At a high-level meeting on 20 November 2023 at, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador tonthe US, Sidique Abou-Bakarr Wai engaged the Chief Executive Officer of U.S. International Development Finance Corporation Scott Nathan on a proposal for the Mano River Rail Transportation project.
Ambassador Wai registered Sierra Leone’s appreciation to DFC for all the development projects the United States government is financing in Sierra Leone.
He informed DFC that President Bio’s administration is seeking to encourage private sector led economic revitalization in the country.
Ambassador Wai advanced that the three Mano River Countries’ Ambassadors in United States have presented a proposal to Prosper Africa, and being that he Ambassador Wai is the Secretary General of the ECOWAS Ambassadors in United States, he was at DFC to request DFC to undertake feasibility studies on the proposal of the Mano River Transportation project.
Ambassador Wai stressed that the Mano River Union Rail project will complement DFC’s vision in supporting investment in developing countries.
He reiterated that the MRU Rail Transportation project will enable the efficient transportation of goods and peoples across the West Africa sub-region.
The CEO of U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) Scott Nathan informed the meeting that he has visited Sierra Leone, and that he had the opportunity of meeting with President Bio.
He said DFC is about private sector development, reiterating that DFC wants to keep business growing in Sierra Leone. Scott Nathan suggested that DFC will finance a Business Plan for a High-Speed Ferry Boat crossing to Freetown from Lungi.
He said DFC has invested in the construction of the new Lungi International Airport, and would therefore want to mitigate the challenges of crossing the boat from Lungi International Airport to Freetown, especially for investors coming to Sierra Leone.
CEO Nathan said Sierra Leone deserves a better and more stable way of crossing to Freetown from the Lungi International Airport.
“As of now, crossing is an obstacle, and it is terrible. DFC would want to finance a High-Speed Ferry boat project in Sierra Leone. It is a business opportunity, and it does not cost much. We are looking forward to a business plan from local business entrepreneurs”, referring to the High-Speed Ferry Boat business between the Lungi Airport and Freetown as ‘Small Money for Big Impact.”
Also present at the meeting were Abdul Deensie, Sierra Leone Embassy Congressional liaison, and PEL Koroma, Information Attache’ at the Embassy of Sierra Leone, Washington, DC.
