Sierra Leone’s Medium-Term National Development Plan 2024 – 2030

1. Background and Introduction ............................................................................................................ 22 1.1 Overview of implementation of the MTNDP 2019-2023.................................................................. 23 1.2 Towards an acceleration and transformational Plan for 2024-2030............................................. 26 1.3 Plan preparation process .................................................................................................................... 32 1.4 Organization of the document ........................................................................................................... 34 2.1 Current poverty profile........................................................................................................................ 34 2.2 Population trends ................................................................................................................................. 36 2.3 Structure of the economy and growth diagnostic ........................................................................... 38 2.4. Current challenges to macroeconomic development ................................................................... 43 2.5. Medium-term macroeconomic policy framework for delivering the Plan ................................. 44 Part 2: .................................................................................................................................... The Big 5 Game Changers ...................................................................................................................................................... 52 5.1. Feed Salone........................................................................................................................................... 55 5.1.1 Accelerating productivity and commercialisation of the agricultural sector.......................... 55 5.1.2 Accelerating productivity and sustainable management of fisheries and the marine sector ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………60 5.1.3 Availability, access and consumption of diverse, safe and nutritious foods ........................... 63 5.2. Human Capital Development ............................................................................................................ 67 5.2.1 Accelerating and expanding free quality basic and senior secondary education ................... 67 5.2.2 Strengthening tertiary and higher education ............................................................................... 72 5.2.3 Improving health care delivery ....................................................................................................... 77 5.2.4 Malaria, HIV/AIDS and TB ................................................................................................................. 80 5.2.5 Water, environmental sanitation, waste management and hygiene ....................................... 83 5.2.6 Women’s empowerment .................................................................................................................. 85 5.2.7 Children, the aged and disability welfare ...................................................................................... 88 5.2.8 Social protection ................................................................................................................................ 94 5.2.8 Land, housing and urbanisation ..................................................................................................... 96 5.2.9. Consumer protection and competition law ................................................................................. 97 5.3 Youth Employment Scheme ................................................................................................................ 99 5.3.1 General employment promotion for youth................................................................................... 99 5.3.2 Addressing irregular migration ..................................................................................................... 101 5.3.3 Resolving barriers to youth employment .................................................................................... 103 5.3.4 Employment across the big five game changers ........................................................................ 105 5.3.5 Employment across the big five game changers ........................................................................ 111 5.4. Infrastructure, technology and innovation ................................................................................... 114 5.4.1. Energy ............................................................................................................................................... 114 5.4.2. Road and transportation systems ............................................................................................... 117 5.4.3. Technology and innovation .......................................................................................................... 124 5.5. Transforming the public service architecture .............................................................................. 128 5.6. District priorities across the big 5s ................................................................................................. 132 Part 3: .. Enabler…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 140 Enabler 1: Diversifying the economy and promoting growth ............................................................ 141 2 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 1.1 Transforming the tourism sector ..................................................................................................... 141 1.2. Strengthening private sector for trade and sustainable development .................................... 144 1.3. Value addition and efficient management of natural resources............................................... 146 1.4. Financial inclusion for strengthened rural and informal economies........................................ 149 Enabler 2: Governance and Accountability .......................................................................................... 152 2.1. Political modernization for consolidating peace and national cohesion ................................. 152 2.3. Public financial management .......................................................................................................... 155 2.4. Audit services ..................................................................................................................................... 157 2.5. Inclusive and accountable justice institutions ............................................................................. 158 2.6. Public trust in state institutions ..................................................................................................... 161 2.7. Decentralisation, local governance, and rural development ..................................................... 162 2.8. Security institutions.......................................................................................................................... 164 Enabler 3: Advancing climate resilience and environmental action ................................................ 166 3.1. Building national environmental resilience .................................................................................. 166 3.2. Forestry management and wetland conservation ....................................................................... 167 3.3. Disaster management and governance ......................................................................................... 168 Enabler 4: Gender mainstreaming ......................................................................................................... 171 Enabler 5: Financing, partnerships for implementation and risks management .......................... 176 5.1. Cost of the plan and financing gap ................................................................................................. 176 5.2. Financing requirements for specific high-level interventions ................................................... 183 5.3. Integrated financing strategy.......................................................................................................... 186 5.4. Strengthening external relations and economic diplomacy ...................................................... 189 5.5. Implementation arrangement ........................................................................................................ 191 5.6. Monitoring and evaluation, performance management and service delivery ........................ 193 5.7. Strengthening statistical systems .................................................................................................. 195 5.8. Communication for development ................................................................................................... 196 5.9. Risks and mitigating strategies ....................................................................................................... 197 Annex 1: List of project areas in the New MTNDP 2024-2030 …………………………………………………..199 3 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Acronyms ACC Anti-Corruption Commission ADR Alternative Dispute Resolution AFCFTA Africa Continental Free Trade Area ASSL Audit Service Sierra Leone AU African Union BSL Bank of Sierra Leone CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women CG Consultative Group CTI Communications, Technology, and Innovation DACO Development Assistance Coordination Office DAD Development Assistance Database DDCC District Development Coordination Committee DEPAC Development Partners Committee DFS Digital Financial Services DHS Demographic and Health Survey EPI Environmental Performance Index FQE Free Quality Education FX Foreign Exchange GANHRI Global Alliance for National Human Rights Institutions GBVIMS Gender-Based Violence Information Management System GDP Gross Domestic Product GER Gross Enrolment Rate HCD Human Capital Development HDI Human Development Index ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization ICPNC Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion INFF Integrated National Financing Framework INTOSAI International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions MDAs. Ministries, Departments and Agencies MoPED Ministry of Planning and Economic Development MTDS Medium-Term Debt Strategy MTEF Medium-Term Expenditure Framework MTHE Ministry of Technical and Higher Education MTND Medium-Term National Development Plan MTRS Medium-Term Revenue Strategy NCRA National Civil Registration Authority NCTVA National Council for Vocational Training and other Academic Awards NDMA National Disaster Management Agency NDPs National Development Plans NFCS National Framework for Climate Services NFF National Fire Force NPSE National Primary School Examination PPPs Public-Private Partnerships PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper PWD People with Disabilities SAI Supreme Audit Institution SDGs Sustainable Development Goals SGBV Sexual and Gender-Based Violence SLCS Sierra Leone Correctional Service SLeCAA Sierra Leone Commission on Arms and Ammunition SMEs Small Medium-Sized Enterprises Stats SL Statistics Sierra Leone TEMA Traffic Engineering and Management Agency TVET Technical, Vocational and Educational Training UNCDF UN Capital Development Fund 4 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Tables Table 1.1: Status of key socioeconomic indicators during 2000-2023 23 Table 1.2: Aligning the Big Five Game Changers with AU2063 Aspirations 29 Table 1.3: Aligning the Big Five Game Changers with ECOWAS Vision 2050 29 Table 1.4: Aligning the Big Five Game Changers with the g7+ Peacebuilding and State-building Goals 30 Table 1.5: Regional Poverty Indices 35 Table 2.1.1: Production Trends of Selected Crops 2019-2025 56 Table 2.1.2: Food Insecurity by Population 57 Table 2.1.3: Key Targets for Big 5.1.1 Agriculture 59 Table 2.1.4: Key Targets for Big 5.1.2 Fisheries & Marine Products 62 Table 2.1.5: Key Targets for Big 5.1.3 Nutrition 65 Table 2.2.1: Gross enrolment rate for all levels of schooling 67 Table 2.2.2: Primary Schools Benefiting from School Feeding, 2017-2022 68 Table 2.2.3: Enrolment of pupils with disabilities 2017-2022 68 Table 2.2.4: Number of Pregnant Girls in School, 2020-2022 68 Table 2.2.5: Number of Schools by Level 2017 – 2022 69 Table 2.2.6: NPSE Candidates Sitting and Passing by Sex 2018:2023 69 Table 2.2.7: Pass Rate for Basic Education Certificate Examination by Sex 2018-2022 70 Table2.2.8: Candidates Sitting and Obtaining University Requirements in WASSCE 2019:2022 70 Table 2.2.9: Number of Schools Reporting Incidences of SGBV 70 Table 2.2.10: Key Targets for Big 5.2.1 Basic and Senior Secondary Education 71 Table 2.2.11: Summary of Student population in Public Institutions 2014-2023 73 Table 2.2.12: Key Targets for Big 5.2.2 Higher Education Institutions 75 Table 2.2.13: Status in selected outcome/impact health indicators 2013-2019 78 Table 2.2.14: Key Targets for Big 5.2.3 Health 79 Table 2.2.15: Key Targets for Big 5.2.5 Water and Sanitation 84 Table 2.2.16: Trends in SGBV cases 86 Table 2.2.17: Key Targets for Big 5.2.6 Women’s Empowerment 87 Table 2.2.18: Share of the elderly population and other indicators during 1985-2015 92 Table 2.2.19: Share of the elderly population by sex and place of residence 92 Table 2.3.1: Relevant government coordinated project areas to support job creation for youth 107 Table 2.3.2: Projected supply of 350,000 jobs for youth through direct private sector employment 110 Table 2.4.1: Trends in performance in the energy sector 2019-2021 115 Table 2.4.2: Key Targets for Big 5.4.1 Energy 116 Table 2.4.3: Key Targets for Big 5.4.3 Communication, Technology & Information 126 Table 2.5.1: Key Targets for Big 5.5 Transforming the Public Sector Architecture 130 Table 3.1.1: Key Targets for Enabler 1.1 Transforming the Tourism Sector 143 Table 3.1.2: Mining Sector’s Contribution to the Sierra Leone Economy, 2018-2022 146 5 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 3.1.3: Key Targets for Enabler 1.3 Value addition and efficient management of natural resources 147 Table 3.1.4: Key Targets for Enabler 1.4 Financial inclusion for strengthened rural and informal economies 150 Table 3.2.1: Legal Representation 2019-2023 159 Table 3.2.2: Alternative Dispute Resolution ADR 2019-2023 159 Table 3.2.3: Key Targets for Enabler 2.7 Decentralisation, local governance, and rural development 163 Table 3.3.1: Gender differentials in decision making in Sierra Leone 2023 171 Table 3.3.2: Gender differentials in decision making in Sierra Leone 2018 172 Table 3.3.3: Policy themes and specific policy areas 173 Table 3.4.1: Cost of the National Development Plan 2024–2030 (US$m) 177 Table 3.4.2: Non-Salary, Non-interest recurrent budget estimates, and foreign and domestic development estimates of Government of Sierra Leone (US$m) 179 Table 3.4.3: Foreign development estimates of Government of Sierra Leone (US$m) 181 Table 3.4.4: Domestic development estimates of Government of Sierra Leone (US$m) 182 Table 3.4.5: Summary Analysis of the PIP (2018 -2022) 186 Table 3.4.6: NGO Registration in Sierra Leone 188 Figures Figure 1.1 Alignment of Big 5 Game Changers and the SDGs 28 Figure 1.2 Strategic National Goals 31 Figure 1.3 Theory of Change 32 Figure 1.4a Income poverty headcount 34 Figure 1.4b Multidimensional poverty 34 Figure 1.4c MPI Scores by Districts, 2019 35 Figure 1.5 Sierra Leone Population Pyramid and Growth 2020 37 Figure 1.6 Growth per capita (2010-2028) 39 Figure 1.7 Sector-wise contribution (% of GDP) 40 Figure 1.8 Employment per sector 40 Figure 1.9 Informal employment (2017-2018) 41 Figure 1.10 Growth rate and sector value added 42 Figure 1.11 Shares in sources of growth 42 Figure 1.12 Status of Export Diversification 44 Figure 2.1 Nexus among the Big 5s 53 Figure 2.2 Composition of Agricultural Output in 2022 56 Figure 2.3 Strategic Pillars in Feed Salone 58 Figure 2.4 Nutritional status of children by age 64 Figure 2.5 Childhood anaemia by residence 64 Figure 2.6 Number of students who participated in the WASSCE examinations: 2017 to 2023 72 Figure 2.7 Summary of Student Population in TVET Institutions 2014-2023 73 Figure 2.8 Projected supply of 150,000 jobs for youth through public sector coordinated programmes 106 Figure 2.9 Performance of DFS indicators for December 2020 125 Figure 3.1 Revenue trends in the tourism sector 142 Figure 3.2 Sierra Leone Financial Inclusion Rate 149 Figure 3.3 External aid flows to Sierra Leone 2012-2022 187 Figure 3.4 Flow of implementation responsibility 191 6 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Foreword Message from the President My Government has concluded the preparation of Sierra Leone’s Medium-Term National Development Plan for the period 2024-2030. The new plan builds on gains made from its predecessor implemented during the first term of my Administration. The present plan will address unfinished business from the last plan and emerge challenges, as we renew our determination to accelerate efforts towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. It should be recalled that the global circumstances that surrounded the implementation of the previous plan 2019-2023 was extremely unfavourable for Sierra Leone, as experienced in the rest of the world owing to the widespread effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and other global challenges. Despite these challenges, my Government stayed the course of implementing priority projects in the previous development plan; efforts that were supported with the simultaneous implementation of crisis mitigation frameworks, such as our Quick Action Economic Recovery Programme and the Health Preparedness and Response Programme that were put together to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our flagship Free Quality Education Programme in the last plan recorded remarkable performance, increasing school enrolment by over one million during 2019-2023. Laudable milestones were also achieved in a range of other sectors, as reported later in this new plan, including the areas of maternal and child mortality reduction, access to justice, fight against corruption, social protection, and gender equality and women’s empowerment. Going forward, we do recognise the mammoth challenges that will confront our elevated ambition to deliver our national goals and SDGs by 2030, including fiscal limitations. Accordingly, my Government has carefully conceptualised Big Five Game Changers to provide strategic direction to the state in the next 7 years, with carefully identified enablers. The Big 5s are: 1) Feed Salone, aimed at boosting agricultural productivity to ensure food security; 2) Human Capital Development, focused on delivering inclusive skills and a healthy population; Youth Employment Scheme, aimed at creating 500,000 new jobs for youths; 4) Technology and Infrastructure, focused on increasing investment in infrastructure, technology and digitalisation; and 5) Transforming the Public Service Architecture, to ensure efficiency and professionalism in the public sector. We have prioritised Feed Salone as our flagship programme among the Big 5s, in light of the need to focus special attention on addressing the grim food insecurity situation of the country, with its dire implications for macroeconomic, social and democratic stability. This flagship programme constitutes a frontier shift from our Human Capital Development flagship programme during the previous plan that will be scaled-up during 2024- 2030 along Feed Salone and the other Big 5s. Let me thank the millions of Sierra Leoneans and others that immensely contributed to the production of this plan, including participants from our state institutions, cabinet ministers, local councils and communities, the private sector, the civil society, persons with disabilities, women and youth groups, traditional leaders, trade unions, members of parliament, learning institutions, students, the academia, and several others. This document will guide the operations of all development actors in the country, our development partners, non-state actors, and the private sector. Government ministries, departments and agencies and local councils are expected to play a central role in the operationalisation of the plan through the articulation and implementation of sectoral and district development plans, aligned to the national blueprint. As with the previous 7 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation previous national plan, the current framework is aligned to sub-regional, regional and global development blueprints, such as the ECOWAS Vision 2050, the African Union Agenda 2063 and the UN SDGs. I remain proud of each and every one of us that participated in delivering this new plan for our beloved country, Sierra Leone, which we have been able to innovatively produce with far less resources than anticipated. I entreat us all to display the same spirit of collective activism in the implementation phase to deliver desired results through joint resource mobilisation efforts, constant follow-up and monitoring and evaluation of implementation. His Excellency Retired Brigadier Julius Maada Bio PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE 8 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Preface Sierra Leone successfully endured the global socioeconomic and geopolitical fallouts that derailed the implementation of the country’s previous Medium-Term National Development (MTNDP) 2019-2023. The new MTNDP 2024-2030 has been developed with a strong consideration of the lessons learned from the previous plan. Accordingly, the new plan will increase investment in building economic, social and environmental resilience to better ward off future shocks with fewer effects on national development programmes. This generational need has informed the articulation of our government’s evidence-based Big Five Game Changers that provide the strategic direction to the formulation and implementation of the new national development plan. This plan illustrates the Government’s elevated ambition to bring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) back on-track in Sierra Leone through this national blueprint that is heavily focused on building a capable and effective national economy as a prerequisite for social, economic, environmental and democratic stability. It is indeed critical going forward with the new plan that we prioritise investment in increased domestic productivity and revenue mobilisation. We will place the people at the centre of financing for development more than ever, while scaling up sectoral coordination and public policy coherence, prioritisation and sequencing. We recognize the increased need for deepening development cooperation and multilateralism in the new plan at global, regional and sub-regional levels, as we will pursue an integrated national financing framework informed by constant analytics of resource options in financing sustainable development in the country; a framework within which ensuring constant pursuit of innovative financing and production of optimal bankable projects is crucial. We shall ensure that gender sensitivity, women’s empowerment and advancing climate resilience will remain a continuous guiding principle in pursuing paths to sustainable development. The new plan will continue the implementation of unfinished relevant programmes in the previous plan; ensure full alignment with global, regional and sub-regional development frameworks, including the ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the g7+, Sendai and climate change frameworks; ensure robust coordination within the public sector and among development partners; and support the transformation and professionalisation of the public sector that is merit-based. We will scale up investment in harnessing the country’s Demographic Dividend, Blue Economy and the African Continental Free Trade Area potential; and pursue a People’s Planning Process that will sustainably ensure the integration of village/chiefdom level planning with district and national planning and implementation processes. Let me thank ministerial colleagues for their constructive critiques and inputs during the plan formulation process, as I express profound gratitude for the invaluable inputs received from various development constituencies, including government ministries, departments and agencies, representatives from our esteemed development partners, local councils and communities, the private sector, civil society, persons with disabilities, women and youth groups, traditional leaders, cabinet ministers in my Government, trade unions, members of parliament, academia, and many more. Like the previous plan, millions were reached during the consultation process for the new plan in consonance with the leaving no one behind the principle of total inclusivity. I am proud to note that very few financial resources were committed to the process of producing this plan, yet many government and public sector operatives, staff of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) and ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), as well as stakeholders from the wider public including civil society/Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) representatives, the local councils, traditional leaders, and several others had to sacrifice tremendously to ensure that the plan was produced in record time. I am proud of them all, suggesting that amidst crises, innovation and innovative financing is possible. Thank you. 9 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation including civil society/Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) representatives, the local councils, traditional leaders, and several others had to sacrifice tremendously to ensure that the plan was produced in record time. I am proud of them all, suggesting that amidst crises, innovation and innovative financing is possible. Thank you. Madam Kenyeh Barlay MINISTER FOR PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 10 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Acknowledgements This plan is a product of mutli-stakeholder contributions to defining the strategic direction and priority programmes of the people of Sierra Leone for the next seven years. The Government of Sierra Leone under the astute leadership of His Excellency Retired Brigadier Julius Maada Bio is highly recognised for providing overall leadership and oversight to the new plan preparation process. Certainly, this plan would not have been completed without the continuous inputs received from Sierra Leone’s public sector experts in the various government ministries, departments and agencies. For this, we would like to express special appreciation to the Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh and the Head of Civil Service and Secretary to Cabinet Mr. John Sumailah for the sustained encouragement of the public sector experts to provide data and sector policy papers for the formulation of the plan. The contributions of the Local Councils, the Traditional Leaders, the Parliament and the general public reached through Radio and TV phone-in programmes cannot be overemphasised in ensuring that this plan was successfully produced in time. It would not have been possible to squarely tailor this plan to the needs of the people had it not been the direct involvement of civil society organisations, NGOs, the youth, women, children, people with disabilities, learning institutions, school pupils, the private sector, the diaspora, and several others at different levels in the plan formulation process. We convey profound thanks and appreciation to all of them. Members of the Core Technical Committee (CTC) and the Secretariat coordinating the preparation of the plan formed the backbone of the successful production of this document. We cannot thank them enough, indeed. The CTC drew membership from the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of Sierra Leone, Statistics Sierra Leone, the National Monitoring and Evaluation Department, the Institute of Population and Development Studies at the Fourah Bay College, Invest Salone, the International Growth Centre, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the African Development Bank, the European Union, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development that coordinated this Committee. The Secretariat drew membership from a cross-section of these institutions. The Development Partners Committee (DEPAC) co-chaired by the Government of Sierra Leone, the World Bank and the United Nations Resident Coordination Office has always provided strategic direction to Sierra Leone’s national development discourses, the process leading to the production of this present plan not an exception. We thank the leadership of this Committee and the general international community in Sierra Leone and Cabinet Ministers who participated in the DEPAC meetings informing this plan. Special thanks to the UNDP and UNICEF for complementing the Government of Sierra Leone in financing the preparation of this plan, while we singularly recognise the Minister of Finance, the Financial Secretary and the entire Ministry for squeezing out of the little resources the Government had to support the production of this document. We profusely thank the MoPED technical team for the preparation of the new plan. The overall leadership of Dr. Sheka Bangura was exemplary and his astute professionalism ensured that the plan obtained the analytical depth required of such a document. Dr. Robert Moikowa, adeptly spearheaded the stakeholder consultations ensuring the required voices were heard during the process of plan development. Their colleagues in the technical arm of MoPED also made significant significant input input into into both both the the process process and and document document output. output.Mrs. Mrs.Abie Abi E. Kamara, Mr. Alpha K. Bangura, Mr. Eric Massallay, Mr. Michael Samai, Mrs. Mbalu Kamara, Mr. Joseph Samah, Mr. Manso Saio Kargbo, Mr. Umaru Kabbak, Kabba,Mrs. Mrs.Elizabeth ElizabethSheriff, Sheriff,Mr. Mr. Michael Michael Gbanday, Gbanday, Mr.Mr. Ibrahim Ibrahim CC Jalloh, Jalloh, Mr. Mr. Foday Mansaray, Ibrahim Sorie and Mr. Jalloh, several others Foday including Mansaray, Mr. Paul and Allen several of NAMED, others and including Mr.thePaul Technical Allen ofStaff in NAMED, of Officethe the and the Chief Staff Technical Minister. The in the thoroughness Office of the Chiefand eye for The Minister. detail of the Technical thoroughness Adviser and eye ,Mr of the for detail Alphonso Campbell Technical also Adviser, proved Mr. invaluable. Alphonso Campbell ThealsoUNDP’s provedEconomic Advisor invaluable. The Dr. Ligane UNDP’s EconomicSene and Advisor Dr.his technical Ligane Sene and team deserve his technical commendations, team deserve as well as the Chief commendations, as of Planning well as the and Monitoring Chief of Planningat the andUNICEF Dr. at Monitoring Robert Ndamobissi the UNICEF Dr.for their Robert facilitating Ndamobissi role forin to support their the role facilitating process. in supporting the process. We wish to profusely thank our Technocratic Minister of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) Madam Kenyeh Barlay for providing overall stewardship of the entire plan preparation process, supported by her able Deputy Minister Dr. Jonathan Titus-Williams, the Development Secretary Mr. Peter Sam-Kpakra and his Deputies, and the entire administrative wing of MoPED, including junior and support staff. 11 Finally, we wish to thank the document’s editorial, design and layout team for their immense contribution in enhancing the readability and optics of the plan. SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation We wish to profusely thank our Technocratic Minister of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) Madam Kenyeh Barlay for providing overall stewardship of the entire plan preparation process, supported by her able Deputy Minister Dr. Jonathan Titus-Williams, the Development Secretary Mr. Peter Sam-Kpakra and his Deputies, and the entire administrative wing of MoPED, including junior and support staff. Finally, we wish to thank the document’s editorial, design and layout team for their immense contribution in enhancing the readability and optics of the plan. 12 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Executive Summary A. General overview The Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) has launched a new Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP). Unlike the previous plans that were implemented for five years, the new plan will be executed for a period of seven years spanning 2024-2030, in order to be fully aligned with the remaining period of implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, summarised in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The current plan is highly strategic and prioritised, drawing from crucial lessons learned in the implementation of the previous plan, the MTNDP 2019-2023. The new plan is focused on the Government’s Big Five Game Changers that constitute the country’s overarching agenda for 2030 and give strategic direction to the plan. The Game Changers are: Big 5.1 Feed Salone, aimed at boosting agricultural productivity to ensure food security, inclusive economic growth and social stability; Big 5.2 Human Capital Development, focused on delivering inclusive skills and a healthy population for the 21st century demands through scaled-up investment in human capital development; Big 5.3 Youth Employment Scheme, catalysing democratic sustainability, economic productivity and national security aimed at supplying 500,000 jobs for youths in the next five to seven years; Big 5.4 Technology and Infrastructure, focused on increasing investment in infrastructure, technology and digitalisation; and Big 5.5 Transforming the Public Service Architecture, to ensure efficiency and professionalism in the public sector to achieve effective service delivery and maximised development results. B. Key lessons to inform the 2030 plan Crucial lessons have been learned in the implementation of the previous plan 2019-2023 that are important for the current acceleration and transformative plan to deliver a resilient and robust economy for Sierra Leone by

2030. About ten months into the implementation of the previous plan, the world entered into chains of cataclysmic global crises, starting with the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019/2020 and the war in Ukraine, in a series that has continued to date with especially debilitating effects for weak economies like Sierra Leone. Therefore, prioritising domestic production processes and revenue mobilisation has become more critical if the country is to build a national capability to robustly respond to future shocks in pursuing sustainable development. It suggests that sustainable growth and development requires optimal placement of the people at the centre of financing for development, while not compromising sectoral coordination and nonduplication of public activities in the management of scarce resources. The need for deepening development cooperation and multilateralism has never been more critical, as well as getting prioritization and sequencing right in furthering judicious use of resources and transforming the economy. Having an integrated financing framework informed by constant analytics of resource options is fundamental to achieving sustainable development; a framework within which ensuring the constant pursuit of innovative financing and production of optimal bankable projects is crucial. It is additionally instructive that gender sensitivity, women’s empowerment and advancing climate resilience should be a continuous guiding principle in pursuing paths to sustainable development. c. The 2030 national goals and the Government’s flagship programme Accordingly, five national goals for 2030 have been identified to accelerate efforts towards achieving the country’s vision of becoming an inclusive and green middle-income country by 2039. Building on the goals pursued in the previous plan, the goals for the new plan are as follows: Goal 1: Sierra Leone will be food secure by 2030 (directly related to Big 5.1) Goal 2: A highly skilled, healthy, inclusive and gender-sensitive labour force, with a substantial share of middle- level manpower, and highly developed talents for professional jobs in the private sector and the civil service by 2030 (directly related to Big 5.2) 13 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Goal 03: Creating 500,000 jobs for the youth (with at least a 30% representation of women), including skilled and unskilled, long-term, as well as seasonal jobs across all sectors by 2030 (directly related to Big 5.3) Goal 04: A cashless economy, increased financial inclusion, vibrant e-government and public administration, expanded energy production, and advanced road and general transport system, well-linked with production centres to markets by 2030 (directly related to Big 5.4) Goal 05: A public service that is streamlined, attracts and keeps the brightest national talents and is generally robust in tackling challenges to sustainable development by 2030 (directly related to Big 5.5) To deliver on these goals, the Government has prioritised Feed Salone as its flagship programme among its Big Five Game Changers. The grim food security situation of the country, with its dire implications for the macroeconomic, social and democratic stability of the state has necessitated the placement of the Big 5.1 as the flagship programme of the Government for the next seven years. About 788,000 (9.3 percent of Sierra Leone’s population) were food insecure in January 2023, expected to have risen to 1.1 million (13 percent of the population) in August 2023;1 with those in extreme (food) poverty continue to be estimated at 12.9 percent (about 974,000) of the total population.2 The unprecedented reliance on the international market for the supply of the country’s staple food, especially rice, had seen a large share of the national budget dedicated to supporting the importation of essential food items—despite the enormous potential for domestic production. The depreciation of the local currency and the general rise in global prices had engendered rising local costs of these imported basic items, which in turn caused widespread upward pressure on the prices of other essential commodities, including non-food needs. Thus, placing Feed Salone at the highest pinnacle of the Government’s 2030 Agenda is crucially important. Achieving food and nutritional objectives under the flagship programme (Big 5.1) is also imperative for achieving the objectives and goals under the other Big Five Game Changers. Ensuring that people are well-fed and have access to proper nutrition is crucial for maintaining a healthy population and preparing children for school. This is essential for developing the necessary human skills and increasing economic productivity, which can have a positive impact on government revenue. Additionally, it can lead to increased investment in other Big 5 areas such as the youth employment scheme (Big 5.3), infrastructure, technology, and innovations (Big 5.4), and developing a capable workforce to effectively run and deliver results in the civil service (Big 5.5). Furthermore, having Feed Salone as the flagship programme constitutes a frontier shift from the Government’s Human Capital Development (HCD) flagship programme during the previous plan 2019-2023. While the HCD programme shall be scaled up during 2024-2030, it has achieved a stabilised focus from previous government efforts, with more than 20 percent of the national budget dedicated to the education sector, up from around 18.9 percent in 2018. This level of financing will be maintained while giving principal attention to Feed Salon in the current plan and maintaining minimum desired spending in the other Big Five Game Changers needed to achieve the 2030 national goals and vision of the country by 2039. D. Principles guiding the plan formulation and implementation The following guiding principles ensure that the production of this new plan is reflective of lessons learned and contemporary global, regional and national realities towards an implementation strategy that will optimise desired results: --------------------------------------------------------------- 1 World Bank’s 2023 Sierra Leone Economic Update Report—Enhancing Value Chains to Boost Food Security; Page 37. 2 Sierra Leone Integrated Household Survey Report 2018, Page 267; Statistics Sierra Leone/Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, Freetown. 14 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation

1. Ensuring continued implementation of unfinished relevant programmes in the previous plan;

2. Prioritisation and sequencing; full alignment with global, regional and sub-regional development frameworks;

3. Robust coordination within the public sector and among development partners; having a transformative, professional and merit-based public sector;

