US Air Force Commander, General Robert H. Foglesong, Calls On President Kabbah

General Robert H. Foglesong, Commander, US AIR FORCE paid a courtesy call on His Excellency the President, Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, Monday, 15 December 2003, during which he thanked the President for making available Sierra Leone's facilities and airspace to facilitate their recent intervention in Liberia.

General Foglesong reiterated the United States' commitment to the fight against global terrorism and said that our world took a new direction after the September, 11 attack on America. The AIR FORCE Commander told President Kabbah that terrorism has become a global problem and that for the world to know peace there is need for a global coalition to combat the threat.

President Kabbah in his reply said that "one good turn deserves another" and acknowledged that peace was achieved in Sierra Leone through the intervention of theinternational community.

He noted that the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Sierra Leone, UNAMSIL, was a huge investment, one quarter or twenty-five percent of the cost of which is being borne by the United States Government. He also re-echoed that we cannot afford to have a world that is not safe and said that for smaller and poor countries such as Sierra Leone, multilateralism provided a welcome forum where both big and small countries can dialogue and collaborate in ways that can increase the chances of sustainable and more durable peace. He noted that the thriving of democratic nations and institutions and of all peace-loving peoples of the world depended on a peaceful and conflict-free climate..

President Kabbah stressed that a global strategy was required to combat terrorism and those issues that tend to threaten global peace and security. He congratulated the United States Government for the capture of Saddam Hussein and opined that now was the time to carve a strategic route forward for the building of sustainable peace in the Middle East.

General Foglisong narrated some of his experiences in Iraq and in the US AIR FORCE. The American Commander enquired about peace in the sub-region and expressed his desire for peaceful co-existence in the sub-region. President Kabbah explained that it is heartening that peace has returned to Sierra Leone and spoke about the need to consolidate the peace. He said that the greatest threat has been the subversion of the rule of law by those who create chaos and confusion in the sub-region and expressed concern that effort must be made to curb such threats in the sub-region. President Kabbah further said that in upholding the rule of law there was need for a coalition of efforts from within and without. He, however, lamented the poor state of the economy which he attributed to the large scale destruction done to private and public property, especially the destruction of the assets of mining companies such as Sierra Rutile Mining Company and the diamond industry.

The President expressed the view that it would take at least another year before the full effect of government's programmes start to be seen visibly as there is always a time lag between outlay of capital and results. President Kabbah re-emphasized that the country needs sober and honest investors and not fly-by-night ones who just come here to make empty noise. He said that an investment code will soon be finalised by the government and called on serious investors to come to Sierra Leone and engage in entrepreneurial activities.

The President explained how he had occasion during the just-ended commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Abuja, Nigeria to exchange ideas with other leaders. In particular, he cited his discussion with the Head of State of Botswana, with whom he exchanged views on the diamond industry of that country and said that the Botswana President showed keen interest in sharing information with his government on how to proceed with kimberlite miming in Sierra Leone. The President also intimated that his discussion with Baroness Linda Chalker on ways of opening up the country to serious investors was very good and inspiring.

Discussion between the American General and President Kabbah covered a wide range of issues such as threats to the sub-region, HIV/AIDS, bilateral co-operation, etc.