Kuwait Fund Delegation Meets President Kabbah
By Marian Samu

Tuesday, 31st August: For about two decades now economic and technical cooperation between the government of Sierra Leone and the Kingdom of Kuwait has been evidenced in the construction of the Freetown-Waterloo highway in the 1980s and the Waterloo-Tokeh-Lumley road that is currently under reconstruction.

A loan of nine million US dollars for the final phase of the Tokeh-Lumley road project was today signed in Freetown. The Loan Agreement for the 21 kilometre Tokeh-Lumley road was signed by the Minister of Finance, Mr. J.B. Dauda, on behalf of the Sierra Leone Government, while Mr. Hamad Al-Omar, Director-General (Administration and Finance) of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, signed on behalf of the Fund.

After the signing ceremony, the Kuwait Fund delegation, accompanied by the Minister of Finance, Mr. J.B. Dauda called on President Kabbah at his Hill Station Office. Introducing members of the delegation, the Minister of Finance said that funds for the completion of the road were delayed due to the wars in the two countries, that is, the gulf war that affected Kuwait and the rebel war in Sierra Leone. Mr. Dauda informed the President that they have also reached an agreement with the delegation to fund the feasibility survey for the construction of the Kenema-Koindu highway.

Briefing the President on the background to the Kuwait Fund assistance to Sierra Leone, Mr. Hamad Al-Omar, leader of the delegation said the Fund's assistance to Sierra Leone for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the roads started in the 1980s with the construction of the Freetown-Waterloo road. The reconstruction of the peninsula road which started with the Waterloo-Tokeh segment in 1996 and came to a standstill when the war intensified in the Western Area, resumed again in 2002 and has been done up to Tokeh village. The Loan Agreement that was signed is for the final phase of the road, the 21 km Tokeh-Lumley road that will terminate at the Lumley Police Station. Mr. Al-Omar said they are very pleased with the assistance as they are doing their best to help a friendly nation that is in need, especially after a decade-long war that hasleft much of the country's infrastructure in ruin.

In his remarks, President Kabbah thanked the government and people of Kuwait for the assistance they have offered to Sierra Leone so far. He said the war has put Sierra Leone backwards in development and that assistance of this kind comes in not only at the right time but also helps the government to meet its obligations of rebuilding and reconstructing the country.

President Kabbah said he was impressed with the development of the road and has made it a point of duty to drive around the peninsula every two weeks to see for himself how the road is progressing. This, he said, measures the importance he attaches to this road.

The President also expressed appreciation to the Kuwait Fund for accepting to fund the feasibility survey of the Kenema-Koindu highway. President Kabbah said the Kenema -Koindu road is of great importance as it opens up the part of the country that constitutes its breadbasket. He said most of our export crops of coffee and cocoa, including our diamonds come mainly from that area of the country.

President Kabbah explained how rebels took advantage of the un-motorable roads in this area to launch their attack on this country in 1991. "During the time of the year when the rains are quite heavy, vehicles find it very difficult to use the road," he said.

The objective of the Waterloo-Tokeh-Lumley road project is to support social and economic development in the Freetown Peninsula through improving its linkage, facilitating fishery, tourism and agricultural activities.

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