President Ernest Bai Koroma Tuesday 7th April hosted the Chair of the United Nations Peace Building Commission Ambassador Olof Skoog and delegation during a courtesy at State House, Freetown as part of his familiarization tour to the three most affected countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone was to have a feel of the impact of the epidemic on the affected countries and how the commission can help in addressing some of the challenges therein.
President Koroma stated that the outbreak has distracted the development trajectory of the country while informing the UN envoy about the economic progress that was taking place in the country prior to the outbreak.
As the number of confirmed cases is taking a significant downward trend, President Koroma said that the focus was now on getting and staying at zero for forty-two days with intensified social mobilization that will be cascaded in affected communities and districts.
He observed that most of the recent cases are coming from quarantined homes which “give the impression that victory against the virus is in sight.”
He expressed the need to activate the social structure and informed Ambassador Skoog that government is putting measures in place for the reopening of schools on 14th April.
The president revealed that government is also putting together a robust recovery programme that will not only be limited to restructuring the social structure, but also address agriculture and the private sector.
The President added that a joint recovery programme will be put together for the Mano River Union basin and also to resume development programmes that are in sync with the Agenda for Prosperity. He looked forward to international collaboration and noted that there should be no gaps in the recovery programmes.
Ambassador Olof Skoog said being a new person on the job he wanted to come and have a feel of how the Peace Building Commission can be helpful and how the commission can accompany the three countries particularly in the Ebola situation.
He pledged his full support and promised that the affected countries will get the political attention and support needed in the peace building efforts.
He informed President Koroma that he will join others in Washington DC during the Spring Meeting of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to highlight peace building issues in Sierra Leone.
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