As Israel Intensifies Hezbollah Bombings… Sierra Leone’s Foreign Affairs Minister Meets with Lebanese Community
Sierra Leone’s Foreign Affairs Minister Musa Timothy Kabba Tuesday met with the Lebanese Community in Sierra Leone following the intensification of bombing raids targeting Hezbollah leadership and military targets that have amounted to hundreds of civilian casualties.
The minister welcomed the community emphasizing that Sierra Leone and Lebanon have a “strong kindred spirit”.
“I called his meeting today because there is a crisis in Lebanon. Sierra Leone and Lebanon are inseparable”, he said. He said President Bio is disturbed by the gross human rights violation taking place in Gaza and Lebanon. Sierra Leone’s position on the US Security Council has been quite clear, he said – the cessation of hostilities that would end the human rights violation taking place in Gaza.
Equally, the minister said, Sierra Leone is deeply concerned about the deteriorating security situation in Lebanon whether it is affecting Sierra Leoneans living in Lebanon or the Lebanese because of the “strong bond” the West African country shares with Lebanon. He said Sierra Leone at the UN Security Council continues to unequivocally condemn the flagrant breach of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. “Without peace, the entire world is in chaos”, he said.
The minister was particularly grateful for the services and support rendered by Sierra Leonean-Lebanese residents in Lebanon that are now helping stranded Sierra Leoneans in the country. The meeting therefore, he said, was an open forum where the Lebanese Community in Sierra Leone together with the Sierra Leone government could brainstorm on ways to help out stranded Sierra Leoneans in the conflict zone.
The minister said he had already been briefed by colleagues in the ministry who have contextualized the situation in Lebanon, suggesting ways the Government could take action. Hence he wanted to know what ideas the Lebanese community had that would minimize the situation of suffering Sierra Leoneans in Lebanon.
Among several opinions from the feedback was the worrying trend that the crisis in Lebanon might degenerate into a global crisis. Hence there was need for governments across the world to do everything to stop it. “Even as businessmen in Sierra Leone, we are extremely concerned because we could see that this crisis could have an ill effect on the economy of Sierra Leone”, Swaid Jihad said. “Everybody is very watchful about what could happen with the fuel prices, commodity prices, which are issues that are going to directly affect everyone of us”, he furthered. The speaker said that they have information that many Sierra Leoneans affected by the crisis are being sheltered in three safe locations in addition to the support being received from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). “The situation is not as bleak as we may have anticipated”, he said, adding that the Lebanese Community would continue to liaise with people providing help to Sierra Leoneans in need in Lebanon.
Speaker after speaker emphasized the need to liaise with IOM to further the cooperation for those in need of evacuation. The minister expressed satisfaction that government and the Lebanese community were sharing ideas and cooperating to ensure that the safety of stranded Sierra Leoneans was ensured.
The Lebanese Community in turn, expressed satisfaction that government was concerned and taking vocal steps to address the situation in Lebanon.
By the Directorate of Strategic Communications, MFAIC
