The United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Susan Rice will not travel to Sierra Leone as part of the UN Security Council’s three-nation West Africa visit next week.
Public Affairs Officer at the US embassy in Freetown, Mark Carr tells Politico that Ms Rice will lead the delegation to Ivory Coast and Liberia but will head straight back to New York from Abidjan.
No reasons have been given for the change as Ms Rice had been scheduled to lead the team to Sierra Leone mid week next week, according to sources. But it comes after Politico reported earlier this week, quoting presidential sources, that President Ernest Bai Koroma would not be around to see the high-powered 29-member dele as plans are being finalised for a China visit.
However Carr says “US will continue to be represented on the US Security Council delegation to Sierra Leone”.
The UNSC delegation is scheduled to hold talks with government and civil society groups amid controversy leading to November’s presidential and legislative elections.
© Politico 2012