4. Scaled-up implementation of the integrated national financing framework;

5. Harnessing the Demographic Dividend, Blue Economy and the African Continental Free Trade Area potential;

6. Robust pursuit of bankable projects;

7. Ensuring increased sensitivity to climate resilience, renewable energy, gender and youth development; and;

8. Pursuit of a People’s Planning Process, integrating village and chiefdom level planning with district and national planning and implementation processes. E. Plan preparation process While the preparation of this plan is heavily constrained by financial resources to undertake stakeholder consultations in the depth, breadth, and intensity desired, the approach adopted was generally the same as in the previous plan. Consultations were done through national and district-level expert and focus group discussions, topped up by radio discussions involving phone-in programmes. Participants (at all levels) included public servants/experts, civil society organisations/NGOs, trade unions, the private sector (including informal operators), learning institutions, students, consultations with civil servants, local councillors, district and municipal administrators, parliamentarians, development partners, traditional authorities, youth groups, children and those in the diaspora, among others. In all a total of more than 2.3 million people participated in the plan preparation process. 15 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation F. Socio-economic indicators and the situation of the macroeconomy Some critical milestones were achieved during the implementation of the previous plan. Under the Free Quality School Education Programme within the Government’s Human Capital Development initiative, school enrolment increased more than one million to date since 2018, covering all school levels, from pre-primary to senior secondary; and gender parity was maintained in primary and achieved in junior secondary, while significant progress was made at senior secondary level. Maternal mortality rate substantially fell to 443 deaths per 100,000 live births to date, from 717 deaths in 2019 and 1,165 deaths in 2013. Infant mortality rate dropped from 92 deaths per 1,000 births in 2013 to 75 deaths in 2019; as well as under-five mortality rate, from 156 to 122 deaths during 2013-2019. In the justice sector, since the country’s Legal Aid Board was established in 2015, more than 1,200,000 underprivileged persons have received free legal services from the Board (including more than 800,000 of these beneficiaries since 2018); while a special court was established to try corruption cases. In terms of social protection, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Social Safety Net cash transfer expanded from 35,000 to 100,000 households, with a dedicated quota for people with disabilities, 11,000 of whom were additionally provided with in-kind support during lockdowns for containing the pandemic in the country. More than 10,000 youths were employed in various livelihood engagements, including in agricultural farms, regulated fishing activities, garbage collection and disposal operations, carwash centres, and in various institutions, while thousands more were trained in numerous skills. Critical advances were also made with regard to gender, including the enactment of the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Bill, which has seen a drastic increase in female representation in ministerial cabinet position in excess of 30 percent; and to 28 percent in parliament. Yet, the remaining challenges going forward to 2030 are significant. Income poverty at current prices remains high at 56.8 percent, while the population in extreme poverty stands at 12.9 percent. Multidimensional poverty has continuously dropped since 2010 but still remains high at 58 percent (2019 estimates), down from 81.5 percent in 2010, 68.3 in 2015, and 64.8 percent in 2017. Significant attention was focused on diversifying the economy in the previous plan, with significant support from development partners. However, progress in this area has not been as desired. For instance, Sierra Leone's export base in Africa is still relatively small, with only 2.75 percent of exports to the ECOWAS region and only 3.22 percent to the continent, while exports to China and Europe, for example, account for about 40 percent of total exports in 2021. The Herfindahl concentration index, a diversification measure, shows that Sierra Leone, like many countries in West Africa, has a concentrated export basket, where the average concentration index is 0.28, higher than in East Africa (0.03). The export basket contains only a few goods, five of one type and twelve of another3 which account for 75 and 90 percent of all exports, respectively, in 2021. While the agriculture industry experienced modest growth, its reliance on the domestic market has impeded the ability to expand agricultural exports. Agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing as well as mining and natural resources, if properly managed, provide a basis for further diversifying the economy. Despite Sierra Leone’s abundant natural resources and periods of high growth in the past, productive transformation is low, and the levels of poverty and inequality, including gender inequality, are high. Manufacturing (included in industry) value added is low at two percent of GDP. A nascent recovery in manufacturing was disrupted by tightening financial conditions and a slump in private investment. Fuel shortages and higher fuel prices increased production costs for transporters and manufacturers, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The sector benefited from government support to SMEs through the MUNAFA Fund and Bank of Sierra Leone’s SLL500 billion special credit facility at the peak of COVID-19. However, SMEs continue to bear the brunt of the economic shocks, including the lingering effects of the pandemic and the fallout from the war in Ukraine. Overall economic growth is expected to strengthen further but remains moderate, averaging 4.4 percent over 2022–2024. Manufacturing can play a pivotal role in diversifying the economy and providing employment opportunities to individuals with limited skills and making growth more sustainable. The sector has the advantage of facilitating rapid productivity growth to catch up with regional and global competitors. However, for that to happen, a considerable amount of support is needed for local firms to ensure compliance with required quality and standards, enabling them to gain access to export markets. --------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Titanium ores and concentrates, Iron ores and concentrates; including roasted iron pyrites, Wood in the rough, whether or not stripped of bark or sapwood, or roughly squared. 16 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation G. Macroeconomic framework to guide plan implementation 2024-2030 The main goal of the Government’s macroeconomic management in the medium-term is to preserve macro- financial stability and foster conditions conducive to sustained, inclusive green growth to create high-paying jobs, increase food security and reduce household poverty. These efforts will be supported by the implementation of institutional and business-friendly reforms that will engender private sector participation, increase foreign direct investment (FDI), bring public finances to a sustainable path, contain persistently high inflation, stabilize the exchange rate, and minimize debt sustainability risks. Consistently, these reforms will be complemented by structural reforms to bolster external resilience, strengthen public financial management reforms to enhance the transparency and accountability in the use of public finances and create the needed fiscal space to increase spending on growth-enhancing sectors to create jobs, reduce poverty and food insecurity. H. Planned sectoral policy areas and actions In light of the above background, the new MTNDP 2024-2030 has been framed around five broad overarching Policy Result Areas (PRAs), each reflecting one of the Government’s Big Five Game Changers, cascaded into several Sub-Result Areas. These strategic result areas will be supported by five main Enablers perceived as catalysts to the implementation of strategies for achieving the objectives of the Big 5s. The five overarching PRAs, their Enablers and relevant operational focus areas are presented below. I. The Big 5 investment areas In light of the above background, the new MTNDP 2024-2030 has been framed around five broad overarching Policy Result Areas (PRAs), each reflecting one of the Government’s Big Five Game Changers, cascaded into several Sub-Result Areas. These strategic result areas will be supported by five main Enablers perceived as catalysts to the implementation of strategies for achieving the objectives of the Big 5s. The five overarching PRAs, their Enablers and relevant operational focus areas are presented below. Big 5.1 - Feed Salone. As noted above Feed Salone is the Government’s flagship programme among its Big 5 Game Changers for 2030, aimed at the commercialisation and increasing the efficiency of the agricultural sector to propel economic transformation and accelerate economic growth, thus reducing poverty, hunger and undernutrition. Under this Policy Result Area, the Government will pursue specific strategies under the following broad sectoral areas: 5.1.1 Accelerating productivity and commercialisation of the agricultural sector; 5.1.2 Accelerating productivity and sustainable management of fisheries and the marine sector; and 5.1.3 Ensuring availability, access and consumption of diverse, safe and nutritious foods. Big 5.2 - Human capital development. Scaling-up investment in human capital development such as in education, health, water and sanitation, housing, gender and women empowerment, and social protection is generally at the fore of long-term socioeconomic transformation and development of the country. It is a lead imperative for effective delivery of the objectives of the other Big 5s. Under this Policy Result Area, government will pursue specific strategies under the following broad sectoral areas: 5.2.1 Accelerating and expanding free quality basic and senior secondary education; 5.2.2 Strengthening tertiary and higher education; 5.2.3 Improving health care delivery; 5.2.4 Scaling-up investment in water, environmental sanitation, waste management and hygiene; 5.2.5 Advancing efforts in gender and women’s empowerment; 5.2.6 Strengthening social protection; 5.2.7 Increasing welfare of children, the aged and persons with disabilities; and 5.2.8 Addressing land, housing and urbanisation challenges; 5.2.9 Consumer protection and competition law. 17 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Big 5.3 - Youth employment scheme. Accelerating direct investment in youth empowerment will directly impact economic growth and increase the consolidation of national security and social stability. Indeed, the success of this scheme cannot be overemphasised for the effective delivery of planned results in the other Big 5s that will require the input of empowered youth. Under this Policy Result Area, the Government will pursue specific strategies under the following broad sectoral areas: 5.3.1 General employment promotion for youth; 5.3.2 Sports for Addressing irregular migration and drug issues for youth safety and development. Big 5.4 - Infrastructure, technology and innovation. Strengthening digital services, energy supplies and road systems across the country is highly indispensable in ensuring effective delivery of the five national goals that the Big Five Game Changers are combined to achieve by 2030. For instance, the running of an effective and efficient public service sector (Big 5.5) could only sustainably be possible if the requisite investment in infrastructure, technology and innovation is made; especially with respect to improving areas in the public service system such as sectoral coordination and policy coherence, public financial management and general public architecture governance. Under this Policy Result Area, the Government will pursue specific strategies under the following broad sectoral areas: 5.4.1 Increasing investment in general energy supply; 5.4.2 Advancing road and transportation systems; and 5.4.3 Scaling up investment in communications, technology and innovation. Big 5.5 - Transforming the public service architecture. A capable public service (driven by professionalism, integrity, well-motivated manpower, and strong sectoral coordination/policy coherence) provides the enabling stream for the effective delivery of desired results from the execution of all public policies, plans, programmes and projects. Indeed, the rest of the Government’s Game Changers are incumbent upon a strong public service system, as the latter is also highly dependent on the first four Big 5s. The foregoing summaries depict a strong nexus/interdependence required among the Big Five Game Changers necessary to accelerate the delivery of the national goals by 2030. Catalysing this nexus are the five special Enablers conceptualised to speed the implementation of direct actions needed under the respective Big 5s for the achievement of the national goals. Investment areas for the five Enablers to drive the Big 5s ➢ Enabler 1: Scaling up efforts to diversify the economy. Delivering a resilient economy for sustainable development requires adequate structural transformation and economic diversification. Sierra Leone’s economy has endured protracted effects from external shocks, like the Ebola epidemic, the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. This characterisation can largely be attributed to the highly concentrated nature of the country’s economic activities for the generation of state revenue to finance development. In light of this, the Government will continue to work with development partners to scale-up the country’s economic diversification programme. Under this Enabling Area, therefore, the Government will focus on pursuing specific catalytic strategies under the following broad sectoral areas: 1.1 Transforming the tourism sector; 1.2 Strengthening the private sector for trade and sustainable development, effectively implementing the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); 1.3 Value addition and efficient management of natural resources; and 1.4 Financial inclusion for strengthened rural and informal economies. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 18 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Enabler 2: Governance and accountability. Sustained improvement in the general governance landscape of the country is fundamental to maximising the chances of achieving desired development outcomes. This calls for mobilising needed support to ensure effective political administration, build trust in state institutions, instil integrity in service delivery, as well as full enforcement of the rule of law backed by strong security institutions and legislature, judicious use of state resources, and effective decentralisation of governance and service delivery. Under this Enabling Area, therefore, the Government will focus on pursuing specific catalytic strategies under the following broad sectoral areas: 2.1 Political modernisation for consolidating peace and national cohesion; 2.2 Strengthening the fight against corruption and illicit financial flows; 2.3 Public financial management; 2.4 Audit services; 2.5 Inclusive and accountable justice institutions; 2.6 Public trust in state institutions; 2.7 Decentralisation, local governance, and rural development; and 2.8 Security institutions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ➢ Enabler 3: Advancing climate resilience and environmental action. In a world continuously challenged by widespread effects of climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and natural disasters, it remains critical that every nation on the earth scale-up investment in this enabling area to save the planet and humanity, and indeed to save itself. It remains critical in the spirit of leaving no one behind, ensuring that human activities are conducted such that both the needs of the present and generations yet unborn are sustainably met. Under this Enabling Area, therefore, the Government will focus on pursuing specific catalytic strategies under the following broad sectoral areas: 3.1 Building national environmental resilience; 3.2 Scaling up forestry management and wetland conservation; and 3.3 Increasing investment in disaster management and governance. Also, the workstreams of the presidential initiative on climate change, renewable energy and food security focus on specific policy actions under the following broad sectoral areas: a) Reducing risks and impacts of climate-related disasters; b) Increasing renewable energy in the electricity supply mix, promoting energy use efficiency, and encouraging the transition to clean cooking to reduce demand for fuelwood; and c) 4.3 Bolstering food and nutrition systems by enhancing productivity and green agricultural transformation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ➢ Enabler 4: Gender mainstreaming. Besides the articulation of a specific strategic direction for advancing women’s empowerment within the context of driving Human Capital Development (Big 2), this plan has seen the need to separately treat the issue of gender mainstreaming as a critical and outstanding enabler. This treatment aims at maximising efforts in narrowing the gender gap in critical socioeconomic areas, drawing from the National Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy and Legislation; noting that while tremendous efforts have been made to address gender differential, the state continues to remain widely gender unequal across levels. Under this Enabling Area, therefore, the Government will focus on pursuing specific catalytic strategies under the following broad sectoral areas: a) Gender and education, economic participation, technology and communication; b) Gender and health, living with disability and sexual and gender-based violence; c) Gender and governance; d) Gender and justice, human rights and peacebuilding; e) Mainstreaming gender into policies, programmes and legal frameworks; and f) Gender and the environment. 19 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ➢ Enabler 5: Financing, partnership for implementation & risk management. This enabler directly provides the means of implementing the plan in terms of mobilisation of the required public and private financial resources, ensuring effective management of these resources through enhanced systems for robust project management, having an effective implementation follow-up, reporting and public engagement mechanism, and managing risks to implementation. Under this Enabling Area, therefore, the Government will focus on pursuing specific catalytic strategies under the following broad areas: 5.1 Cost of the plan and financing gap; 5.2 Implementation of an integrated financing strategy; 5.3 Strengthening external relations and economic diplomacy; 5.4 Implementation arrangement; 4.4 Monitoring, evaluation, performance management and service delivery; 5.5 Strengthening statistical systems; 5.6 Communication for development; and 5.7 Risks and mitigation strategies. J. Cost of the Plan n The total estimated cost of the new MTNDP 2024-2030 is US$12.05 billion, of which US$6.62 billion represents direct project-related costs, and US$5.43 billion represents the government's statutory expenditures to support project implementation. The government projects to raise US$9.49 billion from both internal and already committed external resources, leaving a total financing gap of US$2.56 billion for seven years (a US$ 366 million average annual gap), for which new money will be sought to fully finance the New National Development Plan. The US$ 366 million annual gap for the new plan compares very well with the annual gap of US$310 million for the previous five-year plan that had a total gap of US$1.55 billion. Essentially, the new plan is highly realistic of the need to ensure increased prudence in the management of state resources in the next seven years, given the challenging fiscal situation that both global and national economies will continue to encounter. The Government will implement a robust integrated national financing framework to mobilise the needed resources, including innovative, climate and blended financing. K. Mitigating Risks to Plan Implementation As in the rest of the world, Sierra Leone is expected to continue to encounter plan implementation risks from the ongoing crises engulfing the world: lingering effects of COVID-19, the continued war in Ukraine, rising conflicts in other parts of the world, and the constant effects of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. These crises are expected to negatively impact the growth, revenue and general socioeconomic performance of Sierra Leone. Accordingly, we will be monitoring the global situation and its implications for the Sierra Leonean economy as we implement this plan, giving special priority to strengthening development cooperation and coordination among all actors and sectors, as well as scaling-up domestic resource mobilisation. Implementation of the country’s integrated national financing framework will be especially critical in responding to financing risks going forward. 20 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Part 1: Context 21 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation

1. Background and Introduction Sierra Leone has implemented four comprehensive national development plans (NDPs) following the official end of the country’s civil war in 2002. These plans are: the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, PRSP 2005-2007; the Agenda for Change, PRSP 2008-2012; the Agenda for Prosperity, PRSP 2013-2018; and the Medium-Term National Development Plan, MTNDP 2019-2023.4 Over the past two decades, albeit amid stiff challenges and multiple setbacks, each of these development agendas have been able to gradually propel the country in the direction towards reducing poverty and setting the stage to achieve sustainable development through investment in the country’s work force, building of strong democratic and revenue generation institutions, diversifying the economy, and the maintaining of peace, among other interventions. One of the key lessons learnt in the implementation of the previous plans is that the plans were designed mainly to align with the country’s political term limits without serious long-term implications. This has significantly undermined the achievement of some critical development milestones over the past two decades. This current national development blueprint, which is Sierra Leone’s fifth NDP, is scheduled to be implemented over a seven-year period spanning from 2024-2030.This approach will not only ensure that this NDP has a long-term focus, but will also ensure it is strategically aligned with other global development agendas, especially the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The plan is also aligned with key human development, economic and environmental sustainability targets scheduled to be achieved by 2030 in the AU Agenda 2063 as well as the targets of ECOWAS Vision 2050. The overall objective of this approach is to generally ensure sustained and coherent development focus and engagement for effective socioeconomic transformation of the country. While the challenges While the challenges ofofoptimising optimisingnational nationaldevelopment developmentover over thethe last two decades have been generally daunting, a significant thread of achievements linking last two decades have been generally daunting, a significant threadall the previous NDPs is the sustained consolidation of peace and social cohesion for more than 20 years of achievements linking all the previous NDPs is the sustained to date. Crucially, promoting good governance, peace and security has always been a central policy cluster in all of consolidation of peace and social cohesion for more than 20 years the previous plans, as it is in this NDP for 2024-2030. Four democratic elections have been held since 2002, to date. Crucially, promoting good governance, peace and security has which have seen peaceful transfers of government administration from one political party to another. Since always been a central policy cluster in all of the previous plans, as it then, the state has participated in peace keeping missions abroad, and has is in this NDP for 2024-2030. recently, once again, secured a seat in the non-permanent category of the UN Security Council for the 2024-2025 cycle, after 51 years when Four democratic elections have been held since 2002, which have the country was first obliged that opportunity. seen peaceful transfers of government administration from one It could therefore political party to another. be argued thatthen, Since whilethe a number state has of socioeconomic participated in indicators have not been favourable, those that peace keeping missions abroad, and has recently, once to showed significant progress can generally be attributed the maintenance of peace and security, and in again, building minimum resilience secured a seat in the non-permanent category of the UN Security in the overall economy. Table 1.1 presents the status of key high-level socioeconomic Council for the 2024-2025 cycle, after 51 years when the countryimplemented. indicators over the period that the last NDPs were was first obliged that opportunity. It could therefore be argued that while a number of socioeconomic indicators have not been favourable, those that showed significant progress can generally be attributed to the maintenance of peace --------------------------------------------------------------- 4 Following the immediate end of the war in 2000/2001, the country implemented a two-year Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy, IPRSP 2001-2002 and a National and Recoverysecurity, Strategy, NRS and 2002-2003, in bothbuilding minimum aimed at restoring resilience the socioeconomic in thefabric and institutional overall of the state to permit normal development operations in the economy. Table 1.1 presents the status of key high-level country. socioeconomic indicators over the period that the last NDPs were 22 implemented. SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 1.1: Status of key socioeconomic indicators during 2000-2023 Coming IPR/ A4C A4P MTNDP Indicators out of the PRSP 2005- NRS 2001- 2008- civil war 2007 2004 2012 2013-2018 2019-2023 2000 GDP per capita (US$) a 139 258 358 558 520 461 Human Capital 0.318 0.335 0.365 0.359 0.470 0.477 Development Index (0-1)b 47.3 47.3 More than (Same (same poverty Income Poverty (%) c 66.4 66.4 52.9 80 poverty as in line as in 2018) 2018) Multidimensional poverty d 81.5 68.3 64 (2019 Inequality (Gini index) e 0.66 0.22 0.37 0.297 0.701 Inequality (Gini index) f - - 92.3/120 - 89.1/120 81.4/120 Adult literacy rate (ages 15 35.4 38.1 48 48 and older) (%) g Maternal Mortality rate per 1,125 1800* 1,367mtr 857** 1165** 443mtr (100,000) h mtr Infant Mortality Rate per 170* 182* 158* 56** 92* 75** (1000)i Under-five Mortality rate per 156** 122** (1000)j 323j1 286j2 267* 140* Prevalence of Stunting k 34* 34* 40* 36** 38** 30** 54.07 55.9 Life expectancy 1 39.38 43.2 46 50.53 Microtrend Microtrend Population with access to 7.73 16.8 13 17.16 26.1 36 electricity m Mobile Network Area - - - - 70 89 Coverage (%) n Notes a World Bank Development Indicators: https://databank.worldbank.org/source/world-development-indicators# b UNDP Human Development Reports, various editions. c Sierra Leone Integrated Household Survey (SLIHS) Reports, 1989, 2003/4, 2011 and 2018; estimates remained reference figures for several years since general takes considerable period (at least 5 or more years) before successors surveys are carried out. d Reported by the Sierra Leone 4th National Human Development Report 2019; and Sierra Leone Multidimensional Poverty Report 2019 and 2023, obtained from the UNDP and Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, Freetown. e Gini Coefficients are obtained from the various SLIHS conducted in (c). f https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Fragile_States_Index (51 out of 179)(The table below shows the FSI for 2023, with comparisons of each country's current score to previous years' indices. A higher score (with a maximum of 120) indicates a weaker, more vulnerable, or more fragile situation in the country.). g UNDP 2009, SLIHS2011 and 2018. h Sierra Leone Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey MICS 2000, 2002, 2005 (*); Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey DHS 2008, 2013, 2019(**); Microtrend (mtr): https://www.macr otrends.net/countries/SLE/sierra-leone/maternal-mortality-rate. i Sierra Leone Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey MICS 2000, 2002, 2005 (*); Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey DHS 2008, 2013, 2019(**). j Sierra Leone Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (IPRSP 2001) (j1, j2); Sierra Leone Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey MICS 2000, 2002, 2005 (*); Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey DHS 2008, 2013, 2019(**). k Sierra Leone Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey MICS 2000, 2002, 2005 (*); Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey DHS 2008, 2013, 2019(**). l Sierra Leone Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (IPRSP 2001), UNDP 2009; Microtrend ( mtr): https://www.macrotrends.net/countries /SLE/sierra-leone/life-expectancy#:~:text=The%20current%20life%20expect ancy%20for,a% 200.68%25%20increase%20from%202020. m https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/SLE/sierra-leone/electricity-access-statistics . n Sierra Leone Mid-Term Review Report on the Sierra Leone MTNDP (2019-2023); obtainable from MoPED, Freetown. 23 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 1.1 Overview of implementation of the MTNDP 2019-2023 The last national development plan (MTNDP 2019-2023) was launched with renewed vigour and determination to address lingering effects of the multiple shocks that derailed the implementation of its predecessor (the Agenda for Prosperity 2013-2018), coupled with lacklustre public sector delivery machinery.5 The government was determined to robustly pursue implementation on the back of a revamped and resilient economy and sound national delivery mechanism, placing human capital development at the highest pinnacle of its agenda. It prioritised education, healthcare and nutrition, the utmost; while resolved to increase domestic revenue mobilisation, improve national and sectoral governance, and build and maintain peace and national cohesion to deliver optimal and sustainable results. The Government remained focused on pursuing Sierra Leone’s vision of becoming an inclusive and green middle income country by 2039: a time when it had hoped to ensure a stable, export-led economy, based on sound macroeconomic fundamentals, with inflation not more than five percent; government revenues standing at least 30 percent of GDP; over 80 percent of the national population living above income poverty line, with no more than 5 percent of Sierra Leoneans out of decent jobs; when over 90 percent of the population will be able to read and write, and all have access to affordable housing; healthcare and delivery system will be situated within not more than 10 kilometre radius of every village; and having life expectancy of at least 70 years, with every pregnant woman having access to a modern hospital in which she can give birth without fear. 6 Towards achieving the country’s vision, the last NDP pursued the following national goals for 2023: a) having a diversified, resilient green economy; b) a nation with educated, empowered, and healthy citizens capable of realising their fullest potential; c) a society that is peaceful, cohesive, secure, and just; and d) a competitive economy with a well-developed infrastructure. It ensured that the plan was strongly aligned to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the African Union Agenda 2063 and ECOWAS Vision 2050. Indeed, Sierra Leone was on a promising trajectory for sustained GDP growth and revenue generation to finance public development programmes at the launch of the last plan in February 2019. Growth had increased to 5.3 percent in 2019, from 3.5 percent in 2018; and was projected to positively hover around 4.3 percent in

2020. Unfortunately, 10 months following the launch of the MTNDP 2019-2023, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world economy; which had hoped to significantly recover its GDP from the pandemic in 2021 and the ensuing years, when the Ukraine-Russia War erupted in the first quarter of 2022 (with heightened geopolitical tensions) to diminish the recovery hopes from the pandemic. Consequently, Sierra Leone, being highly linked to the global economy (dependent on the outside world for its production and consumption activities) had its GDP drop from 5.3 percent in 2019 to -2.0 percent in 2020. It did manage to recover its output growth to 2.9 percent in 2021, following COVID-related national mitigation strategies, such as the Quick Action Economic Recovery Programme (QAERP) and the Health Preparedness and Response Programme of 2020. Yet, the compounded effects from the Ukraine-Russia war had led to a reverse in growth projections for 2022 from 5.9 to 2.8 percent, in tune with global trends. State revenues dipped precipitously in these circumstances, as in many other parts of the world. Grave concerns remain, as the global uncertainties continue to grow to date. The uncertainties for Sierra Leone from these global factors endured throughout 2023 and have been expected to go into 2024, if not beyond, with the following risks: a) the likelihood of the global economy plunging into recession and the potential impact on the prices of Sierra Leone’s key exports; b) sustained increases in food and fuel prices and the pass-through effects on domestic prices, trade balance and Government’s fiscal position; c) continued decreases in international financial assistance; f) continued crisis in Ukraine and its --------------------------------------------------------------- 5 In addition to a weak public sector machinery to effectively deliver programmes, the economy had witnessed protracted outbreak of an epidemic during 2014-2015, the Ebola Virus Disease, starting in Guinea in 2013, with lingering effects. This period witnessed sharp and sustained decline in the international prices of primary commodities, including iron that Sierra Leone had heavily relied on, among other commodities. 6 Previously Vision 2035, which was revised to 2039 in 2018. 24 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Government’s fiscal position; c) continued decreases in international financial assistance; f) continued crisis in Ukraine and its accompanying uncertainties in the global economy; and g) a re-emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health emergencies. 7 ➢ Summary of the key challenges The recent global crises were a major impediment to the implementation of the MTNDP 2019-2023. The COVID- 19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine compounded the constant effects of global conflicts, climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution that have not spared Sierra Leone; the country has been noted to be among countries most exposed to the hazards of environmental vagaries. Vulnerability, poverty and food insecurity were heightened during this period, as financing for the economy remained grossly inadequate amidst general governance challenges in the mobilization of domestic resources. The fight against illicit financial flows and corruption remained herculean tasks; and there were constraints to unleashing the financing potential of the general population, including the rural/village economy, due to inadequate policy frameworks and implementation capacity of available policies, and limited penetration of digital and other infrastructural opportunities/services in the rural economy. Additionally, not having optimal bankable projects to leverage financing opportunities limited the absorptive capacity of the state to utilize earmarked and allocated resources for national development programmes; and there remained room for sectoral coordination and coordination among partners, including NGO operations. Finally, the development of the private sector was still generally weak in the country, limiting market-led growth opportunities. ➢ Key milestones achieved in selected sectors Despite the overwhelming challenges enumerated above, critical achievements were made during the implementation of the last MTNDP. Key among these are as follows: a. Education: Under the Free Quality School Education Programme, school enrolment increased in excess of one million to date since 2018, covering all school levels, from pre-primary to senior secondary; and gender parity was maintained in primary and achieved in junior secondary, while significant progress made at senior secondary level. b. Health: Maternal mortality rate substantially fell to 443 deaths per 100,000 live births to date, from 717 deaths in 2019 and 1,165 deaths in 2013. Infant mortality rate dropped from 92 deaths per 1,000 births in 2013 to 75 deaths in 2019; as well as under-five mortality rate, from 156 to 122 deaths during 2013-2019. c. Justice: To date, since the country’s Legal Aid Board was established in 2015, more than 1,200,000underprivileged persons have received free legal services from the Board; and more than 800,000 of these beneficiaries since 2018. A special court was established to try corruption cases. d. Social protection: At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Social Safety Net cash transfer expanded from 35,000 to 100,000 households, with a dedicated quota for people with disabilities; and provided in-kind support to more than 11,000 persons with disabilities during lockdowns for containing the pandemic in the country. e. Employment: More than 10,000 youths were employed in various livelihood engagements, including in agricultural farms, regulated fishing activities, garbage collection and disposal operations, carwash centres, and in various institutions, while thousands more were trained in numerous skills. f. Gender: The enactment of the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Bill was among the critical milestones in the sector, which has seen drastic increase in female representation in ministerial cabinet position in excess of 30 percent; and to 28 percent in parliament. --------------------------------------------------------------- 7 See Page 6 of the Statement of Economic and Financial Policies of the GoSL for 2023 Fiscal Year; obtainable from the Ministry of Finance, Freetown. 25 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Lessons learned In a world punctuated by uncertainties, prioritizing domestic production processes and revenue mobilization was assessed as being extremely critical to building national capability to respond to external shocks in pursuing sustainable development; and sustainable growth and development requires optimal placement of the people at the centre of financing for development. The Government has continued to note that sectoral coordination is critical to scarce resource management: strengthening coordination can engender the production of more public goods and services with fewer resources. It was also evident that deepening development cooperation and multilateralism remains a critical resource for sustainable development; as well as getting prioritisation and sequencing right, which is critical in ensuring the judicious use of resources and transforming the economy. Furthermore, having an integrated financing framework informed by constant analytics of resource options is fundamental to achieving sustainable development, which should capture the need for ensuring constant availability of optimal bankable projects to leverage financing opportunities for the transformation of the country. Additionally, gender sensitivity, women’s empowerment and advancing climate resilience should be a continuous guiding principle in pursuing paths to inclusive and sustainable development. 1.2 Towards an acceleration and transformational Plan for 2024-2030 While much was achieved in the previous plan, it is noted in the new plan that much remained undelivered due to the multiple and interlocking challenges at global and national levels, as well as capacity gaps inherent in delivery systems in Sierra Leone. It is within this context that the new plan will be accelerative, building on gains recorded in the previous plan, but also keeping in mind critical lessons learnt. The fundamental goal is to guarantee that the NDP 2024-2030 is a transformational agenda, ensuring that while it builds on gains, it will give special focus to addressing structural impediments to development that remain inherent in the domestic economy. Thus, the new plan is intended to depart from the previous plan in the following ways to ensure more and sustainable results. ➢ Main departure of the new plan from its predecessor Implementation timeline—the new plan timespan is 7 years. Sierra Leone, being part of the global development system and taking development cooperation and multilateralism as a critical resource for national transformation, has aligned its NDP with its UN SDG Acceleration Roadmap 2024-2030.8 This roadmap will pursue elevated ambitions and benchmarks for poverty and inequality reduction for the remaining seven years of the implementation of the SDG 2030 Agenda. This is expected to ensure sustained and coherent development focus and engagement on the socioeconomic transformation of the country. Well-defined and interrelated priorities—the new plan is highly prioritized and sequenced. This is anchored in the Government’s strategic direction expressed in its Big Five Game Changers for 2030. The Five Game Changers constitute the nation’s general strategic direction, defined by a set of broad results areas that the Government will make the largest investment in the next five to seven years and summarized as follows: ➢ Big 5.1 Feed Salone: Aimed at boosting agricultural productivity to ensure food security, and inclusive economic growth. ➢ Big 5.2 Human capital development: Focused on nurturing inclusive skills and healthy population for the 21st century demands through scaled-up investment in human capital development. ➢ Big 5.3 Youth employment scheme: A catalyst for democracy, economic productivity and national security aimed at creating 500,000 jobs for youths in the next five years. Big 5.4 Technology and Infrastructure: Focused on increasing investment in infrastructure, technology and digitalisation. More attention will be given to digital solutions in advancing governance and public service delivery to reduce transaction costs and maximize effectiveness and efficiency in --------------------------------------------------------------- 8 The roadmap can be obtained from the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, Freetown. the delivery chain. 26 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Big 5.4 Technology and infrastructure: Focused on increasing investment in infrastructure, technology and digitalisation. More attention will be given to digital solutions in advancing governance and public service delivery to reduce transaction costs and maximize effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery chain. ➢ Big 5.5 Transforming the public service architecture: Aimed at empowering democracy and national development and ensuring effective service delivery, efficiency and professionalism in the public sector for maximization of the results. Green growth and transformation. A fundamental feature of the new plan is that it is environmentally sensitive and anchored on climate resilience, energy transition and sustainable food systems. The growing global realities in light of the mounting effects of climate change and its link to energy and food production patterns, coupled with the severe implication of heavy reliance on imports for energy and foods, will ensure that more focus is given to climate-related financing and investment in energy and food transitions and security. Harnessing the country’s blue economy potential and demographic dividend: The Government will scale up the sustainable exploitation of the nation’s massive ocean and aquatic-related resources that are critical in advancing the Government’s climate resilience, energy transition and sustainable food systems agenda, and hence in enhancing the fiscal stability of the economy through domestic revenue mobilization and food and energy import reduction. International trade and investment: Creating an investment-friendly climate to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) into the economic diversification ambition of the Government is another unique selling point of this new plan. This will also include scaling up the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA): The negative macroeconomic and poverty implications of relying on trade outside Africa have perennially held back the socioeconomic development of African countries, including Sierra Leone. Almost every other result area mentioned above (including meeting energy and food security needs) relies on getting the trade balance and fairness right. Therefore, GoSL will give more premium to the implementation of the AfCFTA. Development cooperation and integrated national financing framework: Sierra Leone will give greater attention to development cooperation and multilateralism, as a critical resource for sustainable development. It will also give greater emphasis on the implementation of the country’s Integrated National Financing Framework, bringing innovative financing to the forefront, including full exploration of blended and climate finance, increasing the role of women and the village/local communities, and scaling up the transformation of the informal sector through financial inclusion strategies, among others. The government shall establish a Project Preparation Fund to effectively support the development of bankable projects. These areas of departure from the previous MTNDP essentially reflect the principles guiding the implementation of the new plan in the next seven years, which are summarised as follows:

