Her Excellency Haja Ishata Thomas, Sierra Leone’s Non-Resident Ambassador to the State of Qatar, has submitted a proposal to Al Jazeera’s Managing Editor (English), Giles Trendle, to forge a partnership between the Al Jazeera Media Network and the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC).

The proposal requests, among others, including capacity building and training for SLBC professional and administrative staff; broadcast news and current affairs and re-broadcast other programmes owned and broadcast by Al-Jazeera that are fit and proper for broadcasting in Sierra Leone, serve as a prime contact for the distribution of contents in Sierra Leone produced by Aljazeera, assist SLBC with broadcasting equipment, software, and any other form of support.

Speaking during the brief meeting with staff of Al Jazeera, Ambassador Ishata Thomas commended the news media for providing factual news covering all sides for the past 25 years. She mentioned that the SLBC was seeking a partnership to expand the corporation’s operation, given its longstanding role in maintaining professionalism, adding that SLBC would serve as the centre for Al Jazeera within the Mano River Union region. 

In the letter written to Al Jazeera, SLBC’s Director-General, Joseph E Kapuwa, noted that the SLBC considered the friendship not only mutually beneficial but immensely rewarding as they hope the partnership would add value to their services to the people of Sierra Leone and beyond.   

Receiving the Letter of Request for partnership and the Proposal, the Managing Editor of English, Giles Trendle, noted they were excited to know the impact of their work, and more importantly to discuss partnership between the SLBC and Al Jazeera. He assured Her Excellency that they would examine the proposal as well as the areas of partnership and respond accordingly.

The engagement was climaxed with a conducted tour at the Al Jazeera broadcasting facility.