By Austin.thomas@awokonewspaper.sl
Freetown, SIERRA LEONE – Businesspeople in Sierra Leone have welcomed the optimization of China’s COVID-19 policy, which they say will boost trade between the two countries.
Since last weekend, inbound visitors have been able to enter the Chinese mainland without undergoing quarantine, as part of measures carried out by China to adjust its COVID-19 policy and facilitate international travel.
Members of the Sierra Leone-China Businesswomen Organization have been delighted by the policy change. Most of the group’s members in the country have been importing products from China, mainly textiles, shoes, and clothing, for over a decade.
They are optimistic that the latest measures will make the global supply chain more effective.
Over the past three years, most of these business owners in Sierra Leone have had to purchase goods from China online because of pandemic restrictions. The goods often took months to arrive.
Fatmata Kamara, a member of the organization, said the policy change has greatly encouraged the members of her organization to start traveling again to China to buy their products.
“It’s a great relief for everyone because our businesses were greatly affected by the impact of the health crisis, as the organization’s members are preparing to return to China soon.”
Guangzhou, an economic hub in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, is a favorite destination for entrepreneurs from Sierra Leone.
But Fatmata Kamara said that it will take time for Sierra Leone businesspeople to start returning to China because of a lack of capital resulting from the strains caused by the pandemic and the depreciation of the Leone.
“We got the news almost at the end of December 2022, about China’s optimization (of COVID-19 policy), so my business colleagues and I are happy about the news,” she said.
Many of these business people who had turned to Eastern Europe for goods are now happy with the announcement of the eased policy, as they say, it is good news for them. Now, they can start preparing to start flying back to China after the Chinese New Year holidays for the first time in three years.
Fatmata said she trades in clothing, shoes, and building materials, and is hoping to go to China soonest.
“I usually go to Turkey, and most businesspeople have been going there recently. But you know, China is the place all Sierra Leonean businesspeople go for their goods. So, we are glad to start going back to China once more to buy our goods because when we are on the ground, we have added advantage to get the quality and best price than when we buy online.” AT/15/1/2023