1. Continued implementation of unfinished relevant programmes in the previous plan

2. Prioritisation and sequencing

3. Full alignment with global, regional and sub-regional development frameworks, such as the UN 2030 Agenda/SDGs, AU Agenda 2063, ECOWAS Vision 2050, and the State building and Peacebuilding Goals and g7+ Framework—Figure 1.1 and tables 1.2-1.4 illustrate alignment of the Big Five Game Changers in the new national plan to these international and regional development frameworks

4. Robust coordination within the public sector and among development partners

5. Professionalisation and transformation of the public sector

6. Scaling up implementation of the Integrated National Financing Framework

7. Harnessing the demographic dividend, Blue Economy Potential and AfCFTA 27 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation

8. Robust pursuit of bankable projects

9. Increased sensitivity to climate resilience, renewable energy, gender and youth development

10. Pursuit of the People’s Planning Process, integrating village/chiefdom level planning with district and national planning and implementation processes. ➢ Aligning the plan with international frameworks As Sierra Leone is a signatory to a number of strategic international development frameworks, the Government has ensured that the new national development plan is aligned to these frameworks, as in the previous plan. This includes alignment with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (the SDGs), Africa Union Agenda 2063, ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the g7+ Group of fragile and conflict-affected states. Figure 1.1 Alignment of Big 5 Game Changers and the SDGs 28 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 1.2: Aligning the Big Five Game Changers with AU2063 Aspirations Government of Sierra Leone’s Big Five Game Changers AU 2063 Aspiration 2024-2030 5.1: Feed Salone 5.2: Human Capital Development

1. A prosperous Africa 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme 5.4: Technology and Infrastructure 5.5: Public Sector Architecture 5.2: Human Capital Development

2. An integrated continent 5.4: Technology and Infrastructure 5.5: Public Sector Architecture 5.4: Technology and Infrastructure

3. An Africa of good governance 5.5: Public Sector Architecture 5.1: Feed Salone

4. A peaceful and secure Africa 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme

5. An Africa with a strong cultural identity 5.2: Human Capital Development 5.2: Human Capital Development

6. People-driven development 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme 5.4: Technology and Infrastructure

7. Strong, united, resilient and influential 5.2: Human Capital Development Table 1.3: Aligning the Big Five Game Changers with ECOWAS Vision 2050 Government of Sierra Leone’s Big Five Game Changers ECOWAS Vision 2050 2024-2030 5.1: Feed Salone Pillar 1: Peace, Security and Stability 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme 5.4: Technology and Infrastructure Pillar 2: Governance and Rule of Law 5.5: Public Sector Architecture 5.2: Human Capital Development Pillar 3: Economic Integration and 5.4: Technology and Infrastructure Interconnectivity 5.5: Public Sector Architecture 5.1: Feed Salone 5.2: Human Capital Development Pillar 4: Transformation, Inclusive and 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme Sustainable Development 5.4: Technology and Infrastructure 5.5: Public Sector Architecture 5.2: Human Capital Development Pillar 5: Social Inclusion 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme 5.4: Technology and Infrastructure 29 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 1.4: Aligning the Big Five Game Changers with the g7+ Peacebuilding and State-building Goals G7+ Peacebuilding & State-building Goals Government of Sierra Leone’s Big Five Game Changers 2024-2030 5.2: Human Capital Development PSG 1 Inclusive Politics 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme 5.1: Feed Salone PSG 2 Security 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme 5.1: Feed Salone PSG 3 Justice 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme 5.5: Public Sector Architecture 5.1: Feed Salone 5.2: Human Capital Development PSG 4 Economic Foundations 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme 5.4: Technology and Infrastructure 5.1: Feed Salone 5.2: Human Capital Development PSG 5 Revenue and Services 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme 5.4: Technology and Infrastructure 5.5: Public Sector Architecture 30 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Theory of change Five Strategic National Goals are being pursued in the new seven-year plan, the MTNDP 2024-2030, each reflecting the Government’s strategic focus in one of the Big 5 Game Changers. These National Goals in the new plan are expressed across the Big 5s in Figure 1.2. Goal 1: Sierra Leone will be food secure by 2030 (directly related to Big 5.1) Goal 02: A highly skilled, healthy, inclusive and gender-sensitive labour force, with a substantial share of middle-level manpower, and highly developed talents for professional jobs in the private sector and the civil service by 2030 (directly related to Big 5.2) Goal 03: Creating 500,000 jobs for the youth (with at least a 30% representation of women), including skilled and unskilled, long-term, as well as seasonal jobs across all sectors by 2030 (directly related to Big 5.3) Goal 04: A cashless economy, increased financial inclusion, vibrant e- government and public administration, expanded energy production, and advanced road and general transport system, well-linked with production centres to markets by 2030 (directly related to Big 5.4) Goal 05: A public service that is streamlined, attracts and keeps the brightest national talents and is generally robust in tackling challenges to sustainable development by 2030 (directly related to Big 5.5) Figure 1.2 Strategic National Goals The plan has programmed direct interventions to pursue each goal under each of the Big 5s, as illustrated in the figure. To sustain the propulsion of direct actions to deliver each of the five goals across the Big 5 broad result areas, five Strategic Enablers have been identified with their respective specific and direct interventions, referred to as the drivers of enablers. Thus, alongside the Big 5s listed above are the following Five enablers: Enabler 1: Diversifying the economy & promoting growth Enabler 2: Governance and accountability Enabler 3: Advancing climate resilience and environmental action Enabler 4: Gender mainstreaming Enabler 5: Financing, partnerships and implementation and risk mitigation Within the theory of change, specific actions will be aimed at achieving specific and measurable targets and strategic objectives (intermediate results) within the ten Broad Result Areas (the Big 5s + the five Enablers) towards the ultimate achievements of the overarching Five Strategic Goals of the new NDP. The change required also depends on the internal nexuses among the Big 5s and the external five Enablers. Within the Big 5s, for example, strengthening digital services across the country under Big 5.4 (Technology and Infrastructure) is critical for propelling actions to deliver the national goal under Big 5.1 (Feed Salone) and actions to deliver the goal under Big 5.2 (Human Capital Development) and vice versa to a large extent. That is, the Big 5s themselves enable and reinforce each other. Indeed, the granular details and dynamics underlying the theory of change could not be depicted in Figure 1.2. This can be further elaborated in the Results Framework and outside of the plan’s immediate construct at field/project level activities undertaken by line MDAs. Details can also be found in the operational framework of development partners (including NGOs) supporting the implementation of the national development plan. The theory of change is summarised in Figure 1.3. 31 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Long Term Inclusive and green middle-income economy by 2039 Vision Secure, united, just, and peaceful society with an empowered population & diversified economy with Medium Term ambition advanced infrastructure, with income poverty of at most 26.5 % and zero extreme poverty Food self- Highly skilled & A nation with Cashless, Professional, National Goals inclusive labour financially efficient & sufficiency 500,000 new nation force economy jobs for youth inclusive, energy motivated P/S stable & transport efficient economy Big 5 Game Human Capital Youth Employment Technology and Enhancing Public Feed Salone Development Scheme Infrastructure Service Changers Architecture Education, health, WASH, Capacity building, job Energy, transport, Performance mgt, Direct Agricultural, fisheries and women, children, capacity building, & and employment communication, nutrition interventions disability, social incentive system interventions creation interventions technology & innovation protection, housing interventions interventions interventions Diversifying the Advancing climate Governance & Gender Financing, partnership Enablers economy & resilience & accountability mainstreaming for implementation & promoting growth environmental action risk management Tourism, mining, oil & Climate resilience, National cohesion, anti- Gender in economic, Financing, implementation Drivers of gas, & informal forest & wetland corruption, PFM, trust in public social, environmental, coordination, M&E, enablers economy transformation conservation & disaster institutions, security, justice, & justice, political & other communication & risk interventions mgt interventions local governance interventions sectors/interventions mitigation interventions Problem Highly vulnerable economy to external shocks, less diversified, low human capital index, & less productive Figure 1.3 Theory of Change 1.3 Plan preparation process The current plan was informed by an extensive review of the previous plan, accompanied by series of sectoral reviews and progress reports, studies and frameworks collaboratively done with development partners. The government revised manifesto for 2024-2028 was critical in providing and informing the strategic direction and structural configuration of the new plan. The manifesto was well-researched, reflecting on progress made in the implementation of government programmes for 2019-2023 and presenting strategic highlights of planned policy actions going forward in the next 5 years. Governance structure The institutional structure that guided the plan preparation process is divided into four broad layers, presented as follows:

1. Ministerial level: This level provided broad oversight and direction to the plan preparation process. Discussions were held in cabinet, with the president and cabinet ministers providing rounds of inputs and general guidance to the process, starting with a debate on the structural configuration of the plan within the context of the Government’s Big 5 Game Changers, and proffering sector-specific inputs in the calibration process of the document.

2. Core technical committee. This provided technical support in the coordination of the plan formulation process, ensuring that relevant international frameworks were integrated into the plan, and providing data and background documents in the process. Members supported national, sectoral and district consultations on the plan, and assisted in the review of the various drafts of the document. 32 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation

3. Sector/Results area committees: The plan is framed around the Big 5 Game Changers of the Government, supported by Five Enablers. Accordingly, there were working groups (Sector/Results Area Committees) supporting the strategic articulation of sectoral policy sections falling under the respective sectors and results areas, estimated at more than 45 areas.

4. District Development Coordination Committees: Across the 16 districts of Sierra Leone, District Development Coordination Committees (DDCCs) were instrumental in coordinating and pulling through district and sub-district level inputs to the plan formulation. They formulated specific district priorities for 2024-2030 across the 2016 districts that are aligned with the Big 5s of the Government.

5. The Secretariat: There was a secretariat coordinating the entire plan formulation process, drawing membership from the various departments in MoPED, and representatives from line MDAs. The secretariat coordinated a total of more than 250 meetings that were held during the process, at central, sectoral, agency, and district/community levels across the country. Launching the process The process was officially launched by the Chief Minister on 1 st September 2023 at a meeting with all heads of government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs). The MDAs were first tasked with the preparation of sector policy papers based on a writing guide provided by the ministry of planning and economic development. Background/desk research documents were utilized in preparing more than 45 policy papers that were consolidated into the first draft of the plan for nationwide consultations towards the production of the successive and Final Draft. National level consultations These consultations on the successive drafts of the plan were done at sectoral level within the public/government sectors, development agency level, and non-governmental and private sector levels. Participants were drawn from central government MDAs, development agencies (such as the UN family, the World Bank, the EU, the IMF, and FCDO), formal and informal private sector domains, civil society organisations/NGOs, learning/research institutions, women and youth groups, school pupils, persons with disabilities, Trade Unions, parliament, ministerial cabinet, and others. “ District level consultations The district-level consultations were broad and intensive, drawing participation from local council leadership, decentralised MDAs, CSO/NGO representatives, all paramount chiefs and other community leaders, women and youth representative at sub-district level, persons with disabilities, and the general public whose inputs were captured through radio phone-in programme. Validation of the Plan It should be noted that the government was extremely financially constrained in the production of this plan 2024-

2030. It was highly innovative in the process, optimising the little resources it had for the production of the document. Consequently, participants could not be gathered in one place from across the country to do the final technical validation of the document. Rather, the final draft was sent to individual institutions and varied experts to provide final inputs to the document before it was sent for professional editing. The last meeting of the Core Technical Committee was extremely invaluable in providing final comments on the plan. In all, a total number of more than 2.3 million people are estimated to have been directly reached during the consultations at different geographic and stakeholder constituency levels, within and outside of Sierra Leone. Participants included those engaged through radio phone-in programmes and TV session. 33 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 1.4 Organization of the document The rest of the document is organised as follows. Section 2 in Part One contains an analysis of the social and macroeconomic context of the country, while Part Two discusses the Big Five Game Changer priorities of the state at the national, regional and district levels. It starts a discussion on Big 5.1 Feed Salone, followed by Big 5.2 Human Capital Development, 5.3 Youth Employment Scheme, 5.4 Infrastructure, Technology and Innovation and 5.5 Transforming the Public Service Architecture. Section 5.6 concludes Part Two with a presentation of district priorities across the Big 5s. Part Three presents five strategies enablers for catalysing the implementation of policy actions under the Big 5s: Enabler 1 Diversifying the Economy and Promoting Growth; Enabler 2 Governance and Accountability, Enabler 3 Advancing Climate Resilience and Environmental Actions, Enabler 4 Gender Mainstreaming and Enabler 5 Financing, Partnership, Implementation, and Risk Management. The last section concludes the Plan.

2. Social and macroeconomic context of Sierra Leone 2.1 Current poverty profile Sierra Leone's natural resources offer immense potential for scaling up economic growth and helping to end the poverty cycle among most of its population. The statistics depicted in Figure 1.4a highlight the progress made by Sierra Leone in its efforts to alleviate poverty since the 1980s. For example, the income poverty estimates have indicated a decline in the poverty headcount from 81.6 percent of the population in 1989 to 66.4 percent in 2003 and 52.9 percent in 2011. National Urban Rural National Urban Rural 88.3 81.6 86.3 78.7 79.8 73.8 73.6 66.4 66.1 64.8 56.7 58.0 52.9 46.9 35.3 37.6 31.2 27.3 1989 2003 2011 2018 2017 2019 Figure 1.4a Income poverty headcount Figure 1.4b Multidimensional poverty The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) headcount estimates show a slight decline in the incidence of poverty from 64.8 percent in 2017 to 58.0 percent in 2019. On average six in every ten people in the country is multidimensionally poor. The Multidimensional Poverty Index of Sierra Leone has five dimensions (health, education, living standards, housing, and energy) and 14 indicators. Despite this progress, poverty in Sierra Leone remains, and hence one of the most serious challenges the country is facing today. Since the Ebola epidemic which struck the country in 2014 and 2015, as well as the floods and mudslides in 2017, Sierra Leone has been grappling with a surge in prices for both food and fuel and a reduced fiscal space due to contraction in economic activities. This situation has been aggravated by COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. These events further heighten inflationary pressures through prolonged disruptions in the supply chains and shortages of goods and services in the country. --------------------------------------------------------------- The 9 estimates Note however forpercent that the 56.7 bothcoming income from the and SierraMPI Leone reveal significant Integrated Household disparities Survey (SLIHS) between 2018 cannot be ruralthe 52.9 compared with urban andpercent regions. estimate from In either case, the incidence of poverty in rural areas is more than twice that of urban areas, underscoring the deprivations the previous SLIHS (2011) because of upward adjustment in the poverty line due to changes in price and other socioeconomic dynamics during 2011-2018. If no adjustment was made, poverty from SLIHS2018 is estimated at 47.3 percent lower than the 52.9 percent from SLIHS2011 and 66.4 percent from SLIHS2003/04. and difficulties rural communities face daily as they strive to meet their needs. 34 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 1.5: Regional Poverty Indices Year Region Income poverty Eastern Northern North-Western Southern Western Area 1989 80.0 85.7 77.5 80.8 2003 86 80.6 64.1 20.7 2011 61.3 61 55.4 28.0 2018 64 76.1 62.1 67.8 23.9 Multi-dimensional poverty (MPI) 2017 67.6 75.8 76 36.2 2019 10 63.7 68.8 69.5 21.7 Child MPI 2017 70.5 76.3 73.7 36 Also, the regional estimates (Table 1.5) show consistently the Western Area to be better off than the rest of the country since 2003. The Northern region for the most part has shown a higher incidence of poverty than the others. Figure 1.4c MPI Scores by Districts, 2019 --------------------------------------------------------------- 10 GoSL/UNDP-Sierra Leone (2023) Multidimensional Poverty Index 35 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation The multi-dimensional poorest districts in 2019 were Pujehun (0.500), Karena (0.473), Falaba (0.448), Moyamba (0.433), Tonkolili (0.418), and Bonthe (0.406), which have MPIs of above the national average of 0.309. Furthermore, poverty reports have shown that poverty rates are significantly higher for larger households, especially those with 8 or more members compared to those with 1-3 members. This is means that poverty can create considerable stress for families with large household size. Also, female-headed households are less likely to be multi-dimensional poor than male-headed households, while those households with secondary or higher education heads are far less likely to be poor. Sierra Leone has shown a minor improvement in the Human Development Index (HDI) with an increase of 0.025. Sierra Leone's HDI value for 2021 is 0.477, which puts the country in the low human development category and keeps it 181 out of 195 countries and territories. Life expectancy at birth and average years of schooling increased by 5.4 years and 0.9 years respectively while the Gross National Income (GNI) per capita decreased by 2.8%. 2.2 Population trends The challenges and opportunities a country has with supporting its population in the short and long term are defined by its age structure. Understanding the implications of changing age structures is essential in assessing a country’s economic potential. Today, after decades of rapid population growth, Sierra Leone has the largest generation of young people in its history. 75 percent of the country’s population is below the age of 35; 14 percent is under the age of 5 while 26 percent is below 15 years. Those between 15 and 24 years make up 21 percent of the population and those between 25- and 34-years’ account for 15 percent. The population pyramid in Figure 1.5 below provides the distribution of Sierra Leone’s population according to age. Sierra Leone’s fertility rate has remained high, reducing only marginally from 4.9 in 2013 to 4.2 in 2019 in terms of children per woman. The high fertility rates and a youthful population structure are the driving forces behind the Sierra Leone’s relatively high population growth rate; which in turn determines the demand for social services and natural resources as well as the size of the labour force. Rapid population growth can undermine investments in healthcare, education, employment, and natural resources and exacerbate the challenges of poverty, maternal and child health, gender discrimination, and job creation. It also puts pressure on agricultural land, fresh water, and energy resources. Population growth is driven by high fertility rate which in turn shapes the size and age structure of a nation’s population and determines the demand for social services and natural resources as well as the size of the labour force. Investments in family planning programs - combined with investments in education, health, gender equality, and employment - help lower fertility and slows population growth. This large, young population represents a good opportunity for economic development, but it also presents challenges because of the demand for social services and employment. If targeted with appropriate and simultaneous investments in quality education, healthcare, employment opportunities, and skills training, this young population represents an opportunity for Sierra Leone to realize sustainable development. These investments can enable the country to harness the potential of the youth population and create a sustainable future for Sierra Leone. Further the energy and creativity of the youth can be harnessed to drive innovation, entrepreneurship, and social progress. The high number of young people can also pose challenges if not properly addressed. 36 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Figure 1.5 Sierra Leone Population Pyramid and Growth 2020 Source: Authors with data from the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division 37 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 2.3 Structure of the economy and growth diagnostic Since 2002, Sierra Leone has had political stability following the end of the civil conflict. Its economy was outperforming the averages for both West Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa11 until several shocks occurred in the past decade. The economy has grown at an average annual rate of 5 percent over the past ten years, driven by agriculture and the production of minerals, but macroeconomic stability remains concerning. While positive GDP growth has been recorded, it is largely inconsistent. The Sierra Leone economy continues to be small, open, undiversified and vulnerable to both internal and external shocks. In addition, the growth of recent years has not been inclusive and did not result in productive transformation and the creation of jobs. It has not substantially decreased poverty and inequality, with two-thirds of the population remaining multidimensionally impoverished. Policies focusing on human development issues and interventions supporting the most vulnerable populations need to be taken into account in addition to macroeconomic stabilization measures. The Ebola epidemic and a decline in iron ore prices in 2014 led to a significant reduction in GDP. Prior to the Covid-19 epidemic, growth was predicted to reach 4.5 percent for 2021–2023. However, the Covid-19 epidemic disrupted the pattern of growth and caused the economy to shrink by 2.2 percent in 2020, with the tourism, manufacturing, agriculture, and services sectors suffering the most. High energy and food costs in the backdrop of the Russia and Ukraine conflict hindered the economic recovery in

2022. The economy experienced a slowdown due mainly to the global energy and food crises, which disrupted global supply chains, raised inflationary pressures and shrunk the fiscal space. The sharp rise in global food and fuel prices and the pass-through effects on domestic prices, combined with the depreciation of the local currency, resulted in high inflation (50.94 percent in August 2023) that will likely remain in double digits for the near future, given the current trend of global prices for key imported commodities. With the continued uncertainty and geopolitical risks in the global economy largely as a result of the Ukraine war, tight fiscal and monetary policies in advanced economies, and now the war in Gaza that influences other parts of the Middle East, it is anticipated that food and fuel prices will continue to be affected and this might affect growth prospects. The public debt stock has been increasing owing to several factors, including lower-than-expected revenues to finance government programmes, weakening of the Leone against the US Dollar and rising interest rates. The ongoing multiple crises have made it difficult for the country to maintain stability, limit rising threats to the sustainability of debt and mobilize the resources to finance basic service delivery and have derailed development, crippling economic growth and threatening progress toward the SDGs. Improving the macroeconomic framework and harnessing financing will significantly strengthen economic resilience, promote growth and accelerate the achievement of the SDGs. Growth is expected to decelerate to 2.7 percent in 2023 from 3.5 percent in 2022, before recovering to 4.7 percent in 2024. The GDP growth rate has not yet fully recovered from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as it currently stands at 1.8 percent, which is below the pre-pandemic levels of 4.2 percent observed from 2017 to 201912. The relatively weak growth and a decline in macroeconomic fundamentals threaten to increase the level of poverty within the current context of inadequate social safety nets to the most vulnerable. The economic growth model remains dependent on public spending and the mineral sector. Macroeconomic conditions are expected to stabilize with the Government’s planned interventions to reduce inflation, contain debt, and increase external resilience and resource mobilization, among others. --------------------------------------------------------------- 11 Sierra Leone was among the fastest growing economies in Sub-Saharan Africa with annual average growth rate of 10% between 2009 and 2013. Although driven by the extractive industries. 12 IMF WEO and WB, 2023. 38 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation IMF WEO Figure 1.6 Growth per capita (2010-2028) Source: Authors - data from the IMF WEO 2023 ➢ Disaggregated Sector contribution Sierra Leone's economy is complex, fragile and relatively undiversified with few dominant sectors matching up to global competitiveness. The primary sector (agriculture, including forestry, fishing and hunting) remains the backbone of the economy, accounting for 52.85 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010. However, this dropped to 39.26 percent during the Ebola virus disease crisis in 2014 but climbed to 49.94 percent in 2016 and is estimated at 57.5 percent in 2022 in the country’s annual GDP (Stats SL, 2022). Currently, the agricultural sector predominantly comprises smallholders engaged primarily in subsistence farming, with minimal value addition. Agriculture plays a crucial role in poverty alleviation and mitigating inflationary pressures. The services sector is the second largest, contributing 32.3 in 2021 percent of GDP and has taken up an increasing share of the economy. However, its growth has been hindered by limited productivity in trade services and the dominance of informal trade and vulnerable employment, while high-productivity sectors have faced difficulties in expanding. The services sector as a whole gradually absorbed a significant share of workers (Figure 1.8) with its employment share increasing from 26.8 percent in 2000 to 45 percent in 2021. Productivity in this sector is the lowest compared to the other two groups of economic activity. The shift of employment from agriculture to services in recent times is associated with a decline in the relative productivity of the former. Labour reallocation has not been entirely effective as of yet and there is room for productivity improvement by achieving efficient reallocation of labour. Agricultural and services employment is still largely informal, and the informal employment in general accounts for 93.1 percent of total employment in Sierra Leone. The predominance of informal employment limits workers' productivity and makes it harder for labour laws to be efficiently implemented. Within the service sector, the contribution of the transport, storage and communication aspects is only three percent of GDP in 2021 and is relatively low compared to the average in West Africa (11 percent) and in Sub- Saharan Africa (9 percent). Transforming transportation systems could be a viable approach for Sierra Leone to achieve the objective of developing high-quality infrastructure to enhance economic competitiveness and socio-inclusive economic development. Moreover, it also provides another opportunity for Sierra Leone to green the transportation systems, which will also create employment opportunities and stimulate economic growth. 39 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Figure 1.7 Sector-wise contribution (% of GDP) Source: Author’s construct based on data from Statistics Sierra Leone Figure 1.8 Employment per sector Source: Authors from the ILO, WB/WDI, UN Stat data 40 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Figure 1.9 Informal employment (2017-2018) Source: Authors from ILOSTAT. Note: Competition of the informal means % of Firms identifying practices of competitors in the informal sector as a constraint ➢ Sector growth dynamics Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing: As in the case of GDP, the growth rate of the sectors (Agriculture, Industry and services) have been fluctuating (Figure 1.7). As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, growth in the agricultural sector significantly decreased in 2020 largely due to the measures (e.g., lockdown, curfew, etc) adopted to limit the spread of the pandemic. This significantly impacted the sector resulting in a deceleration in the sector’s growth rate from 5.4 percent in 2019 to 1.6 percent in 2020. In 2021, the sector’s growth marginally increased to 2.5 percent mostly because the pandemic was gradually being put under control and restrictive measure relaxed. Additionally, the Government supported farmers with seed rice and other inputs to boost production. Though relatively marginal, in 2022, the sector registered a positive growth rate of three percent, compared to 2.5 percent in the previous year and contributed close to 40 percent (the highest share) of overall GDP growth (Figure 1.7). Despite challenges in fertilizer supply chains, the favourable planting and harvest seasons, coupled with adequate rainfall, have resulted in increased output for most crops. The fall in commodity prices in 2015 resulted to shut down in mining operations of particularly the iron ore mining companies. With the resumption of mining activities in 2019, the sector significantly recovered and registered an impressive growth rate of 10.9 percent from negative 2.5 percent in 2018. However, in 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, mining activities receded, and some largescale mining companies shut down leading to substantial negative (-7.1 percent) growth rate of the sector. In 2021, the sector recovered due to recommencement of mining operations. This resulted to 17.4percent growth rate. In 2022, as a result of a slower growth in diamond production, the sector decelerated, and a growth rate of 8.2 percent was recorded. The mining sector contributed significantly to overall GDP growth (Figure 1.7), thanks to the resumption of iron-ore mining operations at Marampa mines. 41 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Figure 1.10 Growth rate and sector value added Source: Authors from Statistics Sierra Leone data, WDI, United Nations Statistics Division National Accounts While the COVID-19 pandemic generally affected the economy, the services sector is one of the most affected. The measures (e.g. lockdown, restricting people’s movement, etc.) adopted to slow down the spread of the pandemic negatively impacted trade, tourism and transportation, among others. This thereby affected the growth rate of the sector. Therefore, the sector’s growth rate declined from 3.7 percent in 2019 to negative 5.6 percent in 2020. In 2021, with the slow resumption of economic activities, the sector grew by 2.9 percent while growth rate in 2022 was three percent thanks to continued steady growth in communications and public administration. Figure 1.11 Shares in sources of growth Source: World Bank 2023 - and Statistic Sierra Leone estimates. Growth was primarily driven by public spending on the demand side. Government consumption (the largest driver of growth in 2022 at around 2.9 percentage points) grew by 14 percent (compared to 2021). Demand- side growth was restrained by low private consumption, which was partly caused by inflationary pressures that eroded the purchasing power and strained household budgets and the tightening of financial conditions that restricted private domestic and foreign direct investment. 42 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 2.4. Current challenges to macroeconomic development ➢ Economic diversification The role of Sierra Leone's exports in Africa is still relatively small, with only 2.75 percent of exports to the ECOWAS region and only 3.22 percent to the continent, while exports to China and Europe, for example, accounted for about 40 percent of total exports in 2021. The Herfindahl concentration index, a diversification measure, shows that Sierra Leone, like many countries in West Africa, has a concentrated export basket, where the average concentration index is 0.28, higher than in East Africa (0.03). The export basket contains only a few goods, five of one type and twelve of another13, which account for 75 and 90 percent of all exports, respectively, in 2021. Due to this export structure, the country's external balance is heavily dependent on the vicissitudes of international markets. The country's exposure to fluctuations in commodity prices and currency depreciation is amplified by its reliance on an agriculture and mining export-led growth model that focuses on a limited range of products. The dependency on imports to meet Sierra Leone’s food requirements poses a significant threat to food security and progress on the 2030 Agenda. While the agriculture industry experienced modest growth, its reliance on the domestic market has impeded its ability to expand exports. Agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing as well as mining and natural resources, if properly managed, provide a basis for further diversifying the economy. Despite its abundant natural resources and periods of high growth in the past, productive transformation is low, and the levels of poverty and inequality, including gender inequality, are high. Addressing the gaps and weaknesses in the national production system and enhancing the capabilities (human capital including skills, knowledge, health, etc.) required will expedite the structural transformation process. Manufacturing (included in industry) value added is low (two percent). A nascent recovery in manufacturing was disrupted by tightening financial conditions and a slump in private investment. Fuel shortages and higher fuel prices increased production costs for transporters and manufacturers, particularly SMEs. The sector benefited from government support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through the MUNAFA Fund and Bank of Sierra Leone’s SLL500 billion special credit facility, as well as from increased agribusiness investments, due to the recovery in agriculture. However, SMEs continue to bear the brunt of the economic shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Bank’s Business Pulse Survey reported that around 88 percent of SMEs experienced a decline in sales during the pandemic, often closing operations and laying off staff, which aggravated their pre-existing constraints of access to finance, land, and infrastructure. Overall economic growth is expected to strengthen further but remains moderate, averaging 4.4 percent over 2022–2024. Manufacturing can play a pivotal role in diversifying the economy and providing employment opportunities to individuals with limited skills and making growth more sustainable. Additionally, it facilitates rapid productivity growth to catch up with regional and global competitors. The emergence of a burgeoning middle class in Sierra Leone, resulting from urbanization, further offer opportunities for local producers to tap into domestic and regional markets. However, for that to happen, a considerable amount of support is needed by local firms to ensure compliance with market quality and standards, enabling them to gain access into export markets. Services and sophisticated manufacturing also demand highly skilled labour. Despite not exhibiting the key features of high-tech firms, some firms in Sierra Leone are innovating --------------------------------------------------------------- 13 Titanium ores and concentrates, Iron ores and concentrates; including roasted iron pyrites, Wood in the rough, whether or not stripped of bark or sapwood, or roughly squared. 43 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation However, for that to happen, a considerable amount of support is needed by local firms to ensure compliance with market quality and standards, enabling them to gain access into export markets. Services and sophisticated manufacturing also demand highly skilled labour. Despite not exhibiting the key features of high-tech firms, some firms in Sierra Leone are innovating. Figure 1.12 Status of Export Diversification 2.5. Medium-term macroeconomic policy framework for delivering the Plan Key to Macroeconomic and budgetary objectives and targets for 2024 – 2028

1. Reduce the budget deficit, including grants from 10.9 percent of GDP to not more than 3.0 percent of GDP through intensifying the domestic revenue collection to 20.0 percent of GDP by 2027 and keeping Government expenditures within the budgetary limit of 22-23 percent of GDP. In particular, Government will seek to contain the discretionary recurrent budget whilst also seeking to keep the wage bill at sustainable and predictable levels of not more than 6.0 percent of GDP.

