Freetown, 10th September 2026- Preparations for the West Africa Integration and Investment Summit (WAIIS) 2026 gained momentum this week as Sierra Leone’s special envoy, Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, met with Chinese Ambassador Zhao Yong to discuss opportunities for deeper private sector engagement.
The courtesy and working meeting, held Wednesday at the Chinese Embassy in Freetown, focused on strengthening cooperation and attracting Chinese investment into priority sectors. Yumkella briefed Ambassador Zhao on the summit’s investment agenda, highlighting opportunities for Chinese companies to play a greater role in advancing regional integration, industrialization, and sustainable development across West Africa.
Patrick Kormawa, chief technical adviser to the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security (PI‑CREF), expressed appreciation to China for supporting professional training and capacity development for PI‑CREF staff. He noted that such cooperation is critical to building local expertise in renewable energy and food security.
Ambassador Zhao pledged the embassy’s support for WAIIS 2026 and reaffirmed China’s longstanding bilateral ties with Sierra Leone. He said the embassy was ready to explore avenues for Chinese companies to participate in the summit and reiterated continued cooperation with PI‑CREF, particularly in staff training and professional development.
Scheduled for November 17–18, WAIIS 2026 will bring together governments, investors, development partners, and private sector leaders to advance investment opportunities and strengthen economic cooperation across West Africa.
