President Koroma to participate in Washington’s discussion on good governance
By Dennis Kabatto – Heads of states of four African countries including Cape Verde, Malawi, Senegal and Sierra Leone will hold an important conversation Friday at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in Washington.
Mrs Sia Koroma.Mrs. michelle Obama.President Ernest B. Koroma – President of Sierra Leone & President Barack Obama
Prime Minister Jose Pereira Neves of Cape Verde; President Dr. Joyce Banda of Malawi; President Macky Sall of Senegal and President Dr. Ernest B. Koroma of Sierra Leone were selected as Panelists for a discussion on Consolidating Democratic Gains, Promoting African Prosperity.
“These four heads of state are in Washington, DC together at the invitation of President Obama” said USIP Spokesperson Steven Ruder in a comment via email. Ruder further explained “the USIP is hosting this event at the request of the U.S. Department of State. USIP hosted a similar event, ‘Assessing Progress Toward Democracy in Francophone Africa,’ on July 28, 2011, with the heads of state of Benin, Guinea, Niger, and Cote d’Ivoire.”
According to Ruder, “the USIP at this event aims to have an important conversation on the link between good governance and increasing prosperity in their countries and across Africa,” underscoring “promoting democracy, transparency, economic advancement, their countries’ roles as regional leaders, and how partnering with organizations like the Millennium Challenge Corporation has helped motivate and sustain democratic reforms,” as the main topics of the discussion.
Meanwhile, Sierra Leone Minister of Information and Communications Hon. Mr. Alpha Kanu said “President Koroma sees the invitation as a great honour while we the people he leads see it as a cardinal endorsement of his impeccable democratic credentials underpinned by the successful conclusion of the 2012 presidential, parliamentary and local council elections in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility”
Mr. Kanu, who also doubles as Presidential and Government spokesperson made the remarks in an email response Monday from his office in Freetown on the eve of the president’s departure on a three-day visit to Washington. He also underscores what he calls the president’s “incessant concern for timely and effective delivery on the Agenda for Change in such a transformative manner that the UNDP human Development index has not only moved 10 places up from the bottom of the scale where the nation had been trapped year in year out for the last two decades prior to 2007.”
But critics of the Koroma administration including opposition party bloggers and online newspapers have expressed concerns over high unemployment, hyper-inflation and other economic and social issues affecting the country.
Friday’s good governance discussion’s introduction will be offered by Jim Marshall – President of USIP and Johnnie Carson, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, US Department of State will moderate the conversation.
USIP say seating at the event is on a first come first served basis and that the event will also be webcast live beginning at 9 am (Eastern Day Time) on March 29, 2013 at www.usip.org/webcast
