/ 1 January 2002

Libya, Nigeria, SA to kickstart Sierra-Leone economy

Libya, Nigeria and South Africa have agreed to invest $10-million each in Sierra Leone to kick start the war-ravaged economy, President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah said in a national broadcast on Wednesday.

”Right now, Libyan experts are in South Africa to work out how the money will be spent,” Kabbah said.

”Libya will provide electricty generating equipment to improve the state of electricity in Sierra Leone,” he said, adding that experts were due in Freetown within the next two weeks. Kabbah returned on Sunday from a 10-day visit to Libya. He did not provide details on the Nigerian and South African money.

The Libyan Arab African Investment Company is to establish a commercial bureau in Freetown to facilitate imports of medical equipment.

Libya and Sierra Leone have also signed deals on investments ranging from ferry transport to creating a joint company for oil exploration.

Libya is also to provide training in traffic control,

firefighting, immigration and drug control.

Meanwhile, Libya has agreed ”on humanitarian grounds” to release and deport 10 Sierra Leoneans who were jailed in Tripoli on various charges. – Sapa-AFP