2. Reduce the current account, including official grants from 5.6 percent of GDP in 2023 to 5.0 percent of GDP in 2028.

3. Reduce the sustainability risks by reducing the public debt from 93.8 percent of GDP to a sustainable threshold of 70.0 percent of GDP in nominal terms and 55 percent of GDP in present value terms. External debt will remain at not more than 40 percent of GDP in present value terms.

4. Gross international reserves of the Bank of Sierra Leone will be kept at a minimum of not less than three (3) month of import cover.

5. Attain and maintain an inflation level that is in the upper single digit. 44 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation The main thrust of macroeconomic management in the medium-term is to preserve macro-financial stability and foster conditions conducive to sustained, inclusive green growth to create high-paying jobs, increase food security and reduce household poverty. These efforts will be supported by the implementation of institutional and business-friendly reforms that will engender private sector participation, increase FDI, bring public finances to a sustainable path, contain persistently high inflation, stabilise the exchange rate, and minimise debt sustainability risks. Consistently, these reforms will be complemented by structural reforms to bolster external resilience, strengthen public financial management to enhance the transparency and accountability in the use of public finances and create the needed fiscal space to increase spending on growth-enhancing sectors to create jobs and reduce poverty and food insecurity. Despite successive external shocks in recent years, the Sierra Leone economy is projected to recover in the medium-term, with growth estimated to return to pre-pandemic levels in 2025, after a faltering performance during 2022-2024. Real GDP was projected to grow by 3.1 percent in 2023 and 4.7 percent in 2024, from 3.5 percent in 2022, reflecting an uncertain global environment underpinned by disruptions to global supply chains, higher prices of food and energy supplies and the ongoing war in Ukraine. Economic growth is projected to average 4.5 percent in the medium-term, supported by investments in agriculture, increased donor flows to the implementation of the new National Development Plan and sustained activities in iron ore production. Growth in the non-iron ore economy is projected to average 5.0 percent in the medium-term. Headline inflation (end period) was projected to peak in December 2023 and start gradually declining in 2024, but will only slowly return to single digits in 2027. The projected decline in inflation is underpinned by the expected normalisation of global supply chain disruptions, a fall in global food and fuel prices coupled with increased domestic food production, and relative stability in the exchange rate. Inflation was expected to peak at 44.3 percent in 2023 before trending downwards to 21.9 percent in 2024 and returning to single digits in

2027. Annual average inflation was also projected to decline from 45.8 percent in 2023 to 11.1 percent in 2027. The evolution of fiscal aggregates in the medium-term will be guided by the agreed accelerated fiscal adjustment programme with the IMF, underpinned by robust domestic revenue mobilisation and measures to contain discretionary current expenditures and domestic capital budget. Efforts will also be made to strike an appropriate balance between revenue efforts and expenditure management. Accordingly, the fiscal deficit including grants was projected to decline to 2.5 percent of GDP in 2023 from 9.4 percent of GDP in 2022. It is projected to rise slightly to 3.0 percent of GDP in 2027. Reflecting the projected sharp decline in Government financing requirements, the stock of public debt is projected to moderate to 93.8 percent of GDP in 2023 from 99.0 percent of GDP in 2022. It is expected to decline to 66.6 percent of the non-iron ore GDP in 2026 and 40.0 percent of the non-iron ore GDP in present value terms in 2027. The current account deficit, including official grants, was projected to narrow from 7.3 percent of GDP in 2022 to 5.6 percent of GDP in 2023, underpinned by an expected decline in the import bill due to the expected decline in global food and fuel prices; the import bill projected to decline by 10.2 percent in 2023, leaving the current account deficit averaging 5.9 percent in the medium-term as the trade deficit narrows due to growth in exports and moderation in international commodity prices, including energy coupled with the increase in private transfers over the period. In the medium term, the overall balance of payments position in Sierra Leone is expected to gradually improve from a surplus of $26.8 million (0.8 percent of GDP) in 2024 to a surplus of $39.2 million (1.0 percent of GDP) in 2027, mainly underscored by improvement in the current account and increase in FDI inflows. Gross foreign reserves of the Bank of Sierra Leone were programmed to amount to 3.4 months of imports in 2023 and will average 3.0 months of imports in the medium term. The Bank of Sierra Leone will continue to maintain a healthy reserve position in order to insulate the economy from emerging external shocks. This would be supported through scaled-up export diversification, and enhanced inflows of FDI and remittances. The exchange rate will remain market-determined to enable the economy to adjust to potential shocks. The Bank of Sierra Leone will also maintain adequate reserve buffers and will intervene in the market only to smoothen out excess volatility in the exchange rate. The exchange rate is expected to move in line with the difference between inflation in Sierra Leone and the inflation of our major trading partners. 45 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Bank of Sierra Leone will also maintain adequate reserve buffers and will intervene in the market only to smoothen out excess volatility in the exchange rate. The exchange rate is expected to move in line with the difference between inflation in Sierra Leone and the inflation of our major trading partners. ➢ Risks to the macroeconomic outlook Despite the relatively benign medium-term outlook of the economy and gradual normalisation of global supply chains, growth outturns remained highly uncertain and particularly susceptible to both external and domestic shocks, including the continued war in Ukraine and the projected slowdown in the Chinese economy, persistently high inflation and pressures on the exchange rate. Medium-term growth is also vulnerable to commodity price shocks, spillovers from a possible escalation of the war in Ukraine, geo-economic fragmentation, policy slippages and increased debt sustainability risks, which could further undermine growth, other global health pandemic and lingering concerns about the health of the global economy. ➢ Key medium-term macroeconomic policy actions Going forward with the consolidation of macro-fiscal gains and addressing remaining and emerging challenges, various policy measures have been highlighted under three broad policy blocks: a) fiscal policy domain; b) monetary and exchange rate policy domain; and c) financial sector policy domain. (a) Fiscal policy The objective of fiscal policy in the next seven years is to stabilise public finances, reduce debt sustainability risks whilst protecting poverty-related expenditure and complimenting ongoing BSL’s effort to stabilise the exchange rate and contain inflationary pressures. To this end, fiscal policy will seek to strike an appropriate balance between revenue efforts and expenditure management through domestic revenue mobilisation, expenditure rationalisation and strengthening public financial management to enhance transparency and accountability in the use of public finances and create the needed fiscal space for priority spending to create jobs, reduce poverty and food insecurity. Consistent with prudent public financial management practice, the measures will pursue two primary and two secondary targets—achieving the secondary targets depending on the primary targets: Primary (i) Reduce total public debt from 98.8 percent of GDP in 2022 to 92.2 percent in 2023 and further down to 66.6 percent by the 2028 fiscal year. External debt will be reduced from 67.7 percent of GDP in 2022 to 67 percent in 2023 and further to 45.6 percent in 2028. Domestic debt will fall from 31.3 percent of GDP in 2022 to 25.2 percent in 2023 and further down to 20.9 percent of GDP in 2028. (ii) Reduce the overall budget deficit, including grants, from 10.9 percent of GDP in 2022 to 5.6 percent in 2023 and to a level not exceeding 3 percent by the 2028 fiscal year. (iii) Reduce the overall budget deficit, including grants, from 10.9 percent of GDP in 2022 to 5.6 percent in 2023 and to a level not exceeding 3 percent by the 2028 fiscal year. Secondary (i) Increase domestic revenue to 20 percent of GDP by 2028; (ii) Contain Government expenditures at average of 23 percent of GDP by 2025, from 30 percent in 2022 and 25.2 percent in 2023. Measures for achieving the fiscal deficit targets in the medium-term—progressively reducing the budget deficit from 10.9 percent of GDP in 2022 and achieving the fiscal deficit target of an average of 2.8 percent in 2027 and 2028: 46 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Medium-term revenue mobilization measures (i) Review the personal income taxation with a view to harmonising withholding taxes on various forms of capital income and gradually transitioning to a comprehensive global income taxation practice in the medium to long term; (ii) Review the corporate income taxation system, with a view to broadening its base abolishing tax holidays and reducing tax rates for certain investments as well as incentivising productive investments; and introducing a Minimum Alternate Tax to tackle tax evasion and tax avoidance; (iii) Reform the excise tax with a view to transitioning to excise taxes on fuels, alcohol, tobacco, vehicles, sugar-sweetened beverages, plastics and others specific to Ad-Valorem rates designed to internalize external costs, thereby reducing harmful behaviour and providing a stable source of revenues. (iv) Commence the implementation of excise stamps to improve the effectiveness of taxation of excisable goods, including alcohol, tobacco, vehicles, sugar-sweetened beverages, plastics and others to provide accurate statistics for tax purposes, reduce illicit trade and enhance consumer protection; (v) Adopt the full pass-through formula for petroleum pricing; (vi) Broaden the base of the Goods and Services Tax, by streamlining exemptions currently provided on machinery and equipment while maintaining exemptions on basic food items such as rice; and extending GST to the informal sector by revising upwards the threshold for registration as well as reforming the Refund Mechanism; (vii) Explore the possibility of Integrating the management of land and property taxes at the national or central level and allow the National Revenue Authority to take on a greater role in assisting local government on these revenue matters for a fee or commission; (viii) Institutionalise a policy of not negotiating fiscal issues in all new greenfield investments in the extractive sector, taking a disciplined policy to avoid individual contracts containing special and overgenerous fiscal terms that are stabilised over time outside of the general tax law; and (ix) The MTRS also introduces a vehicle circulation tax and a tourism levy. For domestic taxes, the measures include (i) Improve enforcement of tax compliance with core taxpayer obligations and address specific high-risk taxpayer segment, including high net worth individuals to tackle tax evasion and tax avoidance and international tax risks. (ii) Increase public education on tax obligations (iii) Enhance the full functionality and integration of the automated tax administration systems (ASYCUDA, ITAS and ECR) (iv) Improve access to and management of tax data to support compliance risk management. Customs administration (i) Strengthen border controls, enhance border patrols and surveillance and the implementation of the Revised Kyoto Convention and HS classification of Rules of Origin; (ii) Fully operationalise and roll-out ASYCUDA (iii) Simplify current set of customs procedures and processes; (iv) Strengthen customs valuation and post-clearance audit; (v) Improve management of Customs duty exemptions; (vi) Strengthen customs data acquisition and management For Non-Tax Revenues. 47 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation For Non-tax revenues (i) Digitise the payment of non-tax revenues, including fees, charges, levies and fines and integrate with ITAS; (ii) Strengthening tax compliance and risk management; (iii) Simplifying processes in revenue administration including developing an outcome-based Monitoring and Evaluation Framework; and (iv) Modernising business operations, enhance capacity and productivity through investment in technology and infrastructure, continuous training and improve data management. Climate finance (i) Explore the possibility of leveraging climate finance from Sierra Leone’s forests, including carbon credits, REDD+ payments, and grants for forest conservation or reforestation; (ii) Leverage international public finance, including transition and adaptation financing for climate change; (iii) Leverage the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Trust facility in the future; (iv) Consider levying carbon taxes on certain sectors of the economy and explore issuing green bonds in the medium term. Domestic revenue mobilization at the local level (i) Develop and implement a new fiscal decentralisation policy and strategy that will provide additional window in the form of enhanced tax bases or new revenue streams for local councils to boost local tax revenues; (ii) Develop a modernised Property Tax System to reflect current valuation, property roll and increased tax base; (iii) Support the functioning of district revenue mobilisation committees. The committee is made up of local stakeholders including non-state actors. The primary objective of the committee is to discuss and follow up on challenges with local revenue mobilization as well as monitoring effective implementation of MOUs on tax collection and sharing between local and chiefdom councils; (iv) Organise inter-district revenue mobilisation committees dialogue fora to discuss progress, challenges and reforms required on local revenue mobilisation and management within their jurisdictions as well as share experiences; (v) Prepare and roll out local councils’ specific revenue mobilisation strategies. The strategy will provide a step-by-step action on how to mobilise internally generated revenues assigned for collection by local councils. Medium-term expenditure management and control measures The Government remains committed to strengthening public expenditure management to create the fiscal space for spending on priority areas while avoiding the build-up of arrears and enhancing the credibility of the budget. To this end, the Government will sustain efforts to improve the integrity and sustainability of the payroll, continue with efforts to improve budget planning and execution, strengthen cash management, and improve the efficiency of the public investment programme. ➢ Improving the sustainability of the wage bill Wages and salaries averaged 8.5 percent of GDP during 2021 and 2022 and are projected to decline slightly to eight percent of GDP in 2023. Current projections indicate that the wage bill will stabilize around 7.2 percent of GDP in the medium term. Government’s objective is to stabilize the wage bill at 6.0 percent of GDP in the medium term. The transparency and reliability of the Government wage bill has improved in recent years following the implementation of several payroll reforms initiated in

2018. These include reconciliation of the inconsistencies between the employee dates of birth in the payroll database and NASSIT numbers; ensuring new employees brought into the payroll have valid 48 National Identification Numbers (NIN), NASSIT Numbers and BBAN; timely removal from the payroll of public servants who have reached the retirement age of 60 years; and biometric verification of civil servants and pensioners. SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation

2018. These include reconciliation of the inconsistencies between the employee dates of birth in the payroll database and NASSIT numbers; ensuring new employees brought into the payroll have valid National Identification Numbers (NIN), NASSIT Numbers and BBAN; timely removal from the payroll of public servants who have reached the retirement age of 60 years; and biometric verification of civil servants and pensioners. While the implementation of these reforms has contributed to significantly improving the transparency and reliability of the Government wage bill, going forward, its sustainability remains a key challenge. To this end, Government with support from the Fiscal Affairs Department of the IMF, undertook a diagnostic study of the Government wage bill. The study identified several factors driving the increase in the wage bill and other challenges affecting the integrity of the wage including wage disparities. The study also made some recommendations, which will form part of the reforms to be implemented in the medium term. The key objective in the medium term is to achieve a government wage bill that is affordable and sustainable. Building on the ongoing reforms, the Government will undertake the following reforms: (i) Develop and implement a Medium-term Wage Bill Management Strategy that introduces additional reforms to strengthen payroll management. (ii) Operationalise the Wages and Compensation Commission following the enactment of Wages and Compensation Commission Act in April 2023. The aim is to have a central body. ➢ Managing public debt Multiple and successive shocks and policy slippages have heightened public debt vulnerability. Sierra Leone is assessed as a country with a high risk of both external and overall debt distress, but debt is sustainable on a forward-looking basis. Implementation of the fiscal consolidation measures mentioned above and lengthening the domestic debt maturity are critical to maintaining debt sustainability. The Government adopted an update Medium-Term Debt Strategy (MTDS) in October, committing therein to (i) stipulate new investment norms for institutional investors; (ii) strengthen communication with banks and non-banks on the MTDS; (iii) updated the auction procedure as proposed by IMF TA; (iv) reviewing the primary dealership agreements and have a performance threshold for the players; and (v) T-bond yields that better reflects market fundamentals. To take further action to address the challenging debt situation, Government will pursue the following actions: (i) Limit domestic borrowing in line with program projections even after the program ends; (ii) Limit external borrowing in line with program ceilings even after the program ends; (iii) Continue to seek grant financing or borrow concessional loans to finance investments in key sectors of the economy, especially infrastructure; (iv) Continue to introduce local medium- to long-term bonds to extend average remaining maturity, in line with the updated Medium-term Debt Strategy; (v) Continue to explore non-debt-creating financing models such as Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) supported by thorough analyses of the potential fiscal risks; (vi) Implement the updated Arrears Clearance Strategy; (vii) Annually update and implement the Medium-term Debt Strategy to guide public debt management; (viii) Continue to strengthen debt management and improve debt reporting and transparency through the regular publication of publicly guaranteed debt; (ix) Take action through debt operations as needed to reduce the debt service burden over time; and (x) With support from the African Development Bank, review the Debt Management Act and deploy a contract profiling tool for the effective management of contracts. 49 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation (B) Monetary and exchange rate policies The BSL uses a flexible money targeting monetary framework with reserve money as its intermediate target and broad money its operational target to meet its price stability mandate and uses special deposit and special lending facilities to signal the stance of monetary policy. The BSL is committed to taking decisive action to bring inflation down. In this context, BSL will take action to slow base money growth—the BSL’s operational target— to 27.2 percent at the end of 2023 by limiting liquidity provision, while the authorities will ensure that any BSL bridge loan to the Government is repaid in full before the end of the year. This will help anchor monetary growth to our projected inflation path over the medium term. To achieve this, the BSL will: (i) Reduce purchases of government securities in the secondary market in H2-2023, by offsetting the higher-than-expected government securities purchases in H1 2023, with lower-than-expected net purchases in H2- 2023; (ii) Continue to reduce base money growth in 2024 and over the medium term, including by reducing liquidity provision through net purchases of government securities in the secondary market; (iii) Continue raising the policy rate as needed to achieve positive real rates over the course of the coming year to send a strong signal of our intention to bring down inflation; (iv) Consider strategies to enable the use of our own instruments to support effective liquidity management operations including reserve requirements and prudential guidelines; (v) Improve communication to explain monetary policy decisions, past outcomes, and actions necessary to align inflation expectations with policy objectives. This will be designed to explain basic concepts of monetary policy clearly and easily understandably to stakeholders in the industry and the public. We are working towards publishing quarterly monetary policy reports and decisions in a timely manner; and (vi) With technical assistance from the IMF, take actions to improve liquidity and inflation forecasting, and computation of the composite index of economic activity (CIEA). BSL will also continue to strengthen transparency around the currency redenomination. BSL have submitted to parliament a detailed report on the currency redenomination process through end-June 2023 as part of the fulfilment of our reporting and transparency around the reform. BSL remain committed to ending legal tender status for old Leones by end-December 2023 but will allow extended period for the exchange for the new Leones. BSL is also committed to normalizing the BSL audit cycle and the FY 2022 financial audit is on track, including in addressing outstanding data issues with the external auditor. We are committed to recapitalize the BSL and to strengthen its ability to pursue its mandate of ensuring price and financial stability as soon as the audit of our FY 2022 financial statements is complete. BSL is taking steps to protect our official foreign reserve buffers and support FX market development. BSL will continue to limit FX intervention to address excess volatility in case of very large temporary shocks. We have terminated all temporary FX facilities that were aimed at increasing the supply of foreign exchange for essential imports during the multiple crisis period. We are, instead, planning to take steps to support FX market development, in line with recent Fund TA. These would include publishing the BSL FX reference rate on the day it is compiled; publishing the mid-rate only; simplifying the rules of FX interbank market; identifying market makers for the FX interbank market; and work towards conducting regular auctions to establish a reference rate going forward. 50 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation (C) Financial sector policies The policy priorities for the financial sector in the medium-term will be to bolster resilience to minimize the realization and build-up of financial sector risk whilst seeking to enhance financial intermediation and financial inclusion through automation and branch expansion in rural communities. These goals will be achieved through a strategic commitment to modernize operational procedures and policy framework. The financial system which is dominated by the commercial banking system remained stable, profitable, liquid and adequately capitalized with all but two banks meeting all the soundness indicators. Also, to meet its strategic mandate of preserving financial stability, BSL will continue to provide regulatory and supervisory oversight of the banking system using the risk-based supervision (RBS) approach. To this end, BSL plan to adopt the Basel 2 and Basel 3 frameworks within the next two years to further enhance confidence in banks’ ability to perform their intermediation function with prudence and within a risk management culture. BSL is also working to maintain financial system stability and improve the regulatory and supervisory framework for the banking system. In this context, the Financial Policy Committee has been established and the first meeting held in September 2023. The Deposit Protection Fund (DPF) Unit has been established in the BSL and a 2-year work plan for launching the DPF Act has been drafted. Going forward, and with the functioning of the FPC, the BSL is committed to developing macro-prudential instruments with the assistance of resident advisors and short-term experts where necessary. The BSL will also follow through on the recommendations of the FSSR and FSAP reports to strengthen the financial system, including finalizing the macro-prudential policy framework, and crisis management plan by the Charter of the FPC by March 2024, enhancing the operational capacity to implement the resolution framework for financial institutions per the Banking Act 2019, and establishing an Emergency Liquidity Assistance framework, building on recommendations from the recent FSSR. The new corporate governance guidelines for banks and financial holding companies, which have been approved, will become effective on 01 January 2024. The BSL will also (i) implement the Domestic Systemically Important Banks (DSIBs) framework for the banking system; and (ii) fully operationalize the Deposit Insurance Fund Act by end-September 2024. The central bank is also in the process of developing a formal directive for implementing the supervisory strategy to address high NPLs with the help of the IMF’s Resident Advisor. 51 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Part 2: The Big 5 Game Changers 52 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation The nexus among the Big 5 Game Changers In compliance with the strategic principle of ensuring informed prioritisation and sequencing of interventions in the services delivery process, mindful of the increasingly scarce resources, GoSL has prioritised the Big Five Game Changers as the vehicle to economic transformation in Sierra Leone. The Big Five Game Changers have been conceived as integrated/interconnected catalysts and multipliers to produce the accelerated and transformative development desired for Sierra Leone by 2030 in the context of the crises the country is facing. The flagship programme for the Big Five Game Changers for the next seven years is Feed Salone. Agriculture will be promoted as the main strategy that would propel the country’s economic transformation, accelerate growth thus reducing, poverty hunger and under nutrition. The unprecedented reliance on the international market for the supply of the country’s staple food, especially rice, had seen a large share of the national budget dedicated to support the importation of essential food items for which there has been enormous potential for domestic production. The depreciation of the local currency and the general rise in global prices had engendered rising local costs of these imported basic items, which in turn caused widespread upward pressure on the prices of other essential commodities, including non-food needs. Thus, placing Feed Salone at the highest pinnacle of the Government’s 2024-2030 Agenda is crucially important. Besides, achieving food and nutritional objectives under the flagship programme (Big 5.1) is imperative for achieving objectives and goals under the other Big Five Game Changers. Having a well-fed and nutritionally secure population cannot be overemphasised towards the production of a healthy population and a well- prepared child to go to school that is critical for the delivery of required human skills (Big 5.2) for increased economic productivity and generation of government revenue for investment in other Big 5 areas, such as in youth employment promotion (Big 5.3), communication, technology and infrastructure (Big 5.4) and in eventually producing capable manpower to effectively run and deliver results in the civil service (Big 5.5). Furthermore, having Feed Salone as the flagship programme constitutes a frontier shift from the Government’s Human Capital Development (HCD) flagship programme during the previous plan 2019-2023, which shall be scaled up during 2024-2030. The HCD has achieved a stabilised focus, which is continuing to see more than than 2020percent percentof ofthe thenational nationalbudget budgetdedicated dedicatedtowards towards the education sector, from around 18.9 percent in 2018. This will be maintained while giving principal the education sector, from around 18.9 percent in 2018. This will attention be to Feed Salon in the current plan and maintaining minimum desired spending in the other Big Five maintained while giving principal attention to Feed Salon in the Game Changers towards achieving the national goals and vision current plan and of the country. and maintaining maintaining minimum minimumdesired desiredspending spendinginin the otherother the Big Five BigGame Changers Five Game towardstowards Changers achieving the national achieving the goals and vision national of the goals andcountry. vision of the country. Figure 2.1 Nexus among the Big 5s 53 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Strengthening digital services, energy supplies and road systems across the country under Big 5.4 (Technology and Infrastructure) is highly critical for propelling actions to deliver the national goal under Big 5.1 (Feed Salone), as well as actions to deliver the goal under Big 5.2 (Human Capital Development in terms of running efficient education and healthcare delivery systems, the effective inclusion of women and persons with disabilities in the growth process and service provision, and in advancing social protection and a resilient housing environment). It will generally enhance investment in other Big 5s (in 5.3 for accelerating access of youth to finance and employment opportunities, and hence curbing irregular migration and drug addiction), and in improved governance, public financial management and service delivery in the public sector (5.5). Indeed, direct investment in youth empowerment (5.3) has widespread positive implications for driving the economy, including maintaining social stability and increased economic productivity, food availability and security (5.1), self-finance for education and participation in social protection/health insurance schemes (5.2), driving the digital revolution that is highly dependent on youth empowerment and inclusion (5.4), and in sustaining effectiveness of the public service through supply of an empowered and capable labour force that is dependent on optimal investment in the youth, upstream (5.5). Finally, direct investment in human capital development (5.2) in its entirety (in education, health, water and sanitation, housing, gender and women empowerment, social protection and addressing child and disability issues) is generally at the fore of long-term socioeconomic transformation and development of the country through the impact this will have on the other Big 5s, including increased food security (5.1), youth empowerment (5.2), delivering widespread technology, innovation and physical infrastructure (5.4) and ensuring professionalized, capable and effective public sector for optimal delivery of goods and services (5.5). The above nexus and interrelationships if well invested in, managed and coordinated can deliver the five broad National Goals by 2030, and will engender a secure, united, just, and peaceful society with an empowered population and diversified economy with advanced infrastructure, and with an income and multidimensional poverty of not more than 26.5 and 30 percent by 2030, respectively. This ultimately will increase the chances of the country becoming a green and inclusive middle-income country by 2039. We now proceed to presenting the current development context and challenges surrounding service delivery under each of the Big 5s, and then define strategic objectives, targets and key policy actions going forward to pursuing delivery of planned results by 2030. 54 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.1. Feed Salone 5.1.1 Accelerating productivity and commercialisation of the agricultural sector With its abundant domestic potential to supply the required food for the Sierra Leonean population and hence its expected leading role in generating revenue and stabilising the general price level in the economy, agriculture will be at the apex of driving the Government’s FEED SALONE flagship programme. This programme will be the central driver of the state’s Big 5 Game Changers for accelerated delivery of sustainable development in Sierra Leone for the next seven years covering 2024-2030. Agriculture, including forestry and livestock, remains the mainstay of Sierra Leone’s economy, accounting for more than 50 percent average share of the national GDP, and approximately 10 percent of the total export earnings. The sector directly contributes to the national economy by enhancing food security, income generation, employment (it employs approximately two-thirds of the labour force), wealth creation, and poverty reduction. It has the potential for industrial development and ensuring equitable distribution of resources, and has been enormously crucial in recovering the economy in the face of crises and economic downturns. The country is blessed with a tropical climate, abundant rainfall, vast fertile land, and multiple rivers with great irrigation potential that could collectively support the production of enough food to meet local consumption as well as export needs. Its vast arable land can support the cultivation of a variety of crops, including the staple rice of the nation, cassava, maize, cashew, groundnut, rubber, ginger, vegetables, fruits, and cash crops. As shown in the figure below, the sector is dominated by crop cultivation, representing about 44 percent of agricultural output in 2022, followed by fishing with seven percent contribution, forestry with six percent, and livestock accounting for only 2.2 percent. Traditionally, rice dominates the crop contribution to GDP with an average of over 20 percent in the last five years, followed by cassava at 9. 2 percent. The key drivers of the value-added growth within the crop sub-sector in 2022 were Rice, Ground nut, Maize, Fruit Vegetables, Sweet Potatoes and other crops (including cash crops). 55 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Figure 2.2 Composition of Agricultural Output in 2022 Source: Statistics Sierra Leone, 2022 Table 2.1.1: Production Trends of Selected Crops 2019-2025 Production in metric tons (Mt) Crops (Cereal, Legumes, Tree crop and Tubers and Cash Crops) Crop/Year CHILLI SWEET RICE MAIZE OIL PALM G/NUT CASSAVA COCOA COFFEE CASHEW PEPPER POTATOES 2019/2020 947,464 38,685 19,604 1,413,461 184,042 1,160,121 221,580 14,648 99,263 1,570 (NASS Survey) 2020/2021 1,049,795 26,549 82,919 997,941 77,685 2,143,953 263,140 52,678 111,755 1,610 (Projection) 2021/2022 1,504,191 20,449 76,513 2,383,448 109,934 2,527,291 331,964 54,001 104,309 1,650 (Projection) 2022/2023 1,396,900 22,545 127,042 3,162,900 73,561 2,171,412 254,743 55,356 106,927 1,692 (Yield Survey) 2023/2024 1,536,590 24,800 139,746 3,479,190 80,917 2,388,553 280,217 56,746 109,611 1,734 (Projection) 2024/2025 1,767,079 28,520 160,708 4,001,069 93,055 2,746,836 322,250 65,257 126,053 1,994 (Projection) Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security As the largest economic sector in the country which contributes more than 50 percent to the GDP, it is plausible to note that economic growth and poverty reduction in Sierra Leone will only be sustained with developments in the agricultural sector. As the sector expands, it will stimulate growth in other sectors through increased demand for tools and chemicals, as well as providing raw materials for agro-based industries. Also, it will generate employment along the agricultural value chain of input supply, production, agro-processing and marketing, including exportation. 56 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Notwithstanding the potential and opportunities for Table 2.1.2: Food Insecurity by Population transforming the economy of Sierra Leone, studies have shown District % food 2020 Food insecurity population Insecure that about 80 percent of the food consumed in Sierra Leone is Population imported, with 75 percent of the country’s arable land still 2020 uncultivated; Table 2.1.2 showing acute food insecurity in the Bo 56% 635,374 397,850 country despite the enormous potential in agriculture. The Bombali 58% 504,775 325,248 Bonthe 71% 236,170 187,311 sector is dominated by subsistence farming, further constrained Falaba 69% 248,644 190678 by a lack of access to finance, the use of crude implements, and Kailahun 60% 625,173 411,693 large post-harvest loss. These challenges have over the years Kambia 46% 385,185 193,982 prevented the sector from reaching its potential and rendered it Karene 62% 340,781 238,324 Kenema 71% 666,793 527,571 uncompetitive. Food insecurity and vulnerability are increasingly Koinadugu 46% 247,029 123,640 taking center stage in national development discourse. Based Kono 55% 606,918 367,407 on the Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis Moyamba 66% 348,312 256,269 (CFSVA), food insecurity increased from 57 percent in 2020 to 73 Port Loko 52% 609,466 347,641 percent in 2022, with severe food insecurity estimated to have Pujehun 67% 520,958 392,245 Tonkolili 57% 622,339 389,040 dropped from 12 percent to 11 during the same period. Western 25% 515,031 139,279 Although the worsening food security situation could be partly Area Rural attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout, Western 33% 150,000 54,735 this calls for a policy rethink to develop a resilient agricultural Area Slum Western 16 1,212,313 210,336 sector. Area Urban Rural 61% 4,899,591 3,304,230 Urban 39% 3,402,245 1,449,017 Total 57% 8,301,836 4,753,247 Source: Adapted from Food Security Monitoring System Report, Feb, 2022, GoSL & WFP. The previous MTNDP 2019-2023 was therefore pursued with the objective of improving performance in the sector as a basis for moving up the value chain into industrial agriculture activities. In the course of implementing the plan, notable progress was made toward the targets of improving the productivity and commercialization of the agricultural sector. A highlight of these achievements includes: annual national rice self-sufficiency increased from 61 percent in 2018 to 75 percent in 2022; increased rice yield from a national average of 1.1 ton/ha to 1.78 tons /ha; Procured and provided 410 tractors and power tiller to establish 15 machine Rings in a Public Private Partnership model; Provided $10 million Agriculture Credit Facility at a single digit interest rate to the private sector; Developed a 30,000 ha irrigation schemes in the main rice cultivation regions of the country; enacted the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI) Act 2023; and expanded mechanization to quickly boost local food production during the COVID-19 pandemic. While these laudable achievements and progress were made in the implementation of this plan, huge challenges remain. Among the many remaining and emerging challenges are the limited and slow growth of mechanization services in the sector, despite the establishment of 15 machine rings; weak human capacity; poor access to finance, including financial services for agriculture; climate change and seasonal variability disrupting the farming calendar; high food insecurity poor access to farm implements and improved seedlings; limited extension delivery services; poor road network and access to the market; lack of value addition services; and weak sector coordination, especially the coordination of food and nutrition security activities. Food and nutrition insecurity mitigation is another major challenge that has plagued the sector for years. Furthermore, as the Government embarks on proactive measures to increase yields, strengthening food markets, and improving calorie consumption, challenges remain. 57 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation An important opportunity is the policy shift of the Government to prioritize agriculture as the flagship state initiative called ‘Feed Salone,’ with great emphasis on national development policy on supporting agriculture and fishery. There is increased recognition of the need to have economic diversification as the nerve centre of Sierra Leone’s socioeconomic transformation agenda and attainment of meaningful poverty reduction and sustainable development. Accordingly, this new MTNDP 2024-2030 will be focused on consolidating gains in the previous MTNDP 2019- 2023, while accelerating programme implementation to overcome the plethora of challenges facing the economy, including the acute food insecurity. It will be highly focused on achieving strategic welfare and general socioeconomic targets at all levels of the population, expected to propel other sectors in the Government’s Big Five Game Changers such as human capital development and youth employment. More specifically, the National Feed Salone Strategy will inform the new Plan’s strategic direction to be pursued for meeting food self-sufficiency and security in the country during 2024-2030. The strategic agricultural approach in implementing the Feed Salone strategy14 involves channelling investments into districts with the highest potential for success and growth by leveraging each district’s comparative advantage while also introducing synergistic value chains, and a blended financing model, where the Government combines its own resources and that of the partners to attract private capital. Generally, six strategic pillars (Figure 2.3) have been articulated in the Feed Salone strategy, as follows: Figure 2.3 Strategic Pillars in Feed Salone Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (2023). Feed Salone Strategy: A Blueprint for agricultural Transformation in Sierra Leone, 2023 – 2028. The strategic direction for increased agricultural productivity and achieving food self-sufficiency and security has accordingly been defined within the foregoing general policy direction for Feed Salone as follows. --------------------------------------------------------------- 14 Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (2023). Feed Salone Strategy: A Blueprint for agricultural Transformation in Sierra Leone, 2023 – 2028. 58 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to promote self-sustenance in key staples, boost export earnings, create new job opportunities and generate income, alleviate hunger and malnutrition, improve climate resilience techniques in crop production and boost productivity in livestock and fish for increased commercialization in the agriculture sector. Table 2.1.3: Key Targets for Big 5.1.1 Agriculture Annual Targets Key Targets Baseline 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 By 2028, the land 554,401 cultivated for rice Hectares in 586,081 617,761 649,441 681,121 712,801 744,481 776,161 production increased to 2023 (MAFS) Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha at least 40 percent Increased rice yields by 1.9MT in 2.32 MT 2.74 MT 3.16 MT 3.58 MT 4.0 MT - - 2028 2023 Overall Improvement in the Global Food security 40.5 in 2022 41.6 43.0 44.4 45.8 47.2 48.6 50.0 index (GFSI) Import value of key staple food (rice, poultry, onions $ 500 M in and flour) reduced from $ 438.14M $376.28M $314.42M $ 252.56M $ 190.70 M $128.84 M $ 67.0 M 2023 $500 million in 2023 to at most $67 million ➢ Key policy actions

