President Ernest Koroma : The new jewel in the ECOWAS and AU crown

Published on January 26, 2011 by Cocorioko News · No Comments

President of Sierra Leone Addresses General Assembly

By Wilfred Leeroy Kabs-Kanu :

As President Ernest Koroma boards the airplane once again to brave the hazards of international travel to bring peace to the West African subregion, there is no doubt that he has become the new jewel in the crown of the Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS ) and the African Union ( AU ) . For the man for whom magnetic diplomatic dynamism and political astuteness are legion , it is a double distinction. He is also playing a starring role in the African Union ( AU ) where he is the Coordinator of the Committee of 10 ( C-10) , tasked with advocating and promoting the African Common Position in the United Nations Security Council Reform negotiations. These are two roles being played by the Sierra Leonean President that should make every citizen of the nation proud.

For one man to be given such a double important role in international diplomacy demonstrates how much our President is held in high esteem in continental diplomacy and the new geoplitical configuration of Africa and the world. Both the AU and ECOWAS have profound confidence in the President’s credentials , suitability and ability to deliver what the whole world is craving at this time -Peace and good government . It should therefore be a matter of pride to all Sierra Leoneans that the President is performing excellently to the expectation of the subregional and continental diplomatic power-brokers . Cream rises to the top and President Koroma has left no doubts about his ability to rise to the top in his international assignments as he has done in local politics.

Being such an international peace envoy , especially for a volatile continent like Africa, is not easy and there should be no illusions about the enormity of the task faced by the Sierra Leonean Leader.

Firstly, President Koroma is now the pivot on whose axis rotates the success of the AU in stamping out anarchic politics in Africa. Africa, for all her chaos and tribulations, has to be made now to understand that that there is a higher political order that should be obeyed–The will of the people and the supremacy of the constitution. With the new wind of international political change blowing in the continent, there is place no more for anarchic politics. Laurent Gbagbo’s will cannot be allowed to supercede the collective will of the Ivorian people .If allowed, it will set a very bad precedent and open the door once again for megalomanic leaders who do not accept defeats at elections. President Koroma’s job is therefore well cut–He has to traverse land and sea to ensure that the will of the people prevails in the continent. To achieve the goals that have been set for him, the President will face the incalculable hazards , not only of air travel but tempestous weather –heat, cold, rainstorms, snowstorms, icestorms etc. . However , if it is the price that our President has to pay to ensure constitutional civility in Africa, it is well and good . His labours will not go in vain . Posterity will record what he achieves for the continent and the world at large to the pride and credit of our nation .

Secondly, the timebomb ticking in the Ivory Coast is capable of plunging the whole of the West African subregion into bloody war ONCE AGAIN -Bloody war that will again take thousands of innocent lives , create a monumental humanitarian crisis , produce another refugee crisis that will affect every country in West Africa and destroy the socio-economic and political progress that have been made in the subcontinent since the end of the Liberian and Sierra Leone tragedies. Africa therefore faces a race against time to stave off another disaster in the continent. This is why the continent has chosen a man that would be listened to, President Koroma’, himself an accomplished democrat and leader. Dr. Koroma’s mission of peace is therefore very, very important. It is so important that the world itself is following up every minute of the President’s travails and travels.

It is therefore no surprise that all true lovers of peace and democracy in the world are with President Koroma as he performs his noble assignment. They know that the road to success will not be paved with gold but one thing that everybody can be sure of is that the history books will be kind to our President in time to come. And for this, we Sierra Leoneans must be proud.

continent.