The
Lebanese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Ambassador Nidal Yehya has pleaded with
the government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International
Co-operation, to consider opening an embassy in Lebanon, which according to him
was long overdue.
Speaking at an event to mark the 72nd independence anniversary
of Lebanon's independence, He also urged the appointment of a resident
ambassador in Beirut to help strengthen the rich ties between the two
countries.
He assured that in his capacity as Ambassador of Lebanon in
Sierra Leone, together with the Lebanese government, they are willing and ready
to ensure the success of the proposal.
He said: "Who knows, Sierra Leone might be experiencing
great loss on several levels throughout the period of the appointment of a
honorary consul instead of a resident ambassador."
According to him, Sierra Leone recorded a growth rate of 14%
according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report before the
Ebola epidemic, but stressed that the loss was immense on the economy and the people
as a result of the deadly scourge.
"All
of us, especially the Lebanese community will work to restore the economy. In
the midst of the Ebola epidemic, the Lebanese community continued investing and
re-invested into the economy of Sierra Leone and contributed lots of donations.
Lebanon is a sister state to Sierra Leone and shares the strongest tie for a
number of historical reasons," he said.
With regards the situation in Lebanon, the envoy stated that his
country is currently suffering from the huge number of displaced Syrians on its
land, whose number exceeds 1.7 million, added to 400,000 Palestinian refugees.
He said Lebanon's economy was badly affected due to the influx
of refugees on its lands, which is more than half the population of Lebanon, and
which records the highest percentage of refugee rate in any country.
Source: AllAfrica
No comments:
Post a Comment