1. Introduce and deliver functional irrigation systems that support year-round cultivation in key production zones

2. Introduce modern agricultural machines to facilitate and enhance large-scale farming

3. Build a sustainable pipeline of high-quality seeds for targeted value chains and develop systems for delivering other inputs such as fertiliser and agro-chemicals

4. Support and link research efforts at SLARI to the Feed Salone Programme

5. Support aggregation, processing, and market linkages for farmers

6. Establish and implement home-grown institutional feeding programmes and commodity boards and co-operatives for cash crops and rice and other staples

7. Promote agricultural financing to address access to finance challenges for both smallholders and large-scale farmers

8. Promote Agriculture Technologies (AgTech) and Climate Smart Agriculture to make farming practices more efficient, sustainable, and resilient

9. Build resilience in farming communities through Women and Youths in Agriculture. 59 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.1.2 Accelerating productivity and sustainable management of fisheries and the marine sector Given Sierra Leone’s huge marine assets and the importance of fish in the country’s diet, the fisheries and marine resources sector remains a critical part of the Sierra Leone economy and future. Rich in minerals and vitamins, fish is an important part of a healthy diet and provides animal protein for over 80 percent of the Sierra Leonean population. Sierra Leoneans are among the highest consumers of fish, with average per capita consumption of around 22.6kg of fish per year.15 Therefore, the sector is especially critical to the achievement of the objectives of the Government’s Feed Salone flagship programme in its Big Five Game Changers for accelerated economic transformation during 2024-2030. The fisheries sector currently contributes about 12 percent to Sierra Leone’s GDP, contributing an average annual revenue of NLe100 million (100 million new Leones). Its huge revenue potential continues to provide prospects for sustained investment in the sector for the supply of dietary requirements of the population, besides contributing to the overall budget of the state towards financing other development sectors and programmes. In 2018 and 2019, when the local currency was relatively strong, the generated revenues in the sector estimated $11 million (Old Le96.6 billion) and $10 million (Le100.5 billion old Leones), respectively. During the global COVID-19 pandemic, revenues dipped badly, estimating NLe86.7 million ($ 8.8 million) in 2020; slightly dropping further to NLe86.3 million ($ 8.76 million) in 2021, NLe102.4 million ($10.39 million) in 2022, and NLe82.0 million ($8.32 million) in 2023 (as at September). Given inflation and exchange rate changes, this gives an average foreign exchange earnings of $5 to 6 million per annum during 2018-2023. The sector employs about 1,000,000 people (approximately 14 percent of the total population of Sierra Leone). In yield, the country produces 150,000 metric tons per annum. The fisheries and marine resources sector in Sierra Leone include fisheries biomass such as Shrimps, Demersal Finfish, Pelagic and Tuna Fishery, which are caught from marine and riparian sources, as well as land and aquaculture. About 45 percent of the total annual fish produced is sold in local markets in Sierra Leone. Throughout the implementation of the last national development plan, MTNDP 2019-2023, Sierra Leone made important improvements and reforms to strengthen the sector, even in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global fiscal crisis, Sierra Leone’s currency crisis, and the war in Ukraine. It improved its monitoring and surveillance to reduce illicit fishing and improved the license scheme to help formalise the sector. Supportive infrastructure was built, including cold rooms (which reduce post-harvest fish loss and help the product meet required standards for export) and six commercial fish farms. Assessments and surveys were conducted to understand boundaries and sustainability in the marine sector. The Fisheries and Regulations Act 2021 was enacted, an Aquaculture and Inland Fisheries and Regulatory Framework developed to advance effectiveness and efficiency in the operations of the sector. Over the course of this period, the share of GDP from fishing increased by 4.0 percent. The Government also secured a $55 million grant from the Chinese Government to construct a fish-harbour and ancillary structure. --------------------------------------------------------------- 15 This is above the average consumption of 11.2kg for the rest of West Africa, and the global average of 20 kg. 60 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation These achievements lay the foundation for the next national development plan for the acceleration of outcome in the marine and fisheries sector during 2024-2030, as this sector is key for the delivery of the FEED SALONE initiative for food and nutrition security, under the Government’s Big Five Game Changers. It also has an important role to play in the YES initiative and HCD drive of the state, articulated in the B5.2 and 5.3 Sections below. For instance, within the youth sector, during 2019-2023, a total of 70 new fishing boats with accessories were provided to the 7.0 coastal districts of Sierra Leone, which generated 1,400 male and female direct beneficiaries engaged in fisheries. Incomes generated from these activities will be highly critical for these individuals in financing skills training for off-farm employment and in support of child schooling. Over the next seven years, TVET programmes in marine and fisheries (covering aquaculture, fishing and sustainable resource management, among others) will be pursued, besides boosting areas such as tourism and trade, while investments in the sector is scaled up through private capital mobilisation. This will be achieved through legal and governance reforms, creating incentives for industrial fishing, commercialisation of aquaculture and building capacities, reduction of illegal fishing and supporting infrastructure development to create processing zones. Nonetheless, there have been key remaining/emerging challenges from 2019-2023 impacted the implementation of the Plan’ goals and objectives across sectors, including the marine and fisheries sector. This collectively led to constrained fiscal environment of the Government to allocate its budget. The recent outbreak of war in Israel and Palestine may further exacerbate the petroleum price hikes and global economic downturn. Some of the specific challenges created in this context include: increased petroleum costs due to the Ukraine/Russia war increased overhead investment costs for fishing companies and artisanal fishing operations, leading to a reduction in fish production, an increase in fish prices and reduction in revenue generation; fishing companies are unable to settle debts from fines and licenses that accrued during the Covid-19 pandemic and have requested for waiver; inadequate budget allocation and late disbursement of funds to the sector for implementation of fisheries management programmes; and data limitations constrained the sector from implementing the quota management licensing system. Money from revenues generated was not retained by the sector, which would have been used to enhance service delivery, especially given the late disbursement of government funds. There is no insurance for seagoing staff; and no roadworthy operational vehicles, thus limiting the provision of extension services across fishing communities; and the absence of a fish harbour complex remains a problem for the effective implementation of shore-based fish processing and dry-docking activities in the fish value chain. Tuna fishing vessels could not be inspected at ports due to the absence of fishing harbours. As the crew on SIK are not on government payroll but on contract, the demand for a transition scheme is very high for newly trained and qualified crew to replace the retired crew. There is an inadequate quantity of pelleted or formulated aquaculture feeds for fish farmers, highly demanding technology transfer to produce feed. Finally, there is an inadequate number of extension workers to enhance proper fishpond management and fish farming. Critical issues to serve as lesson going forward with the development of the sector include: the concern that some of the levies for offences against the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act and regulations were considered very exorbitant by the industrial fishing Companies, which should seriously be looked into for enhanced and sustained operations in the sector in support of Feed Salone and government’s Big 5s in general. In particular, the fine of US$1,500,000 for incursions of fishing trawlers into the inshore exclusion zone (IEZ) has been impossible to settle by fishing Companies (indeed, it is more than the cost of a new fishing trawler). To attract fisheries investment and increase revenues, government has been considering requests from fishing companies with regard to the possibility of granting waiver for bad debts accrued during the COVID-19 era. 61 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to scale up production and industrial processing of fisheries and other marine products. Table 2.1.4: Key Targets for Big 5.1.2 Fisheries & Marine Products Annual Targets Key Targets Baseline 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 122,000 Industrial catch increased 130,000 134,000 150,000 MT in 2023 126,000MT 138,000MT 142,000MT 146,000MT to 150,000 MT MT MT MT By 2030, revenue NLe105 generation increased to Million in 111.43M 117.86 M 124.29M 130.72M 137.15M 143.58M NL150 M NLe 150 million 2023 By 2030, certification for export of fish to EU and 0 _ 1 1 -- _ _ - China market obtained ➢ Key policy actions

1. Improve surveillance and monitoring of industrial and artisanal fishing activities

2. Support official control inspections for fish processing plants and customs border points

3. Ensure fish biomass is maintained at not less than 400,000 MT

4. Scale-up communication and sensitisation on illegal fishing

5. Improve data collection and management on fisheries operations

6. Mobilize private sector investors along the value chain to promote market for fish and create fish processing zones along the coast.

7. Review and amend the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act of 2018 and regulations of 2019

8. Support artisanal fishing operations, with emphasis on the development of women and youth Fish Farmer Groups across the country

9. Support the construction of Industrial Fish Harbour Complexes across relevant locations in the country

10. Incorporate practical fish farming activities in schools across the country. 62 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.1.3 Availability, access, and consumption of diverse, safe and nutritious foods The central focus of the Feed Salone Programme is making food, especially the country’s main staples, accessible to and affordable by all. The fundamental objective in this regard is to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition through promoting sustainable agriculture and national food systems. A special focus under this policy area is to address childhood malnutrition, which can have long-lasting effects on the growth and educational achievements of the child, making nutrition a core dimension of human capital development. The measure of malnutrition on which policy has generally been focused estimates the percentage of children under-five who are classified as stunted, wasted, or underweight. Addressing maternal nutrition is also essential under this policy areas with respect to improving maternal and child health outcomes. Malnourished mothers are more likely to experience complications during pregnancy and childbirth, and their infants are at higher risk of low birth weight and stunted growth. While progress has been made, there is still much work to be done to improve maternal health and nutrition in Sierra Leone. Sustained efforts are therefore needed to enhance access to quality maternal healthcare services, promote nutrition education, and address the underlying social and economic factors that affect maternal and child health. During the implementation of the last MTNDP 2019-2023, the Government made laudable efforts towards improving nutrition related indicators in the relevant sectors, including agriculture, health, education, and social protection. On the institutional front, the Government scaled up support for the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Secretariat in the office of the Vice President to accelerate the coordination of implementation of projects and programmes aimed at boosting nutrition in the country. According to Sierra Leone’s 2019 DHS survey, the proportion of stunting children in the country under the age of five decreased from 38 percent in 2013 to 23 percent in 202316; wasted children decreased from nine to five percent; and underweight decreased from 16 to 14 percent during the same period. Exclusive breastfeeding for children under 6 months increased by 30 percent from 2013 to 2019; while those aged 6-23 months breastfed increased from 7 to 9 percent during the same period. Anaemic children aged 6-59 months reduced from 80 percent in 2013 to 68 percent in 2019.17 Figures 2.4 and 2.5 present distribution of incidence of stunting, wasting, underweight for different ages of children from 0 to 58 months (Figure 2.4) and incidence across the 16 districts of Sierra Leone (Figure 2.5) in 2019. Figure 2.4 suggests that the incidence of stunting takes peak when a child is 18 to 19 months old, while risks of wasting and underweight peak at nine to 10 months. Figure 2.5 shows the distribution of anaemia, comparing rural and urban settlements, with the former showing the highest risk, for mild, moderate, as well as for severe anaemia. These distributions across ages and residential locals are critical in guiding policy and planning going forward. --------------------------------------------------------------- 16 From 38 percent in 2013 (DHS2013 survey) to 23 percent (WFP Survey 2023). 17 See Sierra Leone’s DHS 2019, pages 227-240 for details on progress made in advancing nutritional outcomes during MTNDP 2019-2023. 63 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Figure 2.4 Nutritional status of children by age Children aged 6-59 month who are anaemic 80 70 3 3 60 2 50 40 35 27 40 30 20 29 30 30 10 0 Urban Rural Total Mild Moderate Severe Figure 2.5 Childhood anaemia by residence 64 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation The proportion of women aged 15-49 who are thin decreased from nine percent in 2013 to seven percent in 2019; those overweight or obese decreased from 30 percent in 2008 to 18 percent in 2013, before increasing to 28 percent in 2019; while those found anaemic slightly increased from 45 to 47 percent during the same period, those taking iron supplementation for 90 days or more slightly decreasing from 30 to 28 percent, but with those taking deworming medication during pregnancy increasing from 72 to 84 percent during 2013-2019. Concerning water and sanitation as a determinant of nutrition, 67 percent of households had access to improved source of drinking water (92 percent urban, 49 percent rural); and 55 percent used improved sanitation facility (84 percent urban, 33 percent rural).18 A key challenge to address going forward into the implementation of the MTNDP 2024-2030 is the unequal distribution of nutrition-related interventions in the country, with the rural population (especially children and women) appearing remarkably underserved, compared to the urban population. Institutionally, far more is needed to be done in improving nutrition-related governance capacity and service delivery at subnational/district level than at the national level. Generally, budgetary allocations to scaling up nutrition interventions are inadequate, while more is also needed on the data and information front, as well as sectoral and partner coordination for better delivery of nutritional outcomes in the country. Opportunities to leverage going forward with the pursuit of national nutritional objectives is the availability of political will to support the implementation of the relevant programmes, noting the continued role of the Office of the Vice President where the SUN Secretariat is located. This arrangement can be complemented and reinforced through the launch of the national sustainable agrifood systems transition initiative and establishment of a presidential initiative on climate change, renewable energy and food security. And there is a Multi-Sector Strategic Plan to Reduce Malnutrition in Sierra Leone 2019-2025 that can be rolled-out, which is strongly aligned to Sierra Leone’s National Food and Nutrition Security Implementation Plan 2019-2025; the Malabo Declaration; the Africa Regional Nutrition Strategy 2015-2025, the UN SDGs and The UN Global Strategy for Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health 2016-2030. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to increase access to and consumption of diverse, safe and nutritious foods for sustainable reduction of malnutrition, especially for women and children. Table 2.1.5: Key Targets for Big 5.1.3 Nutrition Annual Targets Key Targets Baseline 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Prevalence of stunted children under 5 years 23% in 2021 21% 19% 17% 15% 13% 11% 9% of age reduced to 9 percent Prevalence of wasting among children under 5 5.2% in 2021 4.9 4.6 4.3 4.0 3.7 3.4 3.1% years of age reduced to 3.1 percent Prevalence of underweight among children under 5 years 11% in 2021 10.3% 9.6% 8.9% 8.2% 7.5% 6.8% 6.1% of age reduced to 6.1 percent Anaemia in women of child-bearing age 47.0% in 2019 44.6% 42.2% 39.8% 37.4% 35.0% 32.6% 30.2% reduced to 30.2 percent 65 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Key policy actions

1. Support research and monitoring of nutritional status, dietary practices and patterns of physical activities for women and children, with special attention to school pupils

2. Scale-up policy advocacy to increase the mainstreaming of nutrition in sectoral programmes

3. Promote counselling on antenatal care, intrapartum and postpartum care, including breastfeeding, newborn health, and immunisation for mother

4. Develop national food system pathways to improve food and nutrition security

5. Promote integrated food systems and capacity-building along food production, processing, marketing and consumption value chains

6. Undertake public nutrition education on healthy foods and diets

7. Improve access to quality curative nutrition services Box 5.1 below presents a critical workstream of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security to support national, sectoral and local efforts to bolstering food and nutrition systems by enhancing productivity and green agricultural transformation. The box presents clear goals and specific actions of the Initiative to provide support in this area. Box 5.1: Presidential Initiative—Bolstering food and nutrition systems by enhancing productivity and green agricultural transformation ➢ Goals

1. A Climate-Smart Productivity Enhancement and Food Systems programme developed by 2024

2. At least 30% of smallholder farmers would have received adequate incentives and have been applying climate-smart and good agricultural practices (including livestock development) by 2030

3. By 2030, 50% of households practicing sustainable land management for food production

4. By 2030, four Green Integrated Agro-food Parks are established in partnership with private sector, propelled by Direct Foreign Investment as part of the strategy of government to promote food security, reduce GHC emissions & enhance resilience of food systems

5. At least two private sector firms are investing in the production, processing, and marketing of nutritious, fortified foods by 2030

6. By 2030 at least 50% of smallholder women in the horticulture value chains are supported to access technologies that ensures better quality produce, reduce wastage, and increase their income and profit margins.

7. At least 50% of Green Home-Grown School Feeding interventions are using clean cooking solutions

8. A viable strategic grain reserves system established with relevant national coordination systems, ensuring food security and price stabilization by 2030 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- ➢ Specific actions

1. Establish Food and Nutrition Security Network in collaboration with MAF and other MDAs and development partners to serve as a platform for data, information and knowledge sharing.

2. Support formulation of policy and regulatory framework for the food systems program, including nutritious foods safety standards and commercialization

3. Develop a framework for food processing companies to efficiently produce and responsibly market safe and nutritious food at affordable prices

4. Develop a framework to increase profitability of smallholder farmers

5. Organize workshops, training sessions, and educational programs for stakeholders at various levels, from farmers to policymakers, ensuring a cohesive approach to food sovereignty.

6. Advocate for Local Actions to promote food and nutrition security. 66 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.2. Human Capital Development 5.2.1. Accelerating and expanding free quality basic and senior secondary education The Government of Sierra Leone, determined to advance human capital development and reducing by half the learning poverty rate by 2030, committed a total of 22 percent of its annual budget to education. This investment in education was channelled through the Free Quality School Education (FQSE), the Radical Inclusion programmes, and Foundational Learning (FL) which led to the remarkable increase and improvements in gross enrolment rate, transition, and completion numbers and rates at all levels of the education system over a relatively short period of time. From the table below, between 2017 to 2022, pre-primary school GERs have doubled and the senior secondary school GERs have more than trebled, while primary GER are above 100 percent, owing to the fact that many children enter P1/Class 1 in Sierra Leone primary schools under and above the official entry age of 6 years. The vast difference in girls GER for JSS and SSS during 2020-2022 was as a result of the Radical Inclusion programme. Table 2.2.1: Gross enrolment rate for all levels of schooling Level 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Preschool 11.3 % 12.5 % 13.0 % 15.0 % 18.3 % 20.3 % 19.5 % 21.6 % 23.0 % 25.0 % 24.0 % 26.0 % 118.0 119.9 109.0 137.0 Primary 107.0 % 140.2 % 134.9 % 139.0 % 149.0 % 154.0 % 152.0 % 162.0 % % % % % JSS 56.1 % 55.7 % 56.0 % 55.0 % 77.0 % 76.7 % 77.4 % 78.5 % 95.0 % 98.0 % 102.0 % 110.0 % SSS 28.2 % 25.0 % 32.0 % 28.0 % 58.5 % 54.5 % 60.7 % 57.5 % 73.0 % 72.0 % 84.0 % 90.0 % 67 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Approximately 52 percent of the total national population is in the age range three to 24 years, and over 74 percent are enrolled in basic and secondary education. Poverty, coupled with food insecurity contributed significantly to the out-of-school children from the 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) Report. Therefore, school feeding plays an important role in the enrolment and retention rates in primary school. From the table below, in 2019, inflation and partner withdrawals from the programmes led to a fall in the number of schools that benefited from the School Feeding. However, the Government interventions resulted in 1,545 schools being added to the programme from 2019 to 2022. Table 2.2.2 Primary Schools Benefiting from School Feeding, 2017-2022 Primary Schools Benefiting from School Feeding, 2017-2022 Level 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Primary 2,344 2,894 1,037 1,376 1,437 2,582 ➢ Radical Inclusion Programme The strategic objective is to promote self-sustenance in key staples, boost export earnings, create new job opportunities and generate income, alleviate hunger and malnutrition, improve climate resilience techniques in crop production and boost productivity in livestock and fish for increased commercialization in the agriculture sector. Table 2.2.3: Enrolment of pupils with disabilities 2017-2022 Enrolment of pupils with Disability by Level of Schooling % Increase in Level 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Enrol. 2017 -22 Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Preschool 692 523 627 617 1,038 1,017 773 715 530 525 893 870 29% 66% Primary 10,396 9,212 12,811 10,965 17,186 15,130 14,551 13,059 8,315 8,182 14,162 13,621 36% 48% JSS 1,638 1,480 1,976 1,804 5,555 5,087 4,873 4,414 3,600 3,486 5,530 5,154 238% 248% SSS 598 483 620 551 1,553 1,399 1,679 1,481 1,468 1,262 2,331 2,231 290% 362% All 13,324 11,698 16,034 13,937 25,332 22,633 21,876 19,669 13,913 13,455 22,916 21,876 72% 87% The Radical Inclusion policy allowed girls to continue with their schooling during and after pregnancy. In 2022 alone a total of 1,289 girls at various stages of pregnancy were enrolled in school. Additionally, the integration of child and adolescent health and life skills into the education curriculum in 2022 will empower learners with age-appropriate knowledge and skills necessary to prevent pregnancies, STIs and other reproductive health issues. This will be complemented by enhanced linkages to sexual and reproductive health services through the implementation of the school-Health Policy. Table 2.2.4: Number of Pregnant Girls in School, 2020-2022 Level 2020 2021 2022 Primary 111 93 73 Junior Secondary 547 536 693 Senior Secondary 389 321 523 Total 1,047 950 1,289 68 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation The increases in enrolment shown below could only be accomplished with the increasing availability of schools and classrooms. The table below shows the change in the number of schools by level between 2017 and 2022. From the table, 781 pre-primary schools were established due to MBSE’s investment in Early Childhood Education and Development (ECE&D) through the establishment new pre-primary schools and facilities in communities that are under-served or lacking, providing needed TLMs and teachers/facilitators. Primary schools increased most in number (1036) but increases in pre-primary junior secondary and senior secondary schools were remarkable with the latter more than doubling in number (930). The indications are that demand for post-basic education is increasing at a tremendous rate. Primary schools increased most in number but increases in pre-primary junior secondary and senior secondary schools were remarkable with the latter more than doubling in number. The indications are that demand for post-basic education is increasing at a tremendous rate. Table 2.2.5: Number of Schools by Level 2017 – 2022 Level Increases 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2017:2022 Pre-Primary 1,218 1,633 1,758 1,756 1,984 1,999 781 Primary 6,422 7,002 7,154 7,020 7,429 7,458 1,036 Junior Secondary 1,217 1,531 1,633 1,600 1,931 2,079 862 Senior Secondary 401 581 623 658 824 930 529 ➢ External Exams The increase in the number sitting and passing the National Primary School Examination (NPSE) can be considered as the outcome/impact of the FQE problem launched as the flagship program in the concluded MTNDP (2018-2023). The passing rate for boys and girls declined to its lowest in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic causing the closure of schools leading to complete obstruction of the academic calendar. In 2023, NPSE pass rates are at the highest with 82 percent for boys and 81 percent for girls, which could increase intake pressure at the junior secondary level. Table 2.2.6: NPSE Candidates Sitting and Passing by Sex 2018:2023 Year Male Sat/Rel Female Sat/Rel Male Pass Female Pass Male Pass Rate Female Pass Rate 2018 61,496 61,898 49,375 48,351 80 percent 78 percent 2019 68,134 68,392 52,542 50,991 77 percent 75 percent 2020 72,778 73,775 55,401 53,273 76 percent 72 percent 2021 79,438 81,876 62,024 62,517 78 percent 76 percent 2022 79,478 82,319 65,152 66,281 82 percent 81 percent 2023 80,045 83,640 65,281 67,848 82 percent 81 percent Also, from the table below, the number of passes for male and female increased in 2018 due to the commencement of the FQE program. However, it fell in 2019 and 2020 due to the impact of covid-19 but increased in 2022 to 89percent for boys and 87percent for girls. 69 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 2.2.7: Pass Rate for Basic Education Certificate Examination by Sex 2018-2022 Male Pass Male Pass Female Pass Year Male Sat/Rel Female Sat/Rel Female Passes Rate Rate Rate 2018 45,063 44,933 33,429 31,166 74 percent 69 percent 2019 55,383 55,023 26,580 24,405 48 percent 44 percent 2020 66,603 66,600 47,079 44,937 71 percent 67 percent 2021 65,738 65,745 52,391 51,232 80 percent 78 percent 2022 62,936 64,953 55,789 56,342 89 percent 87 percent The table below shows the number of individuals who perform well at the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and qualify for entry to first-degree programs. From the table below, the passes in WASSCE have been increasing tremendously in the last few years, with passes in five (5) credits including English and mathematics increasing from 3.19 percent in 2019 to 58.10 percent in 2022. Table2.2.8 Candidates Sitting and Obtaining University Requirements in WASSCE 2019-2022 5+ at Cred or 5+ at Cred or percent 5+ at percent 5+ at Above - With Above - With Cred or Above - Cred or Above - Year Entry Sat Math and Math and/or With Math and With Math ELang ELang ELang and/or ELang 2019 105,685 102,621 724 3,156 0.70percent 3.10percent 2020 151,741 151,515 2,144 5,775 1.40percent 3.80percent 2021 164,458 156,231 21,430 51,748 13.70percent 33.10percent 2022 206,784 186,695 37,592 108,418 20.10percent 58.10percent The Ministry of Education with support from DSTI Introduced a Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) tool to help parents and pupils check their exam results for free, removing cost burden from parents and also increasing accessibility especially for students/parents in rural areas. Among the key challenges that confronted this sector, as in others, during 2019-2023 is the COVID-19 pandemic. Others include: the surge in pupil enrolment which stretched the existing infrastructure to its limit; the unavailability of government financial resources; lack of trained and qualified teachers, especially in STEAM subjects; and limited Teaching and Learning Material for pupils and pupils with special care, more so for pupils in rural communities where these resources are badly needed. Furthermore, the increase in reports of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in schools during the period 2019 to 2023 has been particularly worrying, as the table below shows the number of schools reporting incidences increased between 2021 and 2022 instead of decreasing, notwithstanding the pro-active steps taken by the MBSSE and the TSC to reduce incidences. Lack of boards/SMCs in some schools compounded this problem. Table 2.2.9: Number of Schools Reporting Incidences of SGBV Level 2021 2022 Primary 32 61 Junior Secondary 48 65 Senior Secondary 21 26 Total 101 152 70 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation The Radical Inclusion programs and Foundational Learning (FL) serve as the main potential in basic education coupled with the passing of the Basic and Senior Secondary Education Act 2023 and the new Education Act 2023. Also, the passing of the new School Feeding Policy to improve the feeding of children in schools as well as the introduction of civics in the education curriculum serves as potential/opportunities for maintaining attendance and reintroduction of ethics in schools. Another opportunity comes from the quality education that was provided through the Radio Teaching Programme organised by MBSSE during the Ebola epidemic and Covid-19 pandemic period. This provided opportunities for students’ learning that is continuing even now in

