The President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Julius Maada Bio, has engaged Qatari agencies, private companies and investors as part of efforts to attract more foreign direct investment to the country.

Dr. Bio said the resource-rich, peaceful and investor-friendly West African nation offered great investment opportunities across different sectors of the economy, adding that his government had created the right environment for businesses to prosper through tax incentives. and trade reforms that supported private sector growth.

The President also also said that Sierra Leone was strategically located for the European and Latin American markets due to the short distance by air freight.

“I am here to assure you that we have an open door policy to ensure that foreign companies prosper and repatriate profits to their home countries,” he said.

President Julius Maada Bio added that part of the state visit was to create and improve trade and investment relations between Sierra Leone and Qatar, adding that he was encouraging representatives of private companies and investors to visit Sierra Leone to allow them to explore the many investment opportunities.

The First Vice President of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mohamed bin Ahmed Twar Al Kuwari, expressed his satisfaction with the state visit and expressed his hope that it would create an opportunity to explore public-private partnerships in Sierra Leone.

Representatives from other private companies and Qatari agencies praised President Julius Maada Bio for the progress he had made in his country and assured him that several business delegations would visit Sierra Leone to explore investment opportunities.

President Bio also met with representatives from the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Qatar Diar, Qatar Investment Authority, Qatar Development Funds, Qatar Entrepreneurs Association and other private companies, including MBK Group and Hassad Food, an investment arm of Qatar Investment with main focus on agriculture.