On the Occasion of 33 Years of Bilateral Relations, Sierra Leone and Venezuela Commit to Strengthening Ties
His Excellency Alberto Castellar Padilla, the Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and accredited to the Republic of Sierra Leone, and the Sierra Leone High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency Rupert Dowu Davies, have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the 33-year-old bilateral relationship between their respective countries.
During a diplomatic banquet held at the Venezuelan embassy in Abuja, Ambassador Castellar Padilla expressed his pleasure at acquainting himself with High Commissioner Rupert Davies and discussed the pathways for enhancing diplomatic cooperation between Sierra Leone and Venezuela.
The Venezuelan Ambassador assured High Commissioner Davies of his country’s collaboration with the Republic of Sierra Leone in the areas of education and mining, with a focus on further expanding ties to create opportunities for mutual benefit.
On his part, High Commissioner Rupert Davies emphasized the longstanding relations between Sierra Leone and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, rooted in historical ties dating back to Africans settling in the Caribbean and South America during the era of the slave trade.
He highlighted the 33-year diplomatic relationship’s core principle of strengthening technical cooperation in areas such as oil refining, education, energy, entrepreneurship, agriculture, and small to medium-sized industries for mutual benefits.
High Commissioner Davies pointed out that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela was among the first countries to congratulate President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone after the June 24, 2023 election, which international observers deemed free, fair, transparent, and peaceful.
Moreover, he highlighted how the 33 years of diplomatic relations have positioned Sierra Leone to benefit from the International Student Programme sponsored by the Gran Mariscal Ayacucho Foundation, which facilitated the training of 32 students from Sierra Leone in integrated community medicine in Venezuela.
In conclusion, High Commissioner Davies noted that over three decades of their bilateral relationship, the two countries have implemented measures to strengthen collaboration, including the signing of Memoranda of Understanding for the establishment of Political Consultation, the Cooperation Framework Agreement, and letters of intent for cooperation in technology, telecommunications, science, and mining.
High Commissioner Davies also expressed confidence in Sierra Leone’s role in international forums for the maintenance and strengthening of international peace and security, further helping to enhance the maturation in the bilateral relationship between Sierra Leone and Venezuela.
