Foreign
Minister Gebran Bassil and Sierra Leone’s Vice President Victor Bockarie Foh
opened a new office in Beirut’s Saifi area for the African country’s honorary
consulate Yesterday.
“I am very happy to
welcome in Lebanon Sierra Leone’s high-level delegation on the occasion of its
official visit to our country, reflecting the depth and strength of bilateral
relations,”Bassil said in a speech after
cutting the opening ribbon.
“The opening of the new
headquarters of Sierra Leone’s honorary consulate in Beirut constitutes an
additional symbol of friendship between our two states and peoples.”
Bassil
highlighted some aspects of similarity between the two countries, including “diversity which is one of the landmarks characterized by
our two societies.”
“Our people’s
aspirations for all kinds of freedom are another similar aspect that must be
built on,” Bassil said
addressing Foh. “Our two countries share the capability to stand
fast in the face of difficulties and challenges.”
Bassil
said Lebanon looked forward to build on “these common
values” to further boost relations
between the two countries and increase bilateral trade. Thousands of Lebanese
work in Sierra Leone.
For his
part, Foh hailed the opening of his country’s consulate in Lebanon as “a turning point in the long history of bilateral
relations.”
“We share a lot of
bitter and sweet experiences at the political, cultural and humanitarian
levels,” he said. “The
peoples of the two countries follow the Christian and Muslim religions. We have
suffered from colonialism and overcome wars. On its heyday, Lebanon’s label,
due to its economic strength and diversity, was the Switzerland of the East,
and attracted tourists and was known as the Paris of the East.”
Our two countries are
working hard to preserve peace and economic progress and improve their standing
in the world,” Foh added.
The event was also attended by
Sierra Leone’s ministers of Foreign Affairs, Telecommunications and
Information. Bassil later met at the Foreign Ministry with his Sierra Leone
counterpart Samura Kamara, discussing bilateral relations, the National News Agency
reported.
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