Nestled on the third flooring of a historic constructing in downtown Hamilton, the Workplace of the Particular Envoy for Worldwide Relations, Commerce, and Funding (SEIRTI) of Sierra Leone quietly operates because the nation’s lone diplomatic mission in Canada. Established simply over a 12 months in the past by Might-Marie Duwai-Sowa, herself a local of Sierra Leone who sought refuge in Canada after fleeing the civil struggle in 1999, the workplace is devoted to strengthening ties between the 2 nations via diplomacy, commerce, and cultural alternate.
“My aim is to foster significant connections between Sierra Leone and Canada,” defined Duwai-Sowa, 46. “There’s a lot Canadians ought to study Sierra Leone, its historical past, potential, and prospects, simply as Sierra Leoneans can profit from understanding extra about Canada.”
For Duwai-Sowa, the choice to base the SEIRTI workplace in Hamilton was deliberate, pushed by her deep roots within the metropolis the place she has cultivated a vibrant group and established a powerful skilled community over time.
At present, bilateral commerce between Canada and Sierra Leone stays modest, with Canada exporting $9.8 million and importing $6 million price of products in 2022, starkly contrasting the large commerce quantity with the U.S. amounting to $697.4 billion throughout the identical interval.
The historic ties between Canada and Sierra Leone date again over two centuries, tracing again to the resettlement of Black loyalists in Nova Scotia after the American Revolutionary Conflict, who later moved to determine Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital.
Regardless of enduring challenges such because the civil struggle within the Nineteen Nineties, the Ebola outbreak of 2014-2015, and the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, Sierra Leone is navigating a path of restoration and development buoyed by its youthful inhabitants and impressive improvement agenda.
Mark Stewart, an adviser to the SEIRTI workplace, emphasised Duwai-Sowa’s distinctive {qualifications} for her position. “Her twin nationality provides her a real appreciation for each Sierra Leone and Canada,” Stewart remarked. “Her dedication to constructing partnerships resonates deeply with Sierra Leone’s objectives for sustainable improvement.”
Duwai-Sowa’s private journey from Sierra Leone to Canada has been marked by resilience and a steadfast dedication to service. Reflecting on her difficult previous, she recalled the hardships of the civil struggle that compelled her to hunt refuge in North America.
Regardless of the scars left by the battle, Duwai-Sowa stays deeply linked to Sierra Leone, crediting her homeland for shaping her id and values. “Sierra Leone has made me who I’m at present,” she affirmed. “Its resilience and untapped potential are sometimes ignored, and I’m pushed to alter that narrative.”
Trying forward, Duwai-Sowa envisions increasing the SEIRTI workplace’s mandate, exploring the potential of elevating its standing to a consulate and even an embassy, thus solidifying Sierra Leone’s footprint in Canada and selling mutual understanding and cooperation between the 2 nations.
As she continues her mission, Duwai-Sowa stays optimistic about Sierra Leone’s future, guided by its wealthy historical past, vibrant tradition, and the resilience of its individuals. Her workplace in Hamilton not solely serves as a diplomatic hub but in addition as a logo of hope and alternative for enhanced bilateral relations and shared prosperity.
