July 18, 2019
By Jariatu S. Bangura
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Solomon Jamiru
Members of Parliament have on Tuesday ratified agreement on Technical Cooperation and the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers Programme signed between the Governments of Japan and the Republic of Sierra Leone.
During his presentation, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Solomon Jamiru said the agreement will provide the country with requisite human resource, equipment both machinery and material that would contribute to the economy and the development of the country.
He said the agreement would also provide volunteers that would work in broad range cooperation in Sierra Leone.
He said President Bio will be attending the 2019 Speaker Conference in Japan, during which the Government of Japan will have to announce that Sierra Leone will cease to be the field office and that it would now be run and manned in Ghana, Accra, by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
He said it will become an operational company known as ‘JICA-SL’ office having a Company Representative in the country with volunteers.
He said upon ratification of the agreement, Japan is prepared to elevate the country’s bilateral relation to a higher pattern and strengthen the already existing relationship between the two countries.
He said Japan has contributed to the country’s infrastructure, economy and social development, including support to the power supply system at Kambia, Kingtom and Goderich sub-stations.
He said they have given support to water supply equipment system and provided food aid among others, adding that Japan has also assisted the country in the form of grant to the tune of $209, 236,000 million.
He stated that the agreement has two components – technical cooperation and Japan overseas cooperation volunteer programme.
Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Deputy Leader of the main opposition All People’s Congress, Hon. Ibrahim Kargbo said the two countries have shared long bilateral relations; hence the agreement was good, thus noting that Japan has been supportive to the development of the country.
Also, Deputy Leader of Government Business, Hon. Mathew S. Nyuma re-echoed that the agreement aimed at strengthening the bilateral relationship between the two countries.