make a case for Sierra Leone.

President Koroma’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation, Mrs Zainab Bangura was recently in the UK to put in place modalities ahead of the occasion. Mrs Bangura who was faced with a busy schedule had to joggle between Wilton Park Conference Centre where she made a presentation on ‘’Peace-building and Civilian Protection’’ and London to ensure all is set for the big day. The two day conference dubbed ‘’The Sierra Leone Consultative Group meeting’’ chaired by President Koroma will take place at the Queen Elizabeth 11 Conference Centre in London on the 18^th & 19th November.

The conference is the first of its kind since President Koroma led APC government came to office, and is expected to future trade and investment forum aimed at widening donor partnership, and to forge new business relationship. President Koroma on his ascendancy to office once said he would like to run Sierra Leone like a business.  Of course, a successful business survive on strategic planning otherwise known as a business plan, but it requires more than just a business plan­­­­­--vision, commitment and passion are the added ingredients that can make a difference. President Koroma is no stranger to the business world having built a portfolio in a successful insurance company; he cannot afford to miss an investment opportunity. 

Enter those picadors, the historians and the press will tell you that President Koroma is business- oriented- a connoisseur with astonishing credentials to his name in the field of entrepreneur. And when an African leader gain support from the likes of Tony Blair,( a man of phenomenal leadership quality with huge global influence) and have him endorsed a business partnership, it takes more than just luck or mere friendship, if not credibility and trust, given the widely held view  by most western leaders that African governments are deeply corrupt.

President Koroma has proved his mettle and evidence of candour that he can be trusted while dispelling the absurd myth that African leaders cannot be trusted. Tony Blair himself once said of President Koroma that ‘’he is a remarkable leader, and  he shares the President’s belief that governance and growth are most pressing challenges for Sierra Leone and indeed the African continent’’. For those reasons and because he trusts President Koroma, the former British prime minister said he was backing Sierra Leone to stage the conference as it will mark a big opportunity for investors and donors alike.

President Koroma’s credibility, vision and the world perception of him being a dynamic leader are more the reasons for his soaring popularity amongst world leaders. Gordon Brown, the British Prime Minister, Hans Allden, EU boss and Obiageli Ezekwesili, World Bank Vice President for Africa are supportive of the president’s agenda for change-a concept necessitated by the desire for good governance and economic growth which is the key to eradicating corruption.

The British prime minister, Gordon Brown and his government have full support for the president pro-business attitude towards economic and social reform. President Koroma has a palpable hunger for an investable Sierra Leone backed by a convincing ideological rationale that for Sierra Leone to be less dependent on aid donor, boosting the economy by investing in key sectors such as agriculture, transport, energy and human development remains crucial.

President Koroma’s pro-business reforming agenda is committed to sustained investment delivered in a manner that is responsive to the government ambition of creating an atmosphere for substantial international investment and economic reforms. When President Koroma takes the stage next week at the Queen Elizabeth 11 centre in London, he must tell his audience that Sierra Leone is right for business. The president will have to add more elements in his advocacy to entice more investors to invest in Sierra Leone. President Koroma must outline the success of his government beginning with the recent completion of the Bumbuna Hydro electricity, improved national security;  his zero tolerance on corruption;  peace building and political stability, tackling youth unemployment, and economic and social reforms which involves large scale investments in key sectors including agriculture, tourism, mining and natural resources.

The President must remind his audience that while his government continues to make large strides in key sectors, yet the tasks remain huge in the face of new challenges due to the economic global downturn which has had huge impact on donor funding. The President must harmer home a convincing but strong message that his government will not lose the momentum and will stay on course to implement the reforms it has set itself.

What the major donors including the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and African Development Bank, the European Commission, the Governments of the United Kingdom, China, Ireland, Germany, the United States, Japan, Italy and many others would be keen to hear from President Koroma is reassurance that the money spent on Sierra Leone is worth the cause. Britain, which remains the highest donor to Sierra Leone with 1.5 billion in aid since 2000 in addition to £800 million in debt relief, is likely to look for more than just reassurance, but more importantly, President Koroma to reiterate his government’s determination to combat the country’s three most imminent threats: corruption, illicit drug trafficking and youth unemployment.

President Koroma and his team should acknowledge that the degree of change people had in mind when they danced in the streets and honked their car horns into the small hours two years ago has not quite happened. The government cannot be faulted for that simply because Sierra Leone problem is huge with its cause firmly rooted in more than a decade war which destroyed the economic and social fabric of the country. The President should tell his audience that despite these challenges, his government remains committed to bringing change and making life better for the people of Sierra Leone.