HIS EXCELLENCY, THE PRESIDENT, ALHAJI DR. AHMAD TEJAN KABBAH, RETURNS TO SIERRA LEONE.

President Kabbah returned to Freetown on 28th July 2003 after his official travels to Senegal, Mozambique and The United Kingdom.

In Dakar, Senegal, President Kabbah was guest to President George Bush of The United States of America and host President, Abdulaye Wade. President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah was in Dakar at the invitation of America's President George Bush where he started his five-nation African tour. In Dakar, Senegal, President Bush invited seven West African Heads of State from Niger, Benin, Ghana, Cape Verde, Mali, The Gambia, Sierra Leone and of course Senegal, to have some meeting of minds. These eight countries, President George Bush described as countries whose leaders "have firmly embarked on the path to democratisation."

After the Dakar meeting President Kabbah proceeded to Maputo, Mozambique where he attended the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union from 10th-12th July, 2003.

Following the end of his meeting in Mozambique, the President traveled to the United Kingdom to deliver a paper at the Royal Commonwealth Society in London on the theme "PROSPECTS FOR LASTING PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT IN SIERRA LEONE."

During his visit to the United Kingdom President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah held discussions on bilateral cooperation with the British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, at 10 Downing Street in London, standing in for Prime Minister Tony Blair who was on overseas official visit.

Some of the immediate outcomes of President Kabbah's bilateral discussions with the United Kingdom Government were the UK's renewal of commitment to support Sierra Leone's security and Development. Following a meeting with Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on the 22 July, the UK Foreign Secretary said:

"The UK's commitment to Sierra Leone is as strong as ever. The country has enjoyed well over a year of peace, and work to consolidate that peace is well advanced. Sierra Leone has demonstrated that, with the right commitment, peace can be attained even in the bleakest of situations. But much remains to be done to secure the brighter future its people deserve.

"The President and I discussed Sierra Leone's security. A key factor in ensuring continued stability is a capable, organised police force and well-trained armed forces. The UK is supporting the development of these through the UK-led IMATT and Commonwealth Police Training Project. And Sierra Leone is committed to tackling some of the root causes of conflict such as corruption and misgovernance.

"On 14 July the UN Security Council agreed that the UN peacekeeping force, UNAMSIL, should plan for draw-down to be complete by December 2004. The UK supports this timetable, which will be based on an assessment of Sierra Leone's ability to take responsibility for its own security.

"The UK's 'over the horizon' commitment to support peace in Sierra Leone remains."

Bilateral cooperation with the UK includes the following:

• "The UK-led International Military Advisory and Training Team (IMATT) is working to build Sierra Leone's Armed Forces to make them effective, professional and democratically accountable.
• The UK has committed £120 Million over the next three years to development projects in Sierra Leone. Our Commitment to establishing peace, and the holistic approach the UK applied in Sierra Leone is widely recognised as a model for post conflict situations.
• Under the terms of the memorandum of understanding signed with the UN in June 1999, the UK could offer the UN a rapid reaction capability or "over the horizon reserve" of up to a brigade drawn from our pool of rapid reaction forces. The reserve was most recently deployed in February 2003."

While in the UK President Kabbah paid a special visit to his alma mater in Aberystwyth, the Welsh University he attended in the 1950s. His Excellency the President spent a day looking around the University of Aberystwyth where he had studied for three years, graduating with a degree in economics in 1959.

Professor Derec Lloyd Morgan, Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University welcomed President Kabbah back to his alma mater. "The visit is a private visit", he said.

"The fact that Dr. Kabbah wished to see the University at Aberystwyth once again is testimony of his deep love of the place and of his appreciation of the education he received here in the late fifties."

"Few universities have the honour of receiving former students as State Presidents."

"Aberystwyth is proud of its connection with Dr. Kabbah and wishes Sierra Leone a peaceful, prosperous future," the Vice chancellor added.

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