Credited for his role in getting personnel from the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces to begin to deploy to UN peacekeeping operations for the first time, Ambassador and Permanent Representative-designate to the Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone to the United Nations in New York, Col (Rtd) Alhaji Fanday Turay Esq. has told President Dr Julius Maada Bio that he plans to reactive the active deployment of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSALF) in peacekeeping operations of the United Nations.
He was speaking yesterday at State House, where he met with the President to officially bid him farewell as he departs for New York to replace Ambassador Dr Alie Kabba as Sierra Leone’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
With accreditation to Mexico, Uruguay, Argentina, Venezuela, and Cuba, the Rtd Col was Military Adviser to the Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone to the UN, where he used his offices to actively lobby for the deployment of our force to UN peacekeeping.
According to him, “I will pursue the implementation of the “Roadmap” agreed between the Government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations Peace-Building Commission (PBC) in the aftermath of the withdrawal of Sierra Leone from the formal agenda of the PBC,” and it is in this context that he promised to get the troops to return to peacekeeping operations.
Additionally, the Ambassador-designate promised to propagate the Sierra Leone Medium-Term National Development Plan 2019-2023 in the UN, “within the context of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Also, in pursuance of SDG 5, he said he would leverage Sierra Leone’s chairmanship of the UN Women Board to benefit our women and girls in Sierra Leone.
He commended the President for deeming it worthy of appointing him to New York. “I am humbled by the confidence which you have reposed in me, and I would like to assure you of my utmost commitment and dedication in the successful pursuance of my mandate,” the Rtd Col reiterated.
In his response, President Bio congratulated the ambassador-designate and admonished the envoy that notwithstanding his knowledge, there are challenges and complexities ahead. However, he assured him of his continued support and wished him well on his new appointment.
Alhaji Fanday Turay recently appointed Permanent Representative of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the United Nations, will also serve as the Sierra Leone Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Argentina, Cuba, Mexico, Uruguay, and Venezuela concurrently.
Before his appointment, Mr Turay served as Security Adviser at the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force in Syria. He has 14 years of experience in peacekeeping with the UN, working in Liberia, Ethiopia, the African Union operations in Mali, the Central Africa Republic and Somalia.
In 2009, he was Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff at the Office of Military Affairs, United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (UNDPKO). In 2019, he was appointed by President Bio as Chairman, National Commission for Privatization (NCP) in Sierra Leone.
Between 2008 and 2011, he was Legal Adviser at the Ministry of Defence, Brigade Commander, Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), Battalion Commander, Chief Personnel and Manning, Joint Forces Headquarters, Aide-de-Camp to the Head of State of the Republic of Sierra Leone, and Military Adviser to the Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone to the United Nations in New York.
He joined the Sierra Leone Army in 1990 as an Officer Cadet, and participated in ECOWAS regional operations, ECOMOG, in Liberia both in command and staff roles; and retired as a Colonel in 2011.
A lawyer by profession, Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Sierra Leone, Mr Turay obtained his Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of West London in the United Kingdom; and holds a Master of Laws in International Transport and Maritime Law (LLM) degree from the London Metropolitan University, and Masters in International Affairs (MA) from the University of Ghana; Post Graduate Certificate in Strategic Planning for Security Development from the Cranfield University in the United Kingdom.
He is a proud recipient of Special Commendations from the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations.
The Ambassador was born on 23 September 1967, and he is married to Mrs Mariama Dalanda Turay with three children.
