After three days of a tumultuous welcome and whirlwind tour of infrastructural development projects, President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone described his visit to The Gambia as "a home-coming". An august gathering of dignitaries at the Kairaba Hotel Banqueting Hall heard the visiting President pay fulsome compliments to his host, President Jammeh and the people of The Gambia.

Friend and brother

"Friend and brother President, I am very happy to be here and thank you for the wonderful, wonderful welcome. It is a homecoming for me. Thank you for the brotherly welcome. A big thank you to the government and people of The Gambia. A friend in need is a friend indeed. I thank you and the Gambian people for welcoming our people and harbouring them, making them feel at home at a difficult time for our country."

A common background

"Our countries have had a common historical background, cultural and educational ties. We have supported each other in many ways in the past. We must continue to build on those ties.

We have a new government determined to ensure the best is fostered and achieved for the sub-region. We will learn from your 14 years in government. Sierra Leoneans have a lot of ties in The Gambia. There are many supporting in the education, medical and business sectors of your society.

We too have many Gambians in Sierra Leone, the most well known being those active in the diamond sector called the "Marakas". We must determine our destiny, be responsible and responsive to the needs of our people. We should look to ourselves, look in-ward, look South-South, to develop our countries. Africa is ushering in a new generation of leadership. We must take responsibility, amend our past mistakes".

A common destiny

"We have a common destiny. We must learn from each other’s experiences. President Jammeh has so much to show for his 14 years in government, without the diamond wealth that we could have used better in Sierra Leone.

There is so much infrastructural development here, institutions of learning, so many secondary and primary schools. We should be proud of your achievements. You are developing a good medical delivery system, and the economy is growing. These are things we have been tasked by our people to provide.

Working together, we can overcome difficulties. We will be going back to Sierra Leone with a determination to do a lot more. We have a great challenge from what we have seen here.

Being a president is a lonely job, but with support from good investors, good friends, and above all, our people, this generation of leaders from Sierra Leone and The Gambia will do well. I extend an invitation to his excellency to come and visit Sierra Leone and we will also show him what we are trying to do. I thank the president and the people of The Gambia for all the welcome, and for looking after Sierra Leoneans here for so many years."