The Sierra Leone Web

Adopted by the United States House of Representatives on 21 May 1996 and by the United States Senate on 28 June 1996. A framed copy of the resolution will be presented to President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah upon his visit to the United States by Representative Arno Houghton of New York.

Congratulating the people of the Republic of Sierra Leone on the success of their recent democratic multiparty elections.

Whereas since 1991, the people of the Republic of Sierra Leone have endured a horrific civil war that has killed thousands of individuals and displaced more than half of the population of the country;

Whereas for the first time in almost 30 years, the Republic of Sierra Leone held their first truly democratic multiparty elections to elect a president and parliament and put an end of military rule;

Whereas the elections held on February 26, 1996, and the subsequent runoff election held on March 15, 1996, were deemed by international and domestic observers to be free and fair and legitimate expressions of the will of the people of Sierra Leone;

Whereas success of the newly elected democratic government led by President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah could have a positive effect on the West African neighbors of the Republic of Sierra Leone; and

Whereas this historic event of democratic multiparty elections in the Republic of Sierra Leone should be honored: Now therefore be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), that the Congress

(1) congratulates the people of Sierra Leone on holding their first democratic multiparty presidential and parliamentary elections in nearly thirty years;

(2) encourages all Sierra Leoneans to continue to work together after taking this critical first step on the road to lasting peace and democracy;

(3) reaffirms the United States' commitment to help nations move toward freedom and democracy; and

(4) further reaffirms that the United States is committed to encouraging democracy and peaceful development on the African continent.