2023. Also, the MBSE has learnt that the quality of the administration/head of school determines, to a great extent, the quality of the school and its learning outcomes. The pursuit of these standards by the Ministry has seen overnight changes for the better taking place in schools, with changes in headship and boards/SMCs. MBSSE learnt that unless closely monitored, some heads of schools inflate enrolment and entries for WAEC conducted exams to the detriment of the system and placed an unwarranted financial burden on the Government; a trend that was substantially discourage in the previous national development plan. Furthermore, the ministry noted that the availability of school feeding has a positive effect on school enrolment and attendance. Lastly, through district workshops spearheaded by the Minister, the Ministry further learnt that when fully informed about learning outcomes, districts can mobilise to reverse negative trends as shown in monitoring the trend in district performance over the years. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective of the sector is to improve learning outcomes in the education system for all children and youth, ensuring that every child, regardless of circumstance, will have the opportunity to access and complete quality education, whilst showing proficiency in all assessed areas. Table 2.2.10: Key Targets for Big 5.2.1 Basic and Senior Secondary Education Annual Targets Key Targets Base-line 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Schools and educational institutions with curriculum responsive to needs of labour Zero 14% 28% 42% 56% 70% 84% 100% market Pupil-to-qualified teacher ratio reduced to 63:1 60.1:1 57.2:1 54.3:1 51.4:1 48.5:1 45.6:1 43:1 43:1 Children with special education needs Zero 14% 28% 42% 56% 70% 84% 100% provided with support ➢ Key policy actions

1. Develop modern and contemporary curriculum for all schools that is responsive to the needs of the labour market

2. Support in-service training opportunities for teachers and general school management authorities

3. Provide every child with the opportunity to access and complete quality basic and secondary education

4. Ensure physically and psychologically safe learning institutions that are free from all forms of abuse

5. Scale up implementation of the radical inclusion policy

6. Strengthen school inspectorate activities and governance of the sector. 71 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.2.2 Strengthening tertiary and higher education The aftermath of the successful implementation of the FQSE had a positive impact on students seeking access to higher/tertiary education as the number of passes for the WASSCE exams increased from 29,922 in 2017 to 243,203 in 2023 as shown in Figure 2.6 below. Accordingly, the enrolment into tertiary education increased from 30,693 for the 2016/2017 academic year to 101,645 for the 2022/2023 academic year as shown in Table 2.2.11 below. The rehabilitation of resource centres in six Teacher Training Institutions across the country underscores an investment in infrastructure to support FQSE. This progress was attributed to the increase in examination centres from 96 in 2017 to 444 in 2023, as well as the establishment of three new universities in the Western Region (one) and the Eastern Region (two). The expansion of educational access is not solely numerical; it encompasses a strategic enhancement of infrastructure and academic facilities. This involves a noteworthy increase in examination centres, soaring from 96 in 2017 to a robust 444 in 2023, to cater for the exponential increase in students educated to senior secondary level, due to the FQSE. Additionally, the establishment of three new universities, distributed in the Western and Eastern Regions, has added substantial academic capacity to the higher education landscape. This period also saw a significant legislative stride with the repeal of the Universities Act of 2005, replaced by the 2021 Universities Act, demonstrating a commitment to refined legal and regulatory frameworks for the sector. There has been a substantial increase in wages for staff in tertiary education institutions (87.5 percent which the last increment taking into effect in January 2022). This is in recognition of the integral role of the workforce in the education sector, and the need to motivate the workforce. 300000 250000 Number of students 200000 150000 100000 50000 0 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 MALE 17044 17690 60446 80038 82920 100710 115033 FEMALE 12878 15706 54652 71703 81675 106164 128170 TOTAL 29922 33396 115098 151741 164595 206874 243203 Enrolment year Figure 2.6 Number of students who participated in the WASSCE examinations: 2017 to 2023 Source: Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education 72 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 2.2.11: Summary of Student population in Public Institutions 2014-2023 Institution 2014/2015 2015/2016 2016/2017 2017/2018 2018/2019 2019/2020 2020/2021 2021/2022 2022/2023 USL 10,012 10,816 14,589 17,721 19,515 23,807 25,693 28,716 35,339 NUC 7,347 8,680 8,727 8,970 10,730 13,149 14,241 16,003 19,753 EBKUST 2,299 3,572 2,340 1,798 2,024 2,479 2,685 3,016 3,722 MMTU 2,605 3,219 2,542 3,159 2,653 3,286 4,535 6,261 8,842 ETU 1,678 1,619 1,533 2,250 3,477 4,283 5,898 7,991 10,842 FTC 989 877 875 653 662 814 1,182 1,718 2,680 CSC - - 87 127 189 234 341 497 750 AFTEC - - - - 124 157 236 359 582 TVET 11,084 14,563 19,134 Institutions TOTALS 24,930 28,783 30,693 34,678 39,374 48,209 65,895 79,125 101,645 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 2014/2015 2015/2016 2016/2017 2017/2018 2018/2019 2019/2020 2020/2021 2021/2022 2022/2023 Series1 8,664 10,011 11320 14922 19716 Figure 2.7 Summary of Student Population in TVET Institutions 2014-2023 Source: Ministry of Technical and Higher Education 73 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation In respect of Figure2.7 above, a premium was not placed on TVET education, hence the lack of available data from 2017 backward. However, with the establishment of the MTHE in 2018, efforts have been made to collect data in respect of the sub-sector. The above successes in the sector notwithstanding, there have been notable challenges. Key among these is the grossly inadequate infrastructure and lack of resources to ensure quality delivery and output due to the exponential rise in the number of students seeking access to higher education. Furthermore, the low-quality teacher training and technical and vocational institutions; the lack of basic modern facilities for scientific research, innovation, and technological development, which was coupled with the non-gender-responsive, disable unfriendly and stigmatization of vocational education compounded the already existing challenges. To address these opportunities and challenges, MTHE will explore collaboration with various stakeholders, including industry partners and international organizations, to access resources, expertise, and further support for vocational training programs. There were noted potentials/opportunities to leverage towards improving access and quality of technical and higher education. The foundational pillar will be the existence of strengthened Education Management Information System, and Learning Management System introduced and operationalised in public Universities. The strategic implementation of digital solutions is critical to modernize and enhance efficiency. A priority focus should be on leveraging digital platforms and technologies to streamline core administrative and academic processes including admissions, financial management, teaching methodologies, and data utilization. Additionally, these digital tools should be utilized to drive improved productivity, accountability and transparency in all education operations. A comprehensive digital transformation strategy will enable major systemic improvements, provide better services to students and teachers, and position the education sector to thrive in the 21st century. In the same vein, in line with the commitment to enhance efficiency and transparency in TVET, the incorporation of digital solutions into various facets of TVET operations stands as a critical priority. A pivotal component of this effort is the ongoing development of a TVET Management Information System (TVET-MIS) platform. Simultaneously, the operationalisation and piloting of the Integrated Certification System has been initiated in 30 TVET institutions. Furthermore, to align with modern educational standards, a Competency Based Training curriculum was produced and implemented across TVET institutions. This forward-looking approach ensures that TVET programs are in sync with contemporary educational methodologies. In addition to the initiatives outlined above, the comprehensive review of the Education Sector Plan for the years 2022-2026 and the Government Grant-in-Aid policy has been undertaken – with the former providing strategic direction for transforming the technical and higher education sector. The latter has introduced innovative measures to address the financial aspects of accessing Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). A key component of this effort is the implementation of the Student Load Scheme (SLAON), which aims to provide sustainable ways of financing access to HEIs. This strategic approach ensures that the financial burden on students is mitigated, fostering a more equitable and accessible higher education landscape. The Student Load Scheme is designed to support students in pursuing their academic aspirations without undue financial strain, promoting inclusivity and affordability within the higher education sector. This also makes provision for the inclusion of TVET students. A historical grant in aid scheme will gradually be phased out, as the loan scheme is gradually upscaled. However, a component of the grant in aid scheme will be retained specifically for female students in the science, technology, engineering, agriculture and mathematics (STEAM) fields, as well as for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in private tertiary institutions, commencing from the year 2022 onward. This strategic initiative underscores a steadfast commitment to promoting inclusivity and enhancing accessibility in TVET education. To strengthen the financial foundations of education, a multi-pronged strategy is imperative. First, sustainable funding models must be developed through innovative thinking - identifying new income sources and stabilizing finances. Second, increasing student access via accessible, sustainable loans should be a priority as aforementioned. Third, resources must be channelled toward developing infrastructure and institutions, 74 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation creating an optimal learning environment. Fourth, diverse income streams should be established within schools and universities, with transparency in both revenue and spending. This requires carefully exploring strategic business ventures that align with institutional missions, and national sector priorities (BIG 5), building financial resilience for the long-term. With these four pillars - innovation, access, development, and diversification - the roadmap for fortifying education financially can be charted. The Government of Sierra Leone, with support from donor partners, is in the process of conducting market surveys geared towards the alignment of the training programmes on offer with the demands of the market to make TVET graduates easily employable or empowered to create jobs for themselves and possibly others. Finally, 11 Government Technical Institutes have been established and operationalised in 10 districts, with six more to be constructed, while 42 other TVET institutions across the country provided financial support for equipment and tools through the World Bank Skills Development Project. Ultimately, the process of depoliticizing universities through the removal of the President as the Chancellor and the restructuring of key entities like the National Council for Technical Vocation/other Academic Awards (NCTVA), along with the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), holds significant potential for enhancing the regulatory framework in the TVET sector. Ensuring quality assurance in TVET necessitates the establishment of performance indicators aligned with national priorities such as the BIG 5, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and African Union (AU) objectives. A dynamic curriculum review process fostered through collaboration with relevant government agencies and employment sectors, guarantees that TVET programs remain adaptable and responsive to evolving societal needs. Aligning certification with the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), maintaining rigorous accreditation standards, and establishing regional centres of excellence all contribute to skill development and uphold the overall quality of TVET programs. The continued existence of the MTHE, established in 2018 as an independent ministry, further catalyses expediting positive outcomes in the tertiary and higher education sphere. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to increase equitable access to quality higher/skills education that promotes research, innovation, and entrepreneurship for growth, stability, and sustainable national development. Table 2.2.12: Key Targets for Big 5.2.2 Higher Education Institutions Annual Targets Key Target Base-line 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Enrolment in HEIs increased 101,645 in 111,645 121,645 131,645 141,645 151,645 161,645 171,645 to 171,645 2023 Number of students accessing student loan 168 in 2023 1,572 2,976 4,380 5,784 7,188 8,592 10,000 scheme increased to 10,000, with at least 30 percent females 50 Female 472 893 1,314 1,735 2,156 2,5578 3,000 Additional 20,000 youth Zero 2,856 5,712 8,568 11,424 14,280 17,136 20,000 empowered with TVET skills 75 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Key policy actions

1. Develop, enact and popularise education regulatory policies & instruments

2. Train unqualified teachers, tutors, instructors in relevant disciplines and demand-driven skills

3. Provide digital training for all lecturers/tutors to meet the demands of the fourth industrial revolution.

4. Support hybrid and blended education delivery

5. Develop Quality Assurance Management System to support and guide TVET and HEIs.

6. Strengthen and harmonise accreditation and certification at national and regional level

7. Develop an emergency preparedness, response, and recovery plan for TVET and HEIs

8. Increase financing options for the sector, including innovative solutions

9. Improve infrastructural environment for learning institutions for students, including PWDs

10. Promote distance education and TVET institutions in areas where none exists

11. Support research and innovation and entrepreneurship development. 12. 76 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.2.3 Improving health care delivery The Ministry of Health's contributions to Sierra Leone's Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) for 2024-2030 are pivotal in realising the broader goals of sustainable development, particularly promoting education, agriculture and economic growth, poverty reduction, and improved living standards for the nation. By focusing on healthcare access, infrastructure, workforce, and disease prevention, Sierra Leone can make significant strides towards achieving a healthier population, increased productivity of other sectors and more prosperous future for its citizens. Over the years, there has been significant progress in improving access to affordable healthcare, both at policy and operational levels despite the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. First and foremost, the budgetary allocation to the health sector was increased from 6 percent to 11.6 percent during 2019-2023, followed by the rehabilitation of a good number of health facilities across the country from 1,397 in 2018 to 1,569 by 2021. The government trained and posted over 5,000 staff (with pin code), while 8,700 community Health Workers were recruited, representing a 50 percent increase during 2018-2021; and supported 21 medical doctors to acquire specialised training. The sector also established four dialysis stations, treating over 700 patients in the country, increased health infrastructure facilities to some hospitals in the country, including the Brookfields hospital with 80 beds, Rokupr hospital with 100 beds and 34 Military hospital with 100 beds. Cervical cancer screening was established in 8 health facilities in the country, established national blood transfusion unit which has helped to increase the availability and access to safe blood services, and also established 220 solar refrigeration for vaccine storage. Given sustained efforts in promoting healthcare service delivery, the health sector over the years has significantly contributed to increasing life expectancy for Sierra Leone from 53 in 2017 to 61 in 2023. Stunting of under five children dropped to 23 percent, compared to 34 percent in Africa; neonatal mortality per 10,00 live births dropped to 20, compared to 28 in West Africa; the availability of essential drugs increased by 90 percent. A total of 183,000 girls were vaccinated with the HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) vaccine, and the country achieved over 70 percent vaccination rates with the COVID-19 vaccines nationwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) Integrated African Health Observatory Report released in March 2023 revealed that Sierra Leone was among the top three countries in the African Region with the high maternal mortality ratios in 2017 with 1,120 deaths per 100, 000 live births. This rate went down precipitously by 2020, when, according to the global mortality trends estimates that year, the maternal mortality ratio dropped by nearly 60 percent, to 443 deaths per 100, 000 live births. The country’s 2019 DHS report had already shown significant progress in health indicators compared to the previous DHS results: Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) came down to 717 per 100,000 live births in 2019, as against 1,165 in 2013 DHS; Under-5 MR 122 per 1,000 live births in 2019, compared to 156 in 2013. The trend is similar for other indicators such as Infant Mortality Rate and Neonatal Mortality Rate. Table 2.2.13 provides some trends in healthcare service outcomes between 2013 and 2019. 77 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 2.2.13: Status in selected outcome/impact health indicators 2013-2019 INDICATORS DHS 2013 DHS 2019 IMPACT INDICATORS Neonatal mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) 39/1,000 31/1,000 Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) 92 /1,000 75/1,000 Under-five mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) 156 /1,000 122 / 1,000 Maternal mortality ratio (per 100,000 live births) 1,165 /100.000 717 /100,000 Adolescent birth rate 125/1,000 102/1,000 Total fertility rate 4..9 4.2 OUTCOME /OUTPUT INDICATORS: Reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health Percent births attended by skilled staff (public and private) 59.7 percent 87 percent Percent pregnant women making 4 antenatal visits 76 percent 79 Percent Contraceptive prevalence rate (percent of women 15–49) 16 percent 21 percent Unmet need among married women for family planning 25 percent 25 percent Percent children < 1 year fully vaccinated 68 percent 56 Percent OUTCOME /OUTPUT INDICATORS: Nutrition Prevalence of underweight (wt/age) among children 16 percent 14 percent 6–59 months (2SD) Prevalence of stunting (ht/age) among children 6–59 months (2SD) 38 percent 30 percent Prevalence of Wasting (ht/wt) among children 6–59 9 percent 5 percent months (2SD) OUTCOME / OUTPUT INDICATORS: Communicable diseases Prevalence of HIV (percent of pop. aged 15–49) 1.5 percent 1.7 percent Percent children sleeping under long-lasting 49 percent 59 percent insecticide-treated net the night before Challenges encountered in the previous national development plan include: the weak human resource base and inadequate specialised healthcare professionals to handle complicated medical cases in the country, coupled with poor conditions of services for healthcare workers. Also, the Government is yet to fully implement the 2001 Abuja Declaration which states a minimum of 15 percent budgetary allocation to the health sector. Additionally, the sector lacks the necessary infrastructural facilities to promote quality health services and digital health management. We also encountered inadequate medical equipment and diagnostics facilities, weak governance structures to undertake effective monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning, limited access to quality sexual and reproductive health services and weak disease prevention, surveillance, control, preparedness and response systems. A key lesson in the last five years is that the health sector saw improved financial management during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, given the extreme scarcity of resources at the time owing to global challenges and decline in donor resource flows; there was rationalisation of available finances to ensure adequate response to the pandemic in the country. An opportunity going forward in the implementation of the new MTNDP 2024-230 is the establishment of the National Public Health Agency, which is hoped to promote health security and universal coverage. Finally, the rising spending by GoSL on overseas medical treatment for public sector officials presents an opportunity to increase domestic investment in the health sector. Government’s vision in this current plan is to build a resilient healthcare system that will ensure effective and efficient healthcare delivery despite the emerging changing circumstances. There is concrete commitment on the part of Government and its partners to ensure that healthcare infrastructure, service delivery and monitoring meet internationally acceptable standards. 78 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to build a resilient and responsive health care system that provides equitable access to affordable quality healthcare services to all Sierra Leoneans across the life stages. Table 2.2.14: Key Targets for Big 5.2.3 Health Annual Targets Key Targets Baseline 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 443 deaths/ 411 / 379 / 347 / 315 / 283 / 251 / 219 / Maternal mortality 100,000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 rate reduced by 50% 75 deaths/ 1,000 69.7 64.4 59.1 53.8 48.5 43.2 38 Infant mortality live births reduced by 50% Life expectancy 54.0 years 55.57 57.14 58.71 60.28 61.85 63.42 65.0 increased years years years years years years years 13.4 health 14.4 15.4 16.4 17.4 18.4 19.4 20 Health worker density workers per increased by 50% 10,000 population ➢ Key policy actions

1. Upgrade and expand healthcare facilities, including hospitals, clinics, and primary healthcare centres, to meet the growing demands of the population

2. Improve access to antenatal and postnatal care

3. Implement comprehensive strategies for pandemic preparedness and disease prevention and control

4. Facilitate the allocation of 15 percent of national budget to the health sector in line with the Abuja Declaration

5. Extend free healthcare to school-going children nationwide

6. Expand the mobile clinic bus services (Hospitals on Wheels Initiative) nationwide

7. Review and implement the Sierra Leone Health Insurance Scheme to expand access to health care and reduce out-of-pocket expenditure

8. Improve general governance of the sector and promote innovative financing mechanisms to ensure sustainable funding for the healthcare sector

9. Expand family planning services to remote rural communities.

10. Scale-up campaigns on communicable and non-communicable diseases

11. Strengthen human resource development in the sector. 79 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.2.4 Malaria, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis (TB) remain a public health concern and threat in Sierra Leone. Accordingly, GoSL continues to give these three diseases special attention in the National Development Plan, expanding on the strategic direction articulated in the previous section on addressing general healthcare issues in the country. This is critical in consolidating and accelerating every effort to advance human capital development in the country. ➢ Malaria Malaria is endemic in Sierra Leone, with a stable and perennial transmission in all parts of the country. The entire populace is at risk of the disease. Sierra Leone has come a long way in the fight against malaria, a disease that seriously affects the well-being and socio-economic aspects of the people and the development of the country. It is estimated that about 2,240,000 outpatient visits are due to malaria every year, of which about 1,000,000 patients are under five years old. In the past few years, the country has made headways in controlling the disease burden to reduce its impact and sequelae among the population, leading to a significant reduction in the malaria prevalence rate from 40 percent in 2016 to 22 percent in 20211 and a steady decline in Malaria Incidence from 316 in 2018 to 219 2022. Among the major challenges in combating the disease include poor sanitation; poor drainages containing still water in residences and surroundings; availability and cost of drugs especially in rural areas; and inadequate supply of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN). In the next seven years, the Government, through the National Malaria Control Programme has renewed its commitment and will introduce the malaria vaccine to children under two (2) years in March 2024 added to other preventive measures. The programme has prepared a plan with broader involvement with key stakeholders and development partners guided by our commitment to reducing malaria morbidity and mortality at least by 75% by 2025. Achieving this will be challenging but doable. The programme has highlighted specific interventions that are critical to drive this ambitious plan. Among them include strengthening the malaria surveillance system to effectively reflect the actual burden of the disease in all localities with the aid of the geographical information system (GIS); and a robust and judicious use of other vector control methods (Indoor residual spraying, Larviciding). The operationalization of these changes will enable us to effectively serve the population and facilitate the subsequent elimination of malaria in our country. Behavioural Sentinel Survey (IBBSS) and Size Estimate indicate that HIV prevalence is disproportionately higher among key and marginalised groups. It is highest among female sex workers (11.8 percent), transgender persons (4.2 percent), people who inject drugs (PWID 4.2 percent), persons in incarceration (3.7 percent) and men who have sex with men (3.2 percent). The same study estimated that there are 106,000 female sex workers, 56,006 transgender, 26,331 PWID, and 5,733 transgender persons 5,733 caseloads across these social categories. The disproportionately high HIV prevalence among these key population groups is partially attributable to high rates of stigma, discrimination, repressive laws, socio-cultural and religious factors, which deepens already existing inequalities, violates their rights, and limits their access to essential HIV prevention and treatment services. While efforts continued to be advanced in this disease sub-sector in the previous plan (MTNDP 219-2023), children and infants remain worse affected by HIV in Sierra Leone. Coverage of interventions to prevent mother-to-child transmission is estimated at 69 percent, currently. Only 4,549 out of 6,600 HIV pregnant women received HIV treatment in 2022. Vertical transmission of HIV is as high as 15.79 percent and accounting for almost 1,000 deaths among infants and children below 14 years in 2022. There are estimated 60,000 HIV exposed children who are unidentified, due to poor integration of HIV and RMNCAH services, persistent breakdown of early infant diagnostic equipment and perennial stockout of HIV commodities in the country. Although the number of people living with HIV on treatment have doubled over the last three years, progress at achieving the 95:95:95 global targets has been slow with the country being at 76:99:45. Of the 77,000 people living with HIV, 59,000 know their HIV status, of which 58,000 were on treatment in 2022. 80 A summary of challenges encountered in the previous Medium-Term National Development Plan include: SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ HIV and AIDS The epidemic is feminised and concentrated among key population groups. Although national HIV prevalence is estimated at 1.7 percent, its prevalence among females (2.2 percent) aged 15-49 years is double the rate among males (1.1 percent). Adolescent girls and young women aged 15-24 years are three times (1.5 percent) more likely to be infected with HIV than their male counterparts (0.5 percent). The 2021 Integrated Bio Behavioural Sentinel Survey (IBBSS) and Size Estimate indicate that HIV prevalence is disproportionately higher among key and marginalised groups. It is highest among female sex workers (11.8 percent), transgender persons (4.2 percent), people who inject drugs (PWID 4.2 percent), persons in incarceration (3.7 percent) and men who have sex with men (3.2 percent). The same study estimated that there are 106,000 female sex workers, 56,006 transgender, 26,331 PWID, and 5,733 transgender persons 5,733 caseloads across these social categories. The disproportionately high HIV prevalence among these key population groups is partially attributable to high rates of stigma, discrimination, repressive laws, socio-cultural and religious factors, which deepens already existing inequalities, violates their rights, and limits their access to essential HIV prevention and treatment services. While efforts continued to be advanced in this disease sub-sector in the previous plan (MTNDP 219-2023), children and infants remain worse affected by HIV in Sierra Leone. Coverage of interventions to prevent mother-to-child transmission is estimated at 69 percent, currently. Only 4,549 out of 6,600 HIV pregnant women received HIV treatment in 2022. Vertical transmission of HIV is as high as 15.79 percent and accounting for almost 1,000 deaths among infants and children below 14 years in 2022. There are estimated 60,000 HIV exposed children who are unidentified, due to poor integration of HIV and RMNCAH services, persistent breakdown of early infant diagnostic equipment and perennial stockout of HIV commodities in the country. Although the number of people living with HIV on treatment have doubled over the last three years, progress at achieving the 95:95:95 global targets has been slow with the country being at 76:99:45. Of the 77,000 people living with HIV, 59,000 know their HIV status, of which 58,000 were on treatment in 2022. A summary of challenges encountered in the previous Medium-Term National Development Plan include: perennial stockout of HIV commodities as a result of poor quantification and delayed container clearance at the seaport; inefficient procurement and supply chain management systems, coupled with poor logistic management systems, limiting access to HIV services; dysfunctional laboratory and sample transportation systems, making it nearly impossible to test for viral load and early infant diagnosis of HIV; high level of Stigma and Discrimination; and weak human resource base to provide quality of care. ➢ Tuberculosis (TB) Sierra Leone is classified as one of the world’s 30 most affected countries with TB, accounting for 87 percent of the global tuberculosis burden. The country is classified as a low-income country with a high TB burden based on disease severity (per capita), with an estimated 24,000 TB reported cases per year. It is the sixth cause of death among the top 10 causes of premature death in Sierra Leone. The country’s yearly case mortality rate is estimated at 3,000 people, according to the WHO Global Report, 2022. Sierra Leone did make tremendous progress in TB reduction in the last couple of years, with case notification increasing steadily over the last ten years: from 13,195 in 2010, to 17,865 in 2019). However, serious challenges remain, as the country is still not on track to achieving the SDG target of ending TB by 2030. The critical challenges are having 5,000 estimated missing cases, coupled with increasing numbers of drug- resistant cases; and low private sector participation and poor childhood case notification. 81 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to ensure that Sierra Leone ends Malaria, HIV/AIDS and TB by 2030, as a public health threat in line with SDG 3.3. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, Malaria, HIV/AIDS and TB are eliminated

2. By 2030, achieve HIV epidemic control by reaching the 98:98:98 targets by that date above the global targets of 95:95:95

3. By 2030, the mother-to-child transmission rate of HIV reduced to less than five percent.

4. Achieve universal access to malaria prevention and control interventions

5. By 2025, reduce malaria morbidity and mortality at least by 75 percent ➢ Key policy actions

1. Increase equitable access to HIV, Malaria, and TB prevention, treatment, care, and support for priority vulnerable populations

2. Strengthen institutional coordination on HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and TB at all levels

3. Strengthen community-level response to HIV /AIDS, Malaria and TB

4. Strengthen social and economic protection and support for targeted populations

5. Expand vaccination programmes for malaria, TB, and HIV/AIDS treatment and control efforts.

6. Scaleup efforts at identifying 95 percent of people living with HIV;

7. Ensure that 95 percent of those with HIV receive life-saving treatment

8. Ensure that 95 percent of those on treatment will be virally suppressed

9. Achieve 90 percent treatment success rate annually for all people diagnosed with TB

10. Strengthen the malaria surveillance system to effectively reflect the actual burden of the disease in all localities with the aid of the geographical information system

11. Strengthen the programme and financial management procedures for improved accountability, transparency, and efficient use of funds

12. Support reliable and timely diagnosis and treatment, distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets including school-based distribution

