*Minister of Moscow Government presents Moscow Bid for EXPO 2030 to Ambassador Yongawo
*Korovy Val Moscow, Russia — Monday 11 October 2021* —
A Minister of the Government of Moscow Mr Sergey E. Cheremin presented Russia’s Bid to host the 2030 EXPO to Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation, HE Mohamed Yongawo, at the Ministry’s conference hall in Moscow.
In his brief statement to HE Yongawo, the Minister who is Head of the Department of External Economic and International Relations of the City of Moscow informed that. in the past the city hosted the First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone Her Excellency Mrs Fatima Bio during her 2018 visit to Moscow and other Sierra Leone officials in the spirit of strengthening bilateral relations.
“We have deepened our ties with African countries when His Excellency President Vladimir Putin organized the Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi; to find new ways of cooperation between the government and people of the Russian Federation and African leaders”,he stated.
Adding that “we are grateful for the attendance of President Bio of the Sochi Summit.
The minister continued: “We have greatly improved on Moscow’s infrastructural development. We have advanced in modern technology as a city. We have also worked as a government to put Moscow amongst the best and beautiful cities in the world”.
The Minister acknowledged the significance of the visit of Ambassador Yongawo and thanked him and his entourage; and officially informed the visiting delegation about Russia’s bid to host the EXPO 2030.
“We have submitted our bid; Russia has participated in all Universal EXPOs since the maiden one in London in 1851, and we are also participating in the ongoing EXPO in Dubai, and our Pavilion is one of the most beautiful and decorated in that Expo”
“The title of our Bid for Expo 2030 is ‘HUMAN PROGRESS: A SHARED VISION FOR A WORLD OF HARMONY’. “Russia has not only participated in Expos but its inventors have received prestigious awards and our Pavilion have repeatedly been recognized among the most visited ones”.
The Minister reminded of Russia’s unsuccessful bid to host the 2020 and 2025 Expos in EKATERINBURG City.
“Now, with the support of President Putin and the Moscow government, we have put up a bid for Moscow City with four International Airports. We have hosted a successful World Cup, Olympic Games, and large fora and summits; and the country been recognized globally as an outstanding host. We are hopeful Russia will win and host the Expo 2030”, he added.
Oleg V. Sheremin ended by soliciting Sierra Leone’s support for the Russian bid and stated that he believed that Russia has participated in Expos for the past 170 years since its inception, mentioning Moscow’s geographical location with ultra-modern facilities.
Ambassador Yongawo conveyed felicitation from His Excellency Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Government and People of Sierra Leone to the Mayor of Moscow City His Lordship Sergei Sobyanin.
“On my personal behalf and on behalf of the staff of the Sierra Leone Embassy in Moscow, allow me to use this opportunity to register my profound gratitude to the Mayor and his team and you in particular for this meeting”
“We are grateful to the Russian government for providing us with the safe environment to undertake our diplomatic work in your beautiful city”
“Moscow’s population nearly doubles that of Sierra Leone. Your city houses some of the most beautiful places you can find anywhere in the world. Moscow is home to world-renowned landmarks like the Kremlin”
“Almost all major Russian industrial holdings are headquartered in Moscow, as are Russian offices of the world’s largest companies: Gazprom, RAO UES, LUKoil, Rosneft, Transneft, RussNeft, Alliance Group, Suek, Rosenergoatom, Metalloinvest, Transmashholding, Evraz Group, EuroChem, Magnezit Group and others”, HE Yongawo noted.
The Ambassador informed the Minister and his Team of Experts that in his three years as Envoy, he has noted 120 beautiful parks in Moscow-from the Gorky Park, Sokolniki, Izmailovsky to the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve.
HE Yongawo continued that despite the large population and the huge task of running a massive cosmopolitan city like Moscow, the city’s administration appears to be doing so seamlessly. “Among others, the city always appears bright, clean and orderly. This is all down to the great work the Mayor and all of you are doing”, the diplomat added.
“I applaud you for this great transformation your government have done in changing Moscow into a top-class city in the world”
Ambassador Yongawo reminded his host that Sierra Leone was one of the first African countries post-independent, to establish diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union in 1962, which has continued with the Russian Federation-spanning over 59 years”
“Whilst diplomatic relations with Russia appears to be flourishing and has particularly taken a positive turn in the last 3 years, and Sierra Leonean citizens are immensely benefiting from educational support from the Russian Federation, our bilateral trade is in low single digits — in US$ millions”
“The latter should be of particular focus as there are untapped possibilities in both countries. I am convinced that there are lots of possibilities and areas for collaboration between Sierra Leone-my small Western African Country and Moscow with the Ministry of Local and Rural Development in the area of Local Governance.
“The latter has the mandate of supervising twenty-two Local Councils and one hundred and ninety chiefdoms across the country. In the last two years, the Ministry embarked on reforming its operations, informed by six Strategic Pillars developed by the Ministry.
HE Yongawo states: “Thus, I am seeking for deepening collaboration and strengthening of ties and exchanges of ideas, in particularly, running successful local government. in all facets in the 21st Century with all its ascendant difficulties”
“Allow me therefore to use this opportunity in seeking through the Moscow Mayor’s office, a working visit to Moscow by the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development”, he ended.
By Festus J. Lahai, Information Attache, Moscow, Russian Federation
11/10/2021