EU Hosts Private Dinner for Sierra Leone President Maada Bio During Brussels Visit

The European Union (EU) hosted a private dinner for Sierra Leone President Dr. Julius Maada Bio during his visit to Brussels last month, according to a press release from the EU Mission in Sierra Leone. The statement was released on March 2nd, in response to complaints made by Honorable Emerson Saa Lamina, the Leader of the Coalition for Change (C4C) party in Sierra Leone.

During a joint parliamentary session between the EU and Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACP) on March 1st, Hon. Lamina accused EU Ambassador in Sierra Leone, Manuel Muller, of undiplomatic conduct and called for his reprimand. In response, the EU Mission in Sierra Leone issued a lengthy statement, noting that if Hon. Lamina’s accusations were true, President Bio would have raised the issue with top EU officials during his visit to Brussels.

The statement went on to list the President’s engagements during his visit, including a private dinner hosted by the President of the Council of the European Union, H.E. Charles Michel. While some have criticized the inclusion of such information in a diplomatic dispatch, others have noted that it is common practice for heads of state to attend private events during official visits.