13. Catalyse appropriate behaviour change and strengthen relevant health system functions such as Health Management Information System (HMIS), supply chain management, and outbreak response. The operationalization of these changes will enable us to effectively serve the population and facilitate the subsequent elimination of malaria in our country. 82 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.2.5 Water, environmental sanitation, waste management and hygiene The need for a coherent and enhanced response to the challenges of environmental sanitation and hygiene had preoccupied GoSL, considering the integration of policy and oversight responsibilities for sanitation (including waste management) into the Ministry of Water Resources that was established in 2013. Accordingly, following the June 2024 general elections, this ministry was renamed the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation with additional responsibilities. This is critical in the Government’s Big 5 Game Changer framework to accelerate the delivery of goods and services to the public in a cost-effective way. This will reduce sectoral transaction costs related to the delivery of integrated services like sanitation and hygiene from different institutional arrangements. In the last five years, some significant milestones were recorded in the water and environmental sanitation sector, including the establishment of the National Water Resource Management Agency. A Loss Control Unit to ensure effective leakage management in the operations of the Guma Valley Water Company was created in 2020 to undertake leakage monitoring and control across the water supply network in Freetown. With this, 80 percent of the 1,270 water leakages reported in 2020 were resolved before the end of that year, leading to annual revenue increasing by 50 percent from 2018 to 2020, and doubling revenue since 2016; a trend projected to continue into the implementation of the new national development as new investments in water supply systems are implemented. Additionally, 554 water kiosks, 55 boreholes, and 270 public stand posts were constructed and became functional by 2021, serving about 784,000 people per day in the capital. In Bo, Kenema, and Makeni cities, the average population accessing safely managed water stood at 69.6 percent by 2021, serving a total population of 348,247 out of 500,446 in the three municipalities combined. Under the rural water supply project, the water sector provided boreholes and gravity-fed water supply in 6 districts (Koinadugu, Falaba, Kambia, Kono, Pujehun, and Bonthe Districts) and constructed 100 solar-powered boreholes in 13 districts, while providing gravity-fed Water Supply System in Tombo Town in Western Rural District. Further, GoSL conducted the Sierra Leone hydrogeological mapping of groundwater resources constructed 10 Hydrological Monitoring networks and 25 Groundwater monitoring stations in the country; procured and installed bulk flow water meters and established the Western Area Peninsular Water Fund Project. Before the end of the plan implementation, the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation will mobilize significant resources to construct four new dams in the Western Area to store rainwater for use for water supply services in the Western Area to enhance water security. The ministry will undertake other water construction facilities, rehabilitation and optimization of conventional treatment plants; and distribution systems will be provided to transport water to homes, public facilities and businesses by Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) and Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC). Both water utility companies: GVWC and SALWACO have identified and/or will implement technology solutions to enhance efficiency in their water supply operations including the use of automatic metering systems; use of ICT and relevant software for database, customer, financial services and operations management; pre-paid/SMART metering, full digitalization of systems, etc. Under these circumstances, infrastructure in water services will help to promote sustainable development, enhance access to portable water and will support Government’s flagship program, Feed Salone. deforestation and the illegal encroachment of land, the lack of harmonised policies and weak legislation to regulate water and sanitation programmes, and the unwillingness of a good number of people to pay water bills, all of which have greatly affected the effective supply of water and sanitation facilities to most communities. A key opportunity in all of this is the great potential for revenue generation in this sector, covering waste management, which only needs strategic investments to realise it. The country has abundant rainfall, covering most of the year, besides the pool of rivers found across the country. 83 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Regarding sanitation, the percentage of the total population using improved sanitation facilities increased from 10.6 percent in 2013 to 55 percent in 2019; the urban shares moved from 21.9 to 84 percent, the rural from 5.4 to 33 percent during the period in 2019; while diarrhoea disease prevalence rate (for 6-11 years), dropping from 18.6 percent in 2013 to 9.1 percent in 2019. These indicators could have further improved to date with new data.19 Additionally, during the plan implementation period, sanitation services will be enhanced to tackle the menace of solid and liquid waste management and infrastructure for flood mitigation using technology solutions. Despite these achievements, there were enormous challenges to inform action going forward into the implementation of the MTNDP 2024-2030. These include inadequate coordination of different MDA operations relating to the supply of water and sanitation services. The sector also lacks accountability in service deliveries, which limits a good number of communities to access safe water and sanitation facilities. The limited financing had seen weakening and deteriorating water infrastructure. A 2020 report by the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation revealed that the inadequate water infrastructure and service delivery had resulted to economic losses estimated at $194 million annually (an equivalent of around 2 percent. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to increase access to safe and potable water and to promote the provision of safely managed sanitation through relevant infrastructure and hygiene services for the growing population. Table 2.2.15: Key Targets for Big 5.2.5 Water and Sanitation Annual Targets Key Targets Baseline 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Population with access to safe and portable drinking water 63% 90.0% 66.9% 70.7% 74.6% 78.4% 82.3% 86.1% increased 84% (Urban) 86% 88% 90% 92% 94% 96% 98% Population with access to safely managed sanitation increased 33% (Rural) 36% 39% 42% 45% 48% 51% 54% Develop four dam water supply 1 - 1 1 1 1 - - systems in Western Area ➢ Key action points

1. Improve the existing water distribution network and general infrastructure in Freetown and other cities

2. Support the construction of water dams in Western Urban Area

3. Support various technologies and innovations for WASH implementation

4. Develop a comprehensive monitoring plan for sectoral activities in line with the SDGs

5. Support the establishment of data collection platforms and management

6. Strengthen the national WASH coordination forum and develop basic WASH implementation guidelines and training manuals

7. Strengthen sectoral governance and financial management

8. Implement the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation project

9. Support capacity building for the sector, including relevant skills training. --------------------------------------------------------------- 19 For more details on progress made in this sector, please refer to the Sector Policy Paper submitted to the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development on water, environmental sanitation, waste management and hygiene towards the preparation of this National Development Plan. 84 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.2.6 Women’s empowerment In this plan (MTNDP 2024-2030), we have articulated women’s empowerment and gender issues more comprehensively than in previous plans. This section focuses on direct women empowerment as a fundament prerequisite for sustainable delivery of the Human Capital Development objective of the state. This is derived from the process by which women have power and control and equal opportunity and resources on the basis as men to pursue personal, social and economic endeavours at family, local and national levels. Women's empowerment enhances the quality and the quantity of human resources available for development. The focus of gender mainstreaming as an enabler in Part Three (Enabler 5.4) is aimed at maximising efforts in narrowing the gender gap in critical socioeconomic areas, drawing from the National Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy and Legislation. The Mid-Term Population and Housing Census of 2021 suggests that female population continues to be higher than the male population as in 2015. It accounted for 50.6 and 50.8 percent of the population in 2021 and 2015, respectively. Thus, the protection and advancement of the fundamental human rights of women and the girl child are key to the human capital and socioeconomic development of the country. For decades, these rights for women have been consistently provided for in a series of international protocols, treaties and conventions that Sierra Leone has been a signatory to at global, regional and sub-regional levels. These instruments include but are not limited to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW); the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BDPfA); the Vienna Declaration on Violence Against Women; United Nations Security Council Resolutions; Maputo Protocol; among others. In compliance with the expected implementation of these instruments at member states level, the last five years saw the continued promulgation of a number of policies, strategies, and legislations by the Government of Sierra Leone, including the Sexual Offences Act 2012 as amended in 2019; National Strategy for the Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancy and Child Marriage 2018-2022; Hands Off our Girls campaign led by the Office of the First Lady 2018; Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy 2020; National Male Involvement Strategy for the Prevention of Sexual Gender-Based Violence in Sierra Leone 2020; National SGBV Response Strategy 2021-2023; National Referral Protocol on GBV to include school-related GBV 2022; and the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act 2022. Relatedly, the Government continued the implementation of the Free Healthcare programme for pregnant women, lactating mothers and under-five children nationwide, and provided scholarships for women studying STEM subjects. Women now have the right to own land as provided for by the new National Land Commission Act 2022, while a provision was made to empower women in the Mines and Minerals Act. Access to Education and training, quality health care, employment, access to resources and financial inclusion and political participation are the main drivers of women’s empowerment. In the last MTNDP 2019-2023, GoSL laudably maintained parity in girls’ and boys’ enrolment in primary schools, which was also achieved in junior secondary. The data from the education section (Big 5.2.1) under Human Capital Development suggest an increase in girl gross enrolment ratio in junior secondary from 55 percent in 2018 to 110 percent in 2022, while GER in excess of 100 percent in the primary level was maintained through. Maternal mortality per 100,000 live births decreased by 60 to date from 717 deaths in 2019, while a total of 183,000 girls were vaccinated with the HPV vaccine during this period due to a 90 percent increase in the availability of essential drugs since 2018. 85 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 100,000 live births decreased by 60 to date from 717 deaths in 2019, while a total of 183,000 girls were vaccinated with the HPV vaccine during this period due to a 90 percent increase in the availability of essential drugs since 2018. Access to financial services by women is essential to allow them to benefit fully from economic opportunities. However, the country’s financial inclusion is the region’s second worst (20 percent of the 15+ aged population has an account with a bank or mobile money.20 With women’s level of financial inclusion being far lower than that of men additional economic opportunities through land and property rights also pose challenges for women. Sexual and gender-based violence was drastically reduced during 2019-2022. Of the 2762 SGBV cases reported in 2022, 45 percent were peer-to-peer sexual activity, captured as rape due to the Law, which otherwise would not have been included in the figures. Key challenges facing women and girls' empowerment despite the realisation above include inadequate financing for the sector, delays in passing relevant legislation on women and children’s welfare; limited prioritisation of their issues in other sectors including ineffective alignment of their plans and programmes with women related legislations, plans, policies and programmes; and weak integration of women’s issues and children sensitivity in local level development operations. A major lesson generally learned is that a nation can only achieve sustainable development if it optimally integrates women’s development in all national development operations, at the central, regional and local levels. A critical opportunity to leverage going forward in the new national plan for the advancement of the girl child and women is the existence of the Radical Inclusion Policy in education, the Comprehensive Sexuality Education, the Free Quality School Education Programme, School Feeding, and the Basic Education Act 2023, which if continuously implemented will deliver desired outcome towards ensuring sustained women’s empowerment with multiplier effect across other sectors and programmes, including HCD and Feed Salone. Heightened efforts at reducing maternal mortality, the free healthcare initiative and the existence of several legislations present additional opportunities for the sector.21 Table 2.2.16: Trends in SGBV cases INDICATOR 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 TOTAL # of sexual assault cases 2900 4000 3339 2966 2705 15,910 # of physical assault cases 237 196 209 236 234 1202 # of psychological assault cases 0 0 0 0 2 2 # of pregnancy cases 602 598 559 537 451 2747 # of HIV/AIDs cases 7 4 10 18 4 43 # of other STIs 1914 3041 2498 2351 1885 11689 # of referrals from FSU 2900 3668 3174 2960 2762 15464 Source: Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs 2023 --------------------------------------------------------------- 20 ECOWAS 2030 Integrated Regional Human Capital Development Strategy. 21 For more details on progress made in this sector, please refer to the Sector Policy Paper submitted to the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development on women’s empowerment towards the preparation of this National Development Plan 86 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to consolidate and promote gains from the state’s investment in advancing the empowerment of women in the political, social, economic, and cultural spheres. Table 2.2.17: Key Targets for Big 5.2.6 Women’s Empowerment Annual Targets Key Targets Baseline 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Women’s access to financial and 25% in 2022 60% financial services 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55% (UNCDF) drastically increased Adolescent pregnancy is 21% 19.6% 18.0% 16.4% 14.8% 13.2% 11.6% 10% reduced to 10 percent Physical and 2,939 Cases sexual assault 2,662 2,385 2,108 1,831 1,554 1,277 1,000 in 2022 cases reduced to Cases Cases Cases Cases Cases Cases Cases (MGCA) 1,000 ➢ Key policy actions

1. Expand contraceptive services to the adolescent population

2. Provide special support for women including female youth interested in politics

3. Advocate for a fee waiver for female candidates in public elections

4. Strengthen and provide support to the Network of Women Ministers and Parliamentarians (NEWMAP), as well as those of Female Ministers, and the Association of Female Councillors

5. Provide capacity building for elected and appointed female officials to effectively deliver on their mandates

6. Enhance girls' and women’s participation at regional and international forums

7. Support capacity-building initiatives for women’s skills and entrepreneurship development, access to finance and participation in governance

8. Strengthen sectoral coordination and communication/education programme on women’s development related issues

9. Strengthen programming, monitoring, evaluation and reporting on domesticated international instruments/frameworks on the development and advancement of women. 87 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.2.7 Children, the aged and disability welfare A standalone and integrated programmatic anchor for the welfare of children, the aged and persons with disabilities could have far desirable effects on accelerating the delivery of government’s human capital development initiative than when the needs of these social groups are only addressed in different line sectors. While they are generally heavily captured in a range of other sectors (such as in social protection, nutrition, education, health, water and sanitation), having a standalone integrated institutional platform for the three vulnerable segments will engender the following optimising advantage: the special, standalone integrated institutional/implementation arrangement for the three social categories will aggregate and consolidate interventions from all sectors on the welfare and development the three groups, especially for the health and schooling of their children. This can lead to more effective follow-up on their interventions in an integrated way with better coordination of diverse sectoral efforts pulled on this platform. Operationally, three institutions are critical here to work together in coordinating aggregated and integrated interventions: a) the National Commission for Children; b) the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities; and c) the National Association of the Aged. They can draw oversight/policy support from the Ministry of Social Welfare, that of Gender and Children’s Affairs, and NaSCA. Going forward into the implementation of the MTNDP 2024- 2030, there is a need for a critical understanding of the situation of these vulnerable groups and the design of appropriate strategies to advance their welfare. This can be offered better when there is a standalone programmatic arrangement towards an accelerated delivery of the Government’s HCD objectives, and hence it’s overall Big 5 national goals and vision of the country. ➢ Children The Government pursued a range of specialised interventions for advancing the development of the child in the last national development plan MTNDP 2019-2023. During this period, teenage pregnancy dropped by 33 percent from 62,583 in 2019 to 41,943 in 2022. We saw increased public awareness of sexual violence and referral procedures, leading to a rise in reported cases of sexual violence against minors, as well as prosecution of cases of sexual violence in court. The government declared rape as a state of emergency issue in 2019, followed by the “Hands off Our Girls” campaign to protect girls from sexual violence; and, in partnership with the UNFPA, established One-Stop Centres in seven districts to provide free and comprehensive responses to survivors of sexual gender-based violence, including medical, psychosocial, and legal services. It recruited and deployed more State Counsels and Judges across the country to improve access to justice for survivors of sexual violence and other cases. In furtherance of child welfare and development, GoSL trained border security officials, community-based actors at the borders and other groups on the protection, and identification of victims of human trafficking (including child trafficking) in collaboration with partners like Defence for Children International, World Hope International and International Organisation for Migration. Consequently, the prosecution of cases of human trafficking increased during 2019-2023. Moreover, the Government through NaCSA provided cash transfers to many vulnerable and poor families across the country that benefited many children in need of care and protection. While efforts continued to be advanced in this disease sub-sector in the previous plan (MTNDP 219-2023), children and infants remain worse affected by HIV in Sierra Leone. Coverage of interventions to prevent mother-to-child transmission is estimated at 69 percent, currently. Only 4,549 out of 6,600 HIV pregnant women received HIV treatment in 2022. Vertical transmission of HIV is as high as 15.79 percent and accounting for almost 1,000 deaths among infants and children below 14 years in 2022. There are estimated 60,000 HIV exposed children who are unidentified, due to poor integration of HIV and RMNCAH services, persistent breakdown of early infant diagnostic equipment and perennial stockout of HIV commodities in the country. Although the number of people living with HIV on treatment have doubled over the last three years, progress at achieving the 95:95:95 global targets has been slow with the country being at 76:99:45. Of the 77,000 people living with HIV, 59,000 know their HIV status, of which 58,000 were on treatment in 2022. A summary of challenges encountered in the previous Medium-Term National Development Plan include: perennial stockout of HIV commodities as a result of poor quantification and delayed container clearance at the seaport; inefficient procurement and supply chain management systems, coupled with poor logistic management systems, limiting access to HIV services; dysfunctional laboratory and sample transportation systems, making it nearly impossible to test for viral load and early infant diagnosis of HIV; high level of Stigma 88 and Discrimination; and weak human resource base to provide quality of care; SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation On the policy and legislative front, the following were milestones achieved: the review of the 2007 Child Rights Act; drafting of a new Child Rights Bill to cover topical/emerging issues like prohibition of female genital mutilation (FGM) for children, special procedures for the treatment of children in the criminal justice system, diversion and standardising age of consent for marriage. Other laws included the passing of new Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Act 2022, repealing the 2005 Anti-Human Trafficking Act; the 2007 Domestic Violence Act; the 2011 Persons with Disability Act; and the amendment of the 2012 Sexual Offences Act in 2019, introducing tougher penalties for perpetrators as well as criminalising the practice of compromise and out of court settlement of cases of sexual violence particularly against minors. The government also reviewed the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy and adopted a new strategy (National Strategy for the Prevention of Teenage Pregnancy and Child Marriage) that included strategies to address both teenage pregnancy and child and forced marriage, as well as the enactment of the Cyber Security Act to criminalize and prosecute cybercrimes including cyberbullying and online sexual abuse against children. 22 Nonetheless, enormous challenges remain going forward into the implementation of the MTNDP 2024-2030. According to the 2019 Sierra Leone Child Multidimensional Poverty Report, 66 percent of the children experience deprivation in at least one dimension from the following list of basic needs: shelter, education, information, water, sanitation, health and nutrition.23 Indeed, the poverty measure is very high, although constitutes a reduction from 77 percent in the 2016 Report.24 This incidence has been more prevalent in rural areas both for the 2019 and 2016 estimates: 85 percent rural, compared to 37 percent urban in 2019; and 87 percent rural, compared to 61 percent urban in 2016. A national headcount of street children in Sierra Leone, conducted between September and November 2011, revealed that 49,698 children across the country live and work on the street for survival. Since 2011, those numbers have been expected to increase due to the global and regional polycrsis. In addition, there is a growing concern around children living on the streets with their disabled parents, who are exposed to the risk of abuse and denial of their right to education, resonating against the Government's Big Five. The statistics on violence against children, child labour, child trafficking, teenage pregnancy, and child marriage still remain among the worst in the sub region and in Africa as a whole for which Sierra Leone is not an exception. For children in conflict with the law, access to juvenile justice has been a serious challenge ever since the cessation of the civil war in 2002. Furthermore, the social protection systems for children are still weak, and there remain inconsistent laws and policies, with more room to be desired in respect to the juvenile justice sector. And far more is still to be done in realigning cultural practices and converting stereotypical societal mindsets that continue to significantly undermine the fight against children’s rights violations, neglect, and abuse. Opportunities going forward in advancing the course of children development include: the establishment of child protection institutions and structures at national and local levels, as well as the enactment of child- sensitive legislations over the years. Another opportunity, at global level is the declaration of November 18 as World Day for the Prevention and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence.25 ➢ Strategic objective As in the previous national development plan, the strategic objective is to ensure a ‘children first’ approach for the survival, protection, and development of children, including disabled and vulnerable children, as well as to prioritise the best interests of children at all times, with a special focus on addressing sexual violence, teenage pregnancy, child marriage, orphans, vulnerable children, child trafficking, child labour, and juvenile justice. --------------------------------------------------------------- 22 Mid-Term Review Report 2022 on the Sierra Leone’s MTNDP 2019-2023 and others 23 According to the Global report on Child Poverty in the Developing World 2003 (cited in the Sierra Leone’s Child Multidimensional Poverty Report 2019, p.9), a child is considered poor if s/he is deprived of at least one of the following rights which constitute poverty: shelter, education, information, water, sanitation, health and nutrition. 24 Both the 2016 and 2019 Sierra Leone’s Child Multidimensional Poverty Report can be obtained from the Ministry 25 https://www.togetherforgirls.org/en/press/united-nations-declares-nov-18-world-day-prevention-healing-child-sexual-exploitation-abuse-violence 89 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, child multidimensional poverty reduced to 40 percent from 66 percent currently

2. By 2030, the number of children suffering from violence, abuse, and neglect reduced drastically compared to 2023 levels

3. By 2030, access to rehabilitation and reintegration services for all child survivors/victims of abuse and violence increased drastically

4. By 2030, all relevant laws, policies, and regulations reviewed, updated and aligned with international instruments and passed to address rights of a child ➢ Key policy actions

1. Pass the Child Rights Bill and develop regulations for its implementation and enforcement

2. Support Child Participation and Leadership in relevant child development programmes

3. Implement the Street Children’s policy through the MoGCA and local councils

4. Scale-up efforts at prosecution of child abusers

5. Strengthen Child Protection Information Management Systems (CPIMS+) to improve case and information management on child protection

6. Develop and implement Child Justice Strategy and develop and implement Child Safeguarding Policy

7. Increase reporting on the Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC)

8. Mainstream child protection in sectoral policies, strategies and plans

9. Strengthen child protection systems through effective coordination at national and local level

10. Ensure that child victims/survivors benefit from social protection interventions including cash transfer programmes

11. Strengthen the capacities of the MoGCA and Local Councils to fully implement the Alternative Care Policy and Street Children Policy ➢ Empowering persons with disabilities The pursuit of the welfare of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in national development plans is driven by the principle of leaving no one behind in the UN Agenda 2030 and the SDGs. It is especially consistent with SDG16 on promoting peaceful, just, and inclusive societies, which clearly captures the need for the active inclusion of everyone in development processes, including PWDs, and SDG10 focusing specifically on reducing inequality within and among countries, including empowering and promoting the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, or other status. Other goals on ending extreme poverty, education, economic growth, decent work, and human settlements also include specific targets related to people with disabilities. In addition, SDG1 advocates for a reduction in poverty in all its forms, which suggests the need, among others, for data disaggregation to monitor poverty reduction progress among PWDs. Towards the reduction of poverty, the Government recognizes that PWDs are among the poorest and most deprived in society. This is as a result of limited and delayed government budgetary allocation as well as weak implementation of plans, legislation and interventions related to PWDs over the years. The percentage of the population living with various forms of disabilities, including blind, deaf, or physically challenged is estimated at less than 2 percent (77,000)26 of the total population. Thus, the Government is committed to increasing the protecting of rights and giving meaning and dignity to the lives of people living with disabilities by scaling up development of policies and implementation of interventions for the special segment of the population. --------------------------------------------------------------- 26 See the Sector Policy Paper submitted to the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development on disability-related issues towards the preparation of this National Development Plan. During the period of implementation of the MTNDP 2019-2023, the following achievements were made: the Government provided 35 percent of all cash transfers support to PWDs, and at least 10,000 persons with 90 disabilities were provided with COVID-19-related support, including food and protective equipment. It provided specialised learning materials and buses for schools for the blind and hearing impaired/deaf; as well as revenue SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Thus, the Government is committed to increasing the protecting of rights and giving meaning and dignity to the lives of people living with disabilities by scaling up development of policies and implementation of interventions for the special segment of the population. During the period of implementation of the MTNDP 2019-2023, the following achievements were made: the Government provided 35 percent of all cash transfers support to PWDs, and at least 10,000 persons with disabilities were provided with COVID-19-related support, including food and protective equipment. It provided specialised learning materials and buses for schools for the blind and hearing impaired/deaf; as well as revenue generation assets (tricycles or kekes) to all categories of PWDs for direct economic empowerment. Furthermore, the country introduced the village, loans and savings associations scheme to empower vulnerable women and provided direct support to homes and institutions of PWD and the Aged. 27 Despite these achievements, there exist a number of challenges on the road to achieving the objectives for PWDs, including inadequate domestic investment/finance in addressing disability issues, limiting provision of facilities and equipment for PWDs. The implementation of the Disability Act has generally been weak, while far more is required on data front to guide interventions better and increase delivery of outcomes for PWDs better. Finally, negative stigma and perception of PWDs remain, which would continue to affect effective delivery of interventions and planned outcomes for this social group. Going forward into the new MTNDP, opportunities exist to leverage for accelerated outcome delivery during 2024-2030, including existence of advocacy groups on the interests of PWDs, as well as relevant policies and legislations, alongside the sustained drive on the leaving no one behind campaign; and the existence of national institutions to coordinate interventions for this group. ➢ Strategic Objectives The strategic objectives are to ensure the comprehensive review and implementation of policies and laws relating to disability; scale-up efforts to make public facilities disability friendly; review and improve incentives for teachers in special needs institutions; provide free health care for the physically challenged; and provide livelihood support to persons living with disability for economic empowerment and self-reliance. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, persons with disabilities benefiting from social protection systems (cash transfers) is 20 percent higher than in 2023

2. By 2030, ensure full implementation of the Disability Act

3. By 2030, increase capacity building and resource allocation to the PWD sector. ➢ Key policy actions

1. Facilitate the roll out of the Socio-Economic Empowerment Programme for persons with disabilities

2. Establish a Solidarity Fund financed by public and private sector contribution

3. Support the roll out of Disability Assessment, Identification and Certification System

4. Provide Hearing Aid facilities for students facing hearing challenges

5. Increase disability inclusion in the SDG monitoring and reporting

6. Produce braille version of the new MTNDP

7. Provide budgetary resources to implement the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services.

8. Generally, increase budgetary resources to all PWD related institutions. --------------------------------------------------------------- 27 Mid-Term Review Report 2022 on the Sierra Leone MTNDP 2019-2023; and Government of Sierra Leone Manifesto Commitment Achievement Reports. 91 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ The Aged In Sierra Leone, like in other developing nations, the aging of the population is often regarded as a demographic dividend. This population presents tremendous opportunities for socioeconomic growth and development of society if their contribution is effectively optimised, with critical understanding of their varying contexts. Indeed, “several calls and recommendations have been made internationally and throughout Africa, for governments to take older citizens' concerns into account when creating larger plans and procedures for social and economic growth”.28 There are notable functions of the aged in the national development process: a) their active participation in economic activities, especially in small-holder agriculture; “in developing nations, more than 60 percent of aged men and 50 percent of aged women continue to be economically active, accounting for a large proportion of the labour force in farming;”29 b) provide caregiving roles for child upbringing, including in the promotion of their security, health and school, while maximising savings for more economically engaged parents (of 64 years and below) who engage the aged in bringing up their children; and c) many can continue to impart knowledge and training to society. The Government of Sierra Leone has been closely tracking the development of the aged in the country, monitoring this demographic area through census and surveys conducted by the national statistical office, Statistics Sierra Leone. Table 2.2.18 shows the trend in growth of population of the age since 1985, who had increased in number from about 201,000 since that year, to about 246,000 in 2015, expected to have increased to date. Table 2.2.19 suggests that there have been more elderly persons in the rural than urban settlements, and among females than males. Strategies, including the NaSSIT, NaCSA, SLeSHI and the National Association for the Aged, are critical concerning potential leverage going forward. Table 2.2.18: Share of the elderly population and other indicators during 1985-2015 Population 1985 2004 2015 Total 3,515,812 4,976,871 7,092,113 15-64 1,843,302 2,621,773 3,937,595 Elderly population 201,065 125,038 246,284 The elderly population as % of total 5.7 2.4 3.5 Annual growth rate 1.7 1.8 3.2 Old age dependency ratio 10.9 4.8 6.3 Potential Support Ratio 9.2 21.0 16.0 Source: Statistics Sierra Leone 2015, 2004; and 1985 population and housing census Table 2.2.19: Share of the elderly population by sex and place of residence Elderly Population Rural Urban Age group Total Rural (%) Urban (%) Male (%) Female (%) Male (%) Female (%) 65-69 73,617 66.5 33.5 49.6 50.4 49.2 50.8 70-74 65,496 62.1 37.9 47.3 52.7 45.7 54.3 75-79 39,691 67.0 33.0 52.3 47.7 47.0 53.0 80-84 31,344 66.3 33.7 43.6 56.4 38.3 61.7 85-89 15,881 71.3 28.7 48.7 51.3 39.4 60.6 90+ 20,256 68.0 32.0 48.7 51.3 29.2 60.8 Total 246,284 72.8 27.2 48.4 51.6 45.5 54.5 Source: Statistics Sierra Leone, 2015 population and housing census --------------------------------------------------------------- 28 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6485422/ 29 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6485422/ 92 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Strategic objectives Strategic objectives are to ensure the comprehensive review and implementation of policies and laws relating to the aged; and provide substantial health care and continued employment opportunities for this category to increase and sustain their self-reliance. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2025, the size of the aged population and location in the country fully determined

2. By 2030, support to the aged drastically increased

3. By 2028, a clear framework for the welfare of the aged and participation in service delivery drawn up. ➢ Key policy actions

1. Formulate and roll out effective policy for older persons to improve their well-being

2. Extend support for financial security, health care, shelter, welfare, and other needs of older persons

3. Increase the aged inclusion in the SDG monitoring and reporting

4. Mount national campaign on their role in development

5. Provide and sustain finance support to the National Association for the Aged. 93 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.2.8 Social protection The government continues to stay the course of promoting the national social protection agenda from previous national development plans. Scaling up the implementation of strategies in this sector could not have become more critical today. Sierra Leone’s income poverty headcount remains at 56.7 percent30 relative to 39.38 percent for Africa average;31 extreme poverty standing at about 13 percent, measuring the proportion of those in serious hunger in the country,32 while the country’s multidimensional poverty currently estimates at 58 percent.33 The social protection implication for consolidating and accelerating gains made by GoSL in promoting human capital development is glaring from the current poverty and hunger measures in light protecting especially school going children and their parents in impoverished and most vulnerable households, including those with persons with disabilities. It is in this context that GoSL continues to place social protection on top of its agenda and within the human capital development policy areas as one of the Government Big 5 Game Changers for 2024-2030. This is consistent with the UN’s special emphasis on SDG 1, 2 and 10 on addressing poverty, hunger and inequality in its call for accelerated and transformative strides to reverse the derailment of the vast majority of SDG targets; for which scaling up investments in social protection is expected to be among the top priorities in member states plans and programmes for the remaining seven years of implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The government made considerable achievements in the previous MTNDP regarding implementation of social protection interventions, especially at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Milestones achieved include provision of emergency cash transfers to 10,962 PWDs during pandemic; with at least 10,000 of these persons generally provided with COVID-19-related support, including food and protective equipment. More than 36,000 household heads were provided with cash transfers, drawn from all 16 districts of Sierra Leone; while up to 38,000 beneficiaries (low-income workers in small businesses, tourism and entertainment industry) received one-off COVID-19 Emergency Cash Transfers in Western Area Urban. Additionally, 253 households with a population of 1,000 families, including previously locally integrated refugees, vulnerable community members and persons with specific needs received COVID-19 related intervention cash grants and preventive materials.34 And generally, while income and multidimensional poverty remain in excess of 50 percent national, their current estimates constitute some laudable improvement due to integrated interventions in the previous plans. At 47.3 percent (if the same poverty line is used during 2003/04-2018), income poverty represents an improvement from 66.4 percent in 2003/04 and 52.9 percent in 2011;35 while at 58 percent, multidimensional poverty represents consistent improvement from 77 percent in 2010, 68.3 percent 2015, and 64.8 percent in 2017.36 Some of the social protection-related achievements can be seen in related sectors and sections of this plan, such as on children, disability issues, nutrition and youth. --------------------------------------------------------------- 30 Note however that the 56.7 percent coming from the Sierra Leone Integrated Household Survey (SLIHS) 2018 cannot be compared to the 52.9 percent estimate from the previous SLIHS (2011) because of upward adjustment in the poverty line due to changes in price and other socioeconomic dynamics during 2011-2018. If no adjustment was made, poverty from SLIHS2018 is estimated at 47.3 percent lower than the 52.9 percent from SLIHS2011 and 66.4 percent from SLIHS2003/04. 31 Sierra Leone Economic Update Report October 2023, p.50 32 Sierra Leone’s Integrated Household Survey Report 2019, pp.iii&267. 33 Sierra Leone National Multidimensional Report 2023, p.5 34 See Sierra Leone’s Mid-Term Review Report 2022 on the implementation of the country’s MTNDP 2019-2023, p.53. 35 Sierra Leone’s 2021 Voluntary National Review Report; Sierra Leone’s 2018 SLIHS Report; among others 36 The UNDP Global Human Development Report of 2010; Sierra Leone’s 4th National Human Development Report 2019. 94 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation The challenges to implementation in the last five years and those emerging include the following: relying on Biometric IDs in processing assistance cases in emergencies would cause unwarranted delays especially dealing with rural communities and may not be cost-effective; and funding is grossly inadequate relative to the high number of persons in need of support, coupled with delay in disbursement of funds of government and partners. There is also the experience of bad geographic terrains posing obstacles in accessing beneficiary locations resulting from poor road network. The risks of having crises continuing coupled with heightened adverse climate effects, biodiversity loss and pollution and conflicts would see more and more population remaining in and/or sliding into vulnerability and poverty with rising implications for investment in social protection; and yet having to put up with extended fiscal crunches. One of the opportunities going forward for increased investment in the social protection is the renewed global urgency, advocacy and cooperation for scaled-up interventions in this sector. The current National Social Protection Strategy for Sierra Leone 2022-2026 has the following as its six specific objectives including human capital development (GoSL Big 5.2) reflective six key life course stages:37

