Ilham Aliyev received credentials of incoming ambassador of Sierra Leone

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has accepted credentials of newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Sierra Leone Alie Badara Kamara.

The ambassador presented his credentials to President Ilham Aliyev.

The head of state had a conversation with the ambassador.

The ambassador first conveyed the greetings of the President of Sierra Leone to the head of state.

President Ilham Aliyev thanked for the greetings, and asked the ambassador to pass on his greetings to the President of Sierra Leone.

The discussion covered the prospects for bilateral engagement and cooperation within the Non-Aligned Movement and other international organizations.

Saying that Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement would end shortly, the head of state expressed his gratitude to Sierra Leone, a member country, for its support within the Movement. President Ilham Aliyev expressed hope that Azerbaijan and Sierra Leone would cooperate within the Movement following the conclusion of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship.

Expressing his country’s keen interest in developing relations with Azerbaijan, the ambassador noted that Azerbaijan’s support during Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone was highly appreciated. He also extended congratulations on Azerbaijan’s successful chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement. The ambassador commended the mutual support demonstrated by Azerbaijan and Sierra Leone within international organizations.

Alie Badara Kamara said that he planned to hold meetings with Azerbaijani officials, and emphasized that he would spare no effort in identifying new cooperation areas and ways to expand ties.

The President of Azerbaijan touched upon the need to enhance contacts between the two countries and peoples.

The head of state emphasized that Azerbaijan as chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement, initiated establishment of the parliamentary, youth, and women's platforms within the organization.

President Ilham Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan, considering the establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement as a fundamental principle and a key aspect in the fight against colonialism, has identified its struggle against neocolonialism as a top priority and thrown its support behind this process.

President Ilham Aliyev highlighted that the Baku Initiative Group had organized significant events on the topic of neocolonialism in both Baku and the UN office at Geneva in 2023, adding that colonial powers should at least offer an apology to the states and peoples they colonized in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The head of state further added that although the forms of colonialism may have changed, its essence remains the same, persisting in various forms.

The head of state underscored that colonial empires seek to cover up the crimes committed in the countries they colonized by taking advantage of their membership in international institutions. The President reiterated the paramount importance of exposing these crimes to the global public.

President Ilham Aliyev invited the President of Sierra Leone to the COP29 to be held in Baku this year. The meeting also included discussions on cooperation in various domains, including economy, agriculture, investment, human capital development, culture, science, education, and other mutually beneficial issues. The exchange of experiences in good governance was highlighted, with a specific mention of the expertise of the "ASAN xidmet." Azerbaijan’s readiness to share its experience in this field was also underlined.