Diplomat: China 'came to the rescue' of Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone's permanent representative to the United Nations, had warm praise for China's outreach efforts during a symposium in Beijing on Oct 27, while recounting his country's enthusiastic support in 1971 for a UN resolution acknowledging the rights of the People's Republic of China.

Without modern educational and technological skills, it will be virtually impossible for developing countries to achieve sustainable development, Adakalie Foday Sumah, Sierra Leone's UN ambassador, told the symposium.

But his country received the help it needed from China's Shandong Iron and Steel Group. In keeping with China's vision to help developing countries achieve their goals, the company "came to the rescue" of Sierra Leone, "saving our iron ore industry from bankruptcy at a time when prices fess drastically on the world market", Sumah said.

The symposium was organized to celebrate the 45th anniversary of UN Resolution 2758 in 1971, which recognized the People's Republic of China as the sole representative of the country in the world body.

Sumah said "the successful restoration of China's lawful seat in the UN was a major breakthrough in its diplomatic standing" and a victory after a protracted struggle by China - a struggle in which it was joined by Sierra Leone and many other developing countries that wanted to uphold justice.

"It was a major breakthrough for China at the highest level of international relations," Sumah said.

He thanked the United Nations Association of China for extending an arm of friendship by inviting him to attend the symposium.

The 26th UN General Assembly initially rejected a resolution ironically nicknamed "the important question", Sumah said. But a revised measure eventually passed.

He said the resolution was enthusiastically cosponsored by Sierra Leone and 21 other countries that wanted to secure China's place in the UN.

Noting China's subsequent contributions to peacekeeping efforts, with more than 2,600 Chinese soldiers stationed around the world, Sumah said the country "now plays an increasingly important role in providing public services in war-torn areas". China is participating in 10 of the 16 UN peacekeeping missions currently in operation, he said.

In Africa, for instance, in the Darfur region of western Sudan, as well as in South Sudan, Liberia and Mali, China's presence makes a sizeable contribution to UN operations, performing with professionalism, efficiency and effectiveness. "Moreover China contributes a number of assets that are critical to the success of peacekeeping," Sumah said.

He outlined the contributions made by China toward the development of Sierra Leone in several areas, including education, infrastructure, agriculture, mining and, most recently, the fight against the deadly Ebola virus that crushed the country's economy.

China and Sierra Leone have a long history of diplomatic relations, which both sides have enjoyed for decades, Sumah said.