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Permanent representative have the resources to make it a has gone on now for 20 years. this is something that people
to the United Nations. How full reality. We are trying very So, there are absolutely no responded to immediately
is it to be on the other side? hard, but we must remember blood diamonds, and there based upon our recent
It makes the transition less that this an aspiration overall. have not been any for 20 experience with Ebola.
dramatic for me. I have worked So, the global health years. We still have problems I think this is the primary
for the United Nations, so I institutions are vitally with smuggling, but that is reason why we have the
understand how the United important to me. Of course, minimal in comparison to situation largely under
Nations works. I knew people the WTO, certainly the ATT, previously. The diamond control, and then of course
in Geneva before I came, and the Human Rights Council business is fairly organized. the efforts by the government
but it is different when you are also very important, The diamonds are officially to make sure that this message
represent your government. and that’s my background. certified and shipped out. gets out constantly.
Your sense of responsibility I worked on transnational The diamonds of Sierra Leone
is greater, and you feel a justice in Liberia, when I are very precious because they Q: What are the priorities
lot more empowered. It is was head of the International are of extremely high quality – in the foreign policy of your
a satisfaction that comes “The primary concern was to fully Centre for Transnational much more than those of any “We offer quite a lot. We have country?
from representing your own entrench press freedom. That was very Justice, which had an office other country. The value per a youthful population, strong When the current president
country, your own people. It’s in Liberia. Throughout my carat is very high. We started came to power he emphasized
a lot of responsibility because important. Now we have succeeded, we career, I have been engaged to produce diamonds in the and healthy. We have a good economic diplomacy. We
you are aware that you are very profoundly with human 1930s when the country was need to attract good foreign
here as a spokesperson for have a new government.” rights issues. So, human under British rule. environment, rule of law, investment. Our problems
the government representing rights are very important... In are many, and we have to
over 7 million people. You always have to express the views of my previous life, I was an activist where human rights were There is a novel by the investments are protected. We have deal with all of them at the
your government. There is nothing about personal ambition, concerned. British author Ian Flemming peace and stability, lots of land, same time. This is the reason
whereas in the United Nations this is a primary motivation. Diamonds are forever that is set why we want to educate our
Here the ambition is to be a good representative for your Q: So what were you fighting for in Sierra Leone? in Sierra Leone. In those days, minerals” people – so that we can have
country, working in the country’s interest and be somebody The primary concern was to fully entrench press freedom. there was a lot of smuggling, an educated work force, so
that can be looked upon as a good face of Sierra Leone. It That was very important. Now we have succeeded, we have a and the British brought in the former head of their secret that foreign investors coming in can get good educated labor,
is extremely important, and it a very prestigious mandate new government. Under a law dating back to 1965, journalists services to come and control the smuggling. That’s how Ian a healthy population, good infrastructure.
that you have, and I’m extremely grateful to His Excellency could be jailed if they were writing something that did not Flemming wrote his book. Read it and you will recognize This is our primary goal: economic development. We would
President Julius Maada Bio for appointing me to this exalted please the government. It was removed from the books only part of Sierra Leone in it. like long-term partners who make partnerships with our
position. last week. A lot of our colleagues went to jail because of that country, with our people.
law. Q: Your country has gone through many challenges,
Q: A lot of diplomats say that they are very busy when they It was also issues related to women, gender, child raising, and politically and also with the Ebola crisis. How is the situation Q: What do you offer?
are stationed in Geneva. And you? inheritance – all these kinds of issues are rapidly improving today? We offer quite a lot. We have a youthful population, strong
It is a very busy station. Geneva is the busiest diplomatic now. When I was growing up, these issues were really very The situation now is stable. A new president was elected in and healthy. We have a good environment, rule of law,
station that we have. For example, I’m here as Ambassador prominent as disabling factors, particularly for women. April 2018, and he replaced another president. He won by the investments are protected. We have peace and stability, lots
to the government of Switzerland, Ambassador to the There have been enormous improvements in all these areas ballot box, and it was a peaceful handover. There have been of land, minerals…
World Trade Organisation (WTO) as well as permanent since the war ended. Still, there are gaps, such as in the a good level of economic growth and social stability but all
representative to the United Nations and all the international representation of women in the government. We have not this has been challenged by the Covid19 virus. But the virus Q: Finally, Mr Ambassador, you have been posted in Geneva
organizations, and we are talking about really major ones. achieved even the minimal aspirational 30 % representation situation is largely under control now. The number of cases for almost two years. From your previous experiences, what
Apart from the United Nations per se, you have the WHO, of women in parliament, in government. There is a group of has not really gone up. There is a problem with community are the pros and cons here?
the WTO, the Human Rights Council, UNAIDS, the Global women called Fifty-Fifty who are fighting for that, and I hope transmission, but the death rate has been very low, lower than The pros first. It’s very rewarding working for your country.
Fund. All these are massively important for a country like we will succeed in doing that. average, and partly because contact tracing, restrictions and Geneva is one of the international centres of the world, and
mine, and you have to make sure that you represent your testing have been fairly efficient. You know that we have a to be able to speak in these international fora is a great honor
country in these organizations effectively, which is obviously Q: Most people do not know much about your country, and big youth population who are more likely to survive but also and extremely gratifying. It is the most satisfactory thing in
not easy. They are all very important. when you hear about Sierra Leone, the film Blood Diamonds because of the active steps by the government to make sure my life to do this on behalf of my country.
comes to your mind. How is it to live with that cliché? that people are quickly isolated.
Q: Do you have a special organization that is particularly It is a terrible thing. We are trying to show a different face We had closed the airport, but now it’s reopened, so, there are Any cons? We are a small mission, we cannot do what
close to your heart? to the world. The war ended officially in 2002. We have flights coming in and out. So, I guess like any other nation, we bigger missions do and equally cover all these important
Everyone of them are important, but as we speak the conducted several presidential elections, had changes of cannot shut down the system because of the Covid19 virus. organizations. We are trying rectify to that.
closest one to my heart I’ll have to say is the World Health government. There is peace, and the country is stable. There
Organisation. are fewer incidents of violent crime in Sierra Leone than in Q: Do you think that having had had the Ebola outbreak
almost any Western society. It is a very peaceful place. We to some extent “helped you” in this currently Covid19
Q: Why? are open for business, we have a democratic society where situation?
Because it is of primary interest to us. You know we have there is the rule of law, investment is protected, and it’s a very Yes. I would definitely say so. It definitely has helped with
gone through Ebola and now this Corona virus pandemic, welcoming and friendly society. the messaging. The people understood that this is a serious
and our government places great emphasis on primary There are still diamonds, but we were among the first to problem, because we had Ebola some years ago. Some of the
universal health care for everyone. It’s difficult, and we do not implement the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme. It protocol of the Ebola such as washing your hands, tidiness…

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