1. Stronger state-citizen relationships

2. Enhanced human capital development

3. Effective management of risks and vulnerability

4. Empowerment and livelihood development

5. Sustained social cohesion and nation building

6. Inclusive macro-economic policy. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to ensure strengthened state-citizen responsibilities and relationships, enhanced human capital development, effective management of risks and vulnerability, community livelihood development, sustained social cohesion and nation building, and inclusive macroeconomic development. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, cash transfers provided to an additional 35,000 poor households

2. By 2030, employment is provided to 9,000 youths

3. By 2030, provide special support to at least 30 percent of vulnerable populations (including women, persons with disabilities, older persons, and children). ➢ Key policy actions

1. Support the provision of a conducive learning environment for children

2. Support the provision of improved health facilities across the country

3. Support the provision of critical community infrastructures, such as community centres, grain stores, water facilities, community markets, etc

4. Fully implement the National Social Protection Strategy 2022-2026

5. Increase cooperation with other MDAs and development partners in the implementation of social protection interventions

6. Scale-up mobilisation of financing for social protection in the country

7. Increase monitoring and reporting on social protection interventions --------------------------------------------------------------- 37 Sierra Leone National Social Protection Strategy 2022-2026, p.9 95 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.2.8 Land, housing, and urbanisation The Government of Sierra Leone continues to consider the lands and housing sector as a leading contributor to the socioeconomic transformation of the country. Land and housing are critical welfare assets which count a lot in multidimensional poverty metrics among other considered multidimensional indicators in presenting a better understanding of household welfare status. The built condition of a living house is a critical determinant of a child’s welfare in light of a number of factors, including whether it is constructed from mud or concrete, roofed with thatch or zinc, whether lighting in the household is from firewood or modern energy, and a host of others that determine how well (say, in terms of health and performance in school) a kid would be. Urbanisation has become a central issue as well; and a growing concern in a lot of respect in the least developed countries, as expansion of urban built spaces, slums and other informal housing developments are a result of a number of factors, including poverty driven rural-urban migration and high birth rates leading to exploding population, all affecting the proper development of the child, and hence the human capital development of a country. Indeed, expanding urban settlements and cities in population without commensurate increases in social services is a recipe for an underprepared child and adulthood for socioeconomic productivity. It is against this background that the GoSL will remain focused on pursing efforts to transform the lands and housing sector and current urban development context. There remain challenges faced in this sector: outdated laws and regulations, weak cadastre system, poor records management; inadequate budgetary allocation, weak institutional capacity, and lack of collaboration among MDAs that are relevant to the land development sector. 96 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to ensure effective land management and administration that is environmentally sound and sustainable for equitable access and control over land, including providing affordable housing for low- and middle-income groups to alleviate poverty and promote economic growth. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, 20,000 affordable houses constructed across the country

2. By 2030, a National Cadastral Records Management System and Strategy developed

3. By 2030, a National Spatial Development Plan and Strategy developed

4. By 2030, the number of land-related cases in courts reduced by 50 percent ➢ Key policy actions

1. Legislate the Land Commission and Customary Lands Regulations

2. Improve monitoring and management of urban expansion

3. Finalise and support implementation of National Housing Policy and National Building Code

4. Continue to strengthen the legal and regulatory framework of the land sector

5. Facilitate urbanization by creating new cities and additional urban settlements based on principles of sustainable land use planning, management, and administration

6. Collaborate with other sectors and explore opportunities to attract investments in housing, micro cities, tourism destinations, industrial parks, and other urban infrastructure

7. In a PPP model, create 5,000 affordable housing units to be constructed under various arrangements for new micro-cities and social housing schemes

8. Establish a modern GIS workstation to support land administration

9. Support protection of wildlife reserves/sanctuaries, forest reserves and national protected areas

10. Provide incentives to support small businesses in the housing construction industry

11. Support the allocation, planning and of dedication of land for industrialisation and economic expansion (including all Special Economic Zones projects). 5.2.9. Consumer protection and competition law During the implementation of the previous plan, the GoSL demonstrated a strong commitment to advance Sierra Leone’s economic development through fair trade and healthy competition. The government has sought to promulgate competition laws and protect the rights of consumers in promoting economic prosperity, innovation, and trade development. Among the key milestones achieved is the promulgation of the Consumer Protection Act, of 2020, leading to the establishment of the National Consumer Protection Commission (NCPC) in 2023. As the country’s consumer protection regime, the NCPC regulates and maintains market and non- market activities at levels that seek the social and economic interests of consumers, ensures consumers have wider access to safe and reliable products with fair terms and are granted rights of redress if the rights and conditions afforded them under the consumer protection Act are compromised. However, challenges towards sanitising the market and ensuring citizens get value for their money remain, including the proliferation of substandard goods in the market, lack of equipped laboratories to undertake quality assurance of goods and lack of effective redress mechanism. An opportunity to leverage is the recent signing of a grant agreement between ECOWAS and Sierra Leone to develop a competition framework and support the implementation of the ECOWAS Regional Competition framework for promoting fair trade within the ECOWAS region. As we advance with the new plan, the government will promote consumer welfare and promote private sector- led economic growth and development. 97 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to promote fair trade and investments in Sierra Leone to protect and promote the interests of consumers. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2028, the National Competition Law enacted

2. By 2030, the Consumer Protection Act 2020 fully implemented

3. By 2030, the ECOWAS Regional Competition Framework domesticated and implemented

4. By 2030, Public knowledge of the rights of Consumers and the Consumer Protection Act 2020 greatly improved ➢ Key policy actions

1. Build the capacity of the National Consumer Protection Commission to maintain and implement the competition and consumer protection regime

2. Provide the National Standard Bureau with equipped laboratories to undertake quality assurance of goods

3. Domesticate the ECOWAS Regional Competition Framework and support the development of Competition laws

4. Undertake public education and stakeholder sensitisation on the importance of competition laws, consumer protection, and collaboration between national and regional bodies.

5. Undertake regular monitoring and assessment of markets to ensure the health and safety of citizens are upheld 98 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.3 Youth Employment Scheme 5.3.1 General employment promotion for youth Sierra Leone’s population is young. Young people account for two thirds of the overall population, as depicted by the country’s Mid-Term Census of 2021, which reports that out of the country’s total population of 7,548,702, about 5,000,000 were recorded as youths. Thus, their role in promoting economic growth and development in Sierra Leone cannot be overemphasised, constituting the bulk of the workforce. Indeed, their full participation in formulating national development plans and implementation can tremendously accelerate socioeconomic transformation of the country. This realisation ensured the sustained inclusion of youth development in previous national development plans, including the MTNDP 2019-2023. Some significant milestones were recorded in advancing the welfare and development of the youth population during 2019-2023 in the areas of job creation, including life skills livelihood. Between 2018 and 2021, the Government supported 3,400 youths in rice cultivation across the country: while ensuring the engagement of another set of 3,400 in garbage collection and disposal operations across the country. And to date a total of 26 car washing centres were constructed in different parts of the country to provide mini jobs to thousands of young males and females; a total of 1,120 youths are currently benefiting from these centres, while indirect beneficiaries are estimated at more than 1,700. Seventy new fishing boats with accessories were constructed and distributed to the 7 coastal districts of Sierra Leone, which generated 1,400 direct beneficiaries. The boats were provided partially on loan, and partially on grant. The laudable performance of the loan portion at 70 percent recovery rate has seen the project at an advanced stage of constructing 50 more fishing boats, with female and male participation in fishing under the project standing at 40 and 60 percent. Additionally, the Government’s innovative fishing project for inland districts is currently witnessing the construction of 4 fish ponds in Kalaba, Bo, Bonthe, and Tonkolili, which has trained 1,400 youth in entrepreneurship, book keeping, sea safety and minor repairs on outboard engines; and has constructed and fitted 1 Innovative Fish Farm (Polythene) for youth at Leicester Community in Freetown; while funds secured from the International Organisation for Migration to train 20 young people in Innovative Fish Farming at Njala University, which was undertaken. Other collaborations with IOM offered life changing support to 2,000 vulnerable youth (including 600 young women) who received vocational training, business startup equipment. A fully equipped vocational and technical training centre was constructed in Sumbuya Lugbu, Southern Province. 99 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Furthermore, 1,200 university graduates across the country were recruited, trained and deployed under the National Youth Service Scheme during 2019-2021, 67 percent of them having gained permanent employment at institutions they were deployed for internships, while hundreds trained by the Road Maintenance Skills Development and Training Schemes—the potential of the National Youth Service for the transformation of the sector being a lesson to take forward in the implementation of the new MTNDP 2024-2030. 38 Notwithstanding the above efforts and realization of the critical role of youth in the country’s socioeconomic transformation, serious challenges remain in the sector. Youth bulge could be a demographic dividend or curse depending on the level of investment made in advancing this segment of the population. Still, about 70 percent of the youth population is either underemployed or unemployed, while 50 percent are illiterate or unskilled. These statistics suggest a serious continued socioeconomic marginalization of the young people, which presents a grave security concern, given their vulnerability to recruitment into criminal and violent activities. Findings from the Sierra Leone’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report remain crucial with the reminder that, the economic disenfranchisement of youth undeniably contributed to the outbreak of violence and eventual civil war in Sierra Leone during 1991-2002; that years of lack of education and employment opportunities drove young people to join battlefronts during the war. It remains worrying, thus, that despite some laudable efforts made to redressing youth problems in post-conflict Sierra Leone, the problems continue to be overwhelming; that socio-economic marginalization of most of the youth continues. There is visible unemployment, particularly among young men, who can be found in the streets of the capital city of Freetown and other urban centres; that many of the pre-conflict conditions helping to fuel the youth’s participation in the civil war still exist today.39 Obviously, the considerable growth of the country’s population, a phenomenon commonplace in sub-Saharan Africa, should be factored strongly in the equation of efforts to provide solution to these problems. It is thus extremely critical that the Government has placed treatment of the youth problems and overall advancement of the sector within its strategic direction for the next seven years 2014-2030 framed around its Big Five Game Changers. The government is poised to build on gains made in advancing the sector in the last five years, while accelerating its transformation ensuring that the plethora of challenge are faced head on as a precondition for social stability and sustainable development. Inadequate funding of the sector will be among the challenges to overcome, among others. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to create a youth sector enabling environment to support young people to utilize their talents, undertake viable and innovative business activities through start-up projects and to promote collaboration among them by taking advantage of their receptiveness to global opportunities, including digital penetration in socioeconomic activities. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2025, a comprehensive manpower plan matching and establishing gaps between supply of labour and market demand developed

2. By 2025, the Decent Work Country Programme Phase II becomes operational

3. By 2025, off-the-shelf youth employment bankable projects developed ➢ Key policy actions

12. Legislate the Land Commission and Customary Lands Regulations

13. Improve monitoring and management of urban expansion

14. Finalise and support implementation of National Housing Policy and National Building Code --------------------------------------------------------------- 38 15. Continue to strengthen the legal and regulatory framework of the land sector Additional details on progress can be obtained in the Sector Policy Paper submitted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs to MoPED as input to the 16. of the preparation Facilitate urbanization MTNDP 2024-2030. See by also the Sierra creating Leone new Mid-Term Review cities Report on the and additional implementation of urban the MTNDP settlements based on 2019-2023 on youth. principles of sustainable land use planning, management, and administration 39 Prior to the war, the youth suffered exclusion from family life, society, jobs, the decision-making processes, as well as living under oppressive traditional and cultural systems in the rural areas.

17. Collaborate with other sectors and explore opportunities to attract investments in housing, micro cities, tourism destinations, industrial parks, and other urban infrastructure 100

18. In a PPP model, create 5000 affordable housing units to be constructed under various arrangements for new micro-cities and social housing schemes SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Key policy actions

1. Ensure the enforcement of labour laws that are consistent with youth development

2. Scale up and explore more training opportunities for young people, including TVET and life skills

3. Increase access to financing opportunities, including establishment of financial corridor and one-stop shop centre to support youth development in the country

4. Increase support for the National Youth Service

5. Increase cooperation between the youth sector and others, with special attention to addressing topical issues calling for cultivation of youth leadership, such as the environment and climate change

6. Develop a manpower plan to match the supply of labour with market demand

7. Enhance youth employment through agriculture, livestock, aquaculture and value chain, and cooperation with the Ministry of Communications, Technology and Innovation

8. Increase cooperation with relevant development partners in advancing youth employment opportunities, with special emphasis on partnership with the International Labour Organization and the African Regional Labour Administration Centre. 5.3.2 Addressing irregular migration In recent times, irregular migration ventures have been pervasive amongst young people as it serves as a survival strategy for lack of employment opportunities for many of these youths. Currently in Sierra Leone, youth unemployment stands at around 60 percent. Unemployment in youth can cause vulnerability to irregular migration and mental health disorders due to feelings of hopelessness, financial insecurity and rapid social change. Furthermore, unemployed youths are opting for irregular migration routes to countries they perceive as holding greener pastures for them. In this regard, urgent actions are to be undertaken to increase awareness on the risks of irregular migration, to create and expand regular migration pathways and explore sustainable employment opportunities for youth. Rural-urban migration occurs mainly from the Northern region to the Western area and the South-Eastern regions in search of employment and business opportunities. Whereas Europe and the Gulf States/Middle East are the major destination countries for migrants from Sierra Leone in pursuance of improved living conditions. In addition to poverty, ‘brain drain’ remain the key factors of irregular migration. Furthermore, limited entrepreneurship space, high levels of illiteracy rate coupled with unfavourable employment regulatory framework and barriers serve as a strong motivation for young people to leave the country. The nexus between human mobility and climate change partly due to exacerbated environmental degradation is becoming more evident especially among coastal and island communities. Furthermore, disasters as a result of natural phenomena like floods and landslides remain a major cause for internal, regional and international migration in Sierra Leone. Consequently, there is need for an integrated approach to implement development- oriented programmes for people to stay, for people on the move and for people who need to migrate. While a small proportion of international migration is done legally, the majority is undertaken without proper or no documentation. Irregular migration is often facilitated by human smugglers; and owing to the involvement of criminal networks, migrants are vulnerable to of abuse and exploitation by traffickers and the risk of death. Thus, in the last MTNDP, the Government of Sierra Leone made efforts to tackle the issue of irregular migration by enacting certain laws to address this issue. For instance, the enactment of the Employment, Work Permit and Overseas Employment and Migrant Workers Bills, which received Presidential Accent in May 2023. Research was conducted to inform policies on addressing irregular migration. Among the remaining challenges to effective migration management in the country include funding constraints to increase awareness raising campaigns on the risks of irregular migration, human trafficking at all levels across 101 the country. Further, the numerous porous borders of Sierra Leone remain a challenge. Data collection and analysis on irregular and regular needs to strengthen. SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Among the remaining challenges to effective migration management in the country include funding constraints to increase awareness raising campaigns on the risks of irregular migration, human trafficking at all levels across the country. Further, the numerous porous borders of Sierra Leone remain a challenge. Data collection and analysis on irregular and regular migration needs to be strengthen. Strategic objective The strategic objective is to ensure that internal and external migration is reduced and effectively managed. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, the conviction rate of human traffickers is 5 percent higher than the figure in 2023

2. By 2030, the general public especially the youth are more aware of irregular migration, human trafficking

3. Provide protection services to all victims of human trafficking ➢ Key policy actions

1. Conduct an awareness campaign on irregular migration, human trafficking and in partnership with youth and women’s group

2. Implement the Migration Policy launched in 2022 in collaboration with IOM

3. Combat human trafficking through training border operatives and supplying them with the necessary tools and equipment

4. Promote the acquisition of technical and vocational training/skills among the youth to promote employability, through the establishment of district-level vocational centres in partnership with the private sector

5. Increase efforts to arrests, prosecute and convict traffickers, including addressing procedural delays and judicial corruption as well as ensuring survivors’ safety and enabling their participation I judicial processes, both to increase prosecution rates and offer survivors compensation

6. Train prosecutors and judges to investigate and prosecute trafficking cases

7. Partner with IOM and relevant stakeholders on the implementation of the National Action Plan Against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, 2024-2028 to enhance counter- trafficking efforts and protect the victims of trafficking including in their reintegration process

8. Enact the protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children

9. Upgrade the existing structure of industrial growth centres pioneered to provide vocational and entrepreneurial skills that are enjoyable and market-driven youth, women and other vulnerable groups

10. Support the implementation of the 23 objectives of the Global Compact on Safe, Regular and Orderly Migration Championship Country in collaboration with IOM as Chair of the UN Migration Network

11. Reinforce voluntary return and reintegration programming for stranded, vulnerable Sierra Leoneans in collaboration with IOM

12. Mainstream human mobility in the context of climate change and environmental degradation in Programming by various Ministries as per the Plan of Action on Recommendations to address human mobility in the context of climate change and environmental degradation in Sierra Leone, signed by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, National Disaster Management Agency with support from IOM and UNDP and inputs from various MDAs. 102 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.3.3 Resolving barriers to youth employment Two key barriers are addressed here as major bottlenecks to efforts aimed at generating decent and sustainable job for the youths in Sierra Leone. These are: a) limited labour market skills, as a vast majority of youths cannot afford technical and vocational education training opportunities; and b) widespread consumption of drugs, minimising the chances of youth to get skilfully employed. To this end, the following two sub-sections provide strategic direction with the MTNDP 2024-2030 towards addressing these limitations to enhance youth employability in the country. Technical and Vocational Education Training Sierra Leone has a youthful population which accounts for about two-thirds of the population and therefore represents a very good potential for development if our human resources are utilized appropriately. Despite this, huge potential unemployment remains an uphill task in our nation and a major reason for youth unemployment is a mismatch in skills demanded as against qualifications / skills offered by youth. Developing the middle level manpower capabilities of any society is crucial in meeting the demands of a growing and dynamic society such as Sierra Leone. In Sierra Leone, skills training both formal and non-formal are offered by formal training institutions and NGOs and development programmes undertake by development partners that have manifested a strong commitment in supporting TVET and youth empowerment. Therefore, investing in TVET can provide the necessary avenues through which graduates can gain employment or be self-employed thereby addressing unemployment and poverty among youth. The Education Act 2004 is one of the key legislative instruments that addresses TVET issues. It provides for the structure of the 6-3-3-4 education system including Technical and vocational Education, adult, and non-formal education as well as the control of education (and training). Other notable legislative instruments in support of TVET issues include: the National Council for Technical, Vocational, and other Academic Awards (NCTVA) 2001; The Polytechnic Act 2001. Also, the Government approved the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training Policy in September 2019. Challenges in promoting TVET include inadequate physical infrastructure such as buildings and classrooms, workshops, laboratories; insufficient trained and qualified personnel to provide the knowledge and requisite skills needed in contemporary labour market; lack of a vibrant private sector with a growing demand for TVET graduates, perception of TVET among the population, inadequate funding to the sub-sector, low enrolment of female in TVET institutions among others. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to develop a responsive and efficient TVET sub-sector that caters for and produce high quality skilled labour force to contribute to nation building. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2026, TVET policy is fully implemented

2. By 2030, all relevant curriculum reflecting technical skills and vocational training in high demand are developed

3. By 2030, rehabilitate/upgrade all government training institutions in the country

4. By 2026, undertake capacity building and refresher courses for lectures and teachers in TVET institutions ➢ Key policy actions

13. Conduct an awareness campaign on irregular migration, human trafficking and in partnership with youth and women’s group

14. Implement the Migration Policy launched in 2022 in collaboration with IOM

15. Combat human trafficking through training border operatives and supplying them with the 103 necessary tools and equipment

16. Promote the acquisition of technical and vocational training/skills among the youth to SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Key policy actions

1. Review of curriculum of TVET institutions with a view to incorporating the demands of relevant skills in the contemporary labour market

2. Undertake a comprehensive needs assessment of TVET institutions and make necessary recommendations to make them fully functional

3. Undertake a comprehensive capacity development plan to cater for the needs of trainers and instructors

4. Undertake public private partnership in developing TVET programmes

5. Strengthen institutional/sectoral collaboration in the delivery of requisite training for the youth Addressing drug and substance abuse In recent times, drug abuse has been rampant in Sierra Leone. Drugs are used as a coping mechanism for lack of employment opportunities for many youths, the unemployment of whom stands at around 60 percent. It is given that unemployment has a close link with substance abuse as idle time and stress from little income fuels the need for substance consumption to relieve stress and cope with financial hardship. In this regard, as it is in the case of irregular migration, urgent strategic actions should be undertaken to increase awareness about the risks of substance abuse towards creating sustainable labour market pathways for the youths. As noted above, providing sustainable livelihoods for the youth (aged 15-35, according for almost 40 percent of the total population, according to the 2021 Mid-Term Census) has extremely challenged the country; the reason GoSL has boldly set out a target of producing 500,000 jobs out of the estimated 2,974,188 youth according to the Census. Government notes the proliferation of drug abuse among the teeming youth, particularly the use of the KUSH drug brand, coupled with the widespread use of marijuana, tramadol, alcohol, and pampas products. Research shows that the causes of youth drug abuse are related to peer-group pressure, poor parenting, limited household finance, stress, social exclusion, genetic orientation, and others. Drug addiction has frequently caused the disruption of peace and security of the state and socioeconomic development of communities. This has affected the health, physical and psychological functioning of the abusers, leading to the prevalence and promotion of diseases, such as HIV/AIDS through risky sexual behaviour, gender-based violence and mental ill- health. The government did make some laudable efforts in addressing drug abuse during 2019-2023 through the provision of jobs for the youths, as stated above, including the engagement of 3,400 youths in rice cultivation and 3,400 in garbage collection and disposal operations across the country (see details under the section on General employment promotion for youth above). Additionally, GoSL strengthened the operations of the Drugs Law Enforcement Agencies for the effective implementation of the Drugs Control Act 2008, the Anti-Drugs Act of 2009; as well as the operations of the Transnational Organised Crimes Unit in the Police to increase implementation of counternarcotics policies and related investigations. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to mitigate serious drug and substance abuse among young people in Sierra Leone. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, reduce the proliferation and abuse of drugs among youths in Sierra Leone

2. By 2030, improve the advocacy skills of young people in the fight against abuse of drugs

3. By 2030, increase the level of awareness including its effects on drugs abuse. ➢ Key policy actions

25. Conduct an awareness campaign on irregular migration, human trafficking and in partnership with youth and women’s group 104

26. Implement the Migration Policy launched in 2022 in collaboration with IOM

27. Combat human trafficking through training border operatives and supplying them with the necessary SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Key policy actions

1. Strengthening the Drugs Law Enforcement Agencies

2. Levied huge fines and punishment for drugs peddlers and users

3. Conducting regional awareness raising on drugs and substance abuse

4. Conduct youth peer –group training on abuse of drugs and outreach strategies

5. Increased Partnership and advocacy against the proliferation of drugs and substance abuse. 5.3.4 Employment across the big five game changers This section focuses on identifying the sources of supply of the planned 500,000 jobs for the youth in Sierra Leone towards achieving the goals of the Government Big 5s. The 500,000 jobs are projected to be sourced from two broad areas: a) through the Public Sector, as relates to anticipated government accelerated efforts to generate and coordinate projects expected to employ large number of youths with private sector participation as service/product providers; and b) through Direct Private Sector employment, capitalising from the operations of thousands of private business companies in the country, devoid of government’s direct involvement. Public sector generated and coordinated jobs for youths The government has the leverage to support the generation of thousands of jobs for youth either through direct placement in public sector-coordinated economic growth/development projects and services, or through provision of support for skills development and labour market information that increase the chances of job placement for youth across different sectors. In agriculture, it could support the creation of new rural micro- enterprises for youth, support the establishment of youth farms, “equipping skilled youth to launch larger-scale agribusinesses”, and “providing human capital for agro-industrialisation.”40 During 2018 and 2021, for example, the Government supported 5,700 youths in rice cultivation and cocoa and coffee plantation across the country. 41 The ICT sector is continuing to grow in job opportunities for the youth across the country through, for instance, “strengthening digital literacy and computational thinking in secondary schools, and developing coding academies that teach skills ranging from basic digital design to advanced coding language.”42 Through the Government’s scaled-up digital infrastructure investment in Sierra Leone during 2019-2021, the average number of digital financial services-related customer transactions per month exceeded 12 million. This has vivid implication of the number of jobs, especially for youth that would have accompanied these transactions; expressing the enormous potential that a youth-savvy ICT industry will have for generating job for youth with sustained investment. Fisheries has also been noted to have the potential of generating millions of jobs in the country, having more 500 km2 of coastline, besides the enormous aquaculture that goes with it. During 2018-2021 for instance, a total of 1,400 jobs mostly for youth were generated through government-purchased fishing boats (70) with fishing accessories that were constructed and distributed to the 7 coastal districts of Sierra Leone. Furthermore, the role of the public sector in generating self-employment for the youth through promoting access to finance for SMEs and other opportunities (for both females and males) has been critical in Sierra Leone. During 2019-2023, GoSL established the National Micro Finance MUNAFA fund, which was rolled-out, targeting 5,328 beneficiaries for loans; 10 financial service providers were recruited, and 1,000 SMEs-owned women were trained in business development services as a result. Tourism also continued to be critical during the last plan, providing a total number of 2,890 jobs in 2020, while there have been various other employment areas of public sector support for job creation for youth, including --------------------------------------------------------------- public 40 works and community development-related areas, like feeder road works and maintenance); and https://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documents/Generic-Documents/Brochure_Job_Africa-En.pdf through 41 See advancing Sierra Leone’s 2022 Mid-Term sanitary and Review Report health on the objectives country’s MTNDP with programmes such as garbage collection and disposal 2019-2023. 42 https://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documents/Generic-Documents/Brochure_Job_Africa-En.pdf programmes, and carwash centres supported by GoSL in the last plan, employing some thousands of youths. The government has also placed in permanent jobs many youth through the National Youth Service Scheme. 105 Among the strategies GoSL has had for boosting youth employment in public sector coordinated programme, and by extension in direct employment in the private sector are: SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Tourism also continued to be critical during the last plan, providing a total number of 2,890 jobs in 2020, while there have been various other employment areas of public sector support for job creation for youth, including public works and community development-related areas, like feeder road works and maintenance); and through advancing sanitary and health objectives with programmes such as garbage collection and disposal programmes, and carwash centres supported by GoSL in the last plan, employing some thousands of youths. The government has also placed in permanent jobs many youth through the National Youth Service Scheme. Among the strategies GoSL has had for boosting youth employment in public sector coordinated programme, and by extension in direct employment in the private sector are:

1. Adopt a Government policy that encourages the inclusion of youth in public works and infrastructure projects

2. Establish a Youth Opportunity Centre in every district headquarter town to support youth in their quest to get employment 3. Provide special incentives for youths in the ICT and creative industry

4. Design a special programme to create job opportunities for out of school young girls. Accordingly, the following growth sectors have been identified under the public sector coordination, with high likelihood of generating employment for young people in the country against historical and contemporary policy developments (sectors that are expected to heavily attract private investment): agriculture, fisheries, tourism, mining, transport, innovation/digital services, SMEs and trade, public works and community development, and others (including sports and related activities)—see Figure 2.8 and Table 2.3.1. In all, we project 30 percent of the 500,000 jobs to be supplied by government coordinated projects in the identified sectors with private sector participation, producing a total of 150,000 jobs during 2024-2030. The projects here are expected to be financed by GoSL and/or donor agencies through the broad projects listed in Table 5.24 among others Figure 2.8 Projected supply of 150,000 jobs for youth through public sector coordinated programmes 106 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 2.3.1: Relevant government coordinated project areas to support job creation for youth No. Institution Project Areas 1 Agriculture Development and Promotion of Agro-ecological Zones (New) Advancing Mechanisation and irrigation system (New) Agricultural Technology and Climate Smart Agriculture (New) Empowering Women and Youth (New) National Agricultural Census (New) Input System: E-Vouchers for Rice Production (Seeds, Fertilizers and Tractor Services)-(Ongoing) Strengthen seed and input systems to optimise yields for key value chains. Support the development of aggregation, processing & market linkages Strengthening agricultural finance Rehabilitation of feeder roads and construction of bridges in targeted food cluster areas West Africa Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP) Phase 2 AF (World Bank-Grant) Ongoing Smallholder Commercialization and Agribusiness Development Project (SCADEP- Grant) (WB/GoSL) Ongoing Rice Agro Industrial Cluster (SL RAIC) Additional Finance (AfDB-Grant) Ongoing Sierra Leone Agribusiness and Rice Value Chain Support Project (SLARiS-Grant) (AfDB) Ongoing) Sierra Leone Regional Rice Value Chain Development Project (B/BADEA/GoSl-Loan) Ongoing Palm Oil Production (IsDB-Loan) Ongoing Rural Finance & Community Improvement II (IFAD-Loan) Ongoing Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (AVDP) (IFAD/OFID/GoSL-Loan) Ongoing Land and Infrastructure Development (ndia Exim Bank-Loan) Ongoing Global Agricultural Food Security (WB-Grant) New Empowerment of West Africa Women SMEs in Rice Value Chain (ESASME) (IsDB- Grant) New 2 Fisheries Rehabilitation and Development of Fishing Infrastructure (Ongoing) Developing Marine Artisanal Fisheries (Ongoing) Women Empowerment in the Fishery Sector (Ongoing) Strengthening Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Production (Ongoing) Promoting an inclusive blue value chain Advancing sustainable fisheries and support artisanal fishing operations Construction of Fishery Bonded Industrial Park/Fish Harbor (China/GoSL-Loan) (Bilateral) 3 Tourism Establishment of Tech-Voc Semi-Formal Arts and Crafts Training Center at the Mabala Cultural Village Construction of National Arts Gallery Construction of Two Tourism Information Offices (New) Sustainable Ecotourism Development Project (New) Development of the Physical Infrastructure of the Cultural Heritage Sector (New) Support to Micro-Small and Medium Enterprises (Munafa Fund) - (Ongoing) 4 Mining Programme support in the mining sector 5 Transport Completion of Bo - Tikonko Road Construction of Targrin - Lungi - ConaKry Dee Road 107 Construction of Bandajuma-Pujehun-Gbondappi Construction of Taiama - Njal aRoad SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation No. Institution Project Areas 5 Transport Completion of Bo - Tikonko Road Construction of Targrin - Lungi - ConaKry Dee Road Construction of Bandajuma-Pujehun-Gbondappi Construction of Taiama - Njal aRoad Major and Minor Regravelling Works on Selected Trunk Roads (40 Lots) Completion of Township Roads Reconstruction of Kabala -Falaba-Krubola Road (73Km) Construction of Culverts within Bumpeh Tabeh Chiefdom Rehabilitation of Jojoma Bridge (2no) and Geoma Bridge (1No) Reconstruction of Yifin Bridge Section Overlay/Rehabilitation of Major Highways Construction of 400m Embarkment and 40m bridge and 2 No Relief Box Culverts along Molakika- Gbongboma Stretch in Bonthe Island Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Kenema - Zimmi Road Moyamba - Sebehun - Shenge Road Kambia - Madina - Kