Current Press Releases

ECOWAS Vehicle Usage Donation to Sierra Leone National Elections

July 26, 2007
US Embassy, Freetown
Contact: APAO Amelia F. Broderick
Tel: 515000

As part of its ECOWAS election support program to Sierra Leone, the United States Government, on July 24 handed over 40 vehicles to the Government of Sierra Leone to be used by the National Electoral Commission (NEC) for the up coming Presidential and Parliamentary elections to be held on August 11, 2007.
 
At a brief ceremony held at the PAE Depot at Murray Town, marking the handing over of the vehicles, American Ambassador the Sierra Leone Thomas N. Hull remarked that “the use of the U.S. Government vehicles from the Depot to support elections in West Africa is consistent with our objective of building peace in the region.”  The Acting Minster of Development and Economic Planning Mr. Ibrahim M. Sesay, Director General and Ambassador at Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Umaru B. Wurie and the Western Area Commissioner for NEC Sierra Leone Ms. Daphne Olu-Williams, also participated in the ceremony.

Since 1996, the U.S. Government, through its contract with the PAE, has provided logistical support to ECOWAS interests in Sierra Leone. The current project of supporting the efforts of NEC in Sierra Leone continues this tradition of U. S. Government support. The project has provided 20 Toyota Hilux double cabin pick up trucks and 20 cargo-carrier Mercedes Benz trucks to be used by NEC for thirty days, beginning July 24. The project also provided PAE-trained drivers, mechanics and load-masters that will service and maintain the vehicles.

These vehicles were used to show the ECOWAS support for free and fair election processes in Liberia during its recent Presidential elections. PAE, with funding from the U.S. Government, rebuilt these vehicles to nearly new condition for use by NEC Sierra Leone for the 2007 elections. The vehicles will be returned to PAE at the end of thirty days for refurbishment, so they can continue to support the democratic goals of ECOWAS, Sierra Leone and the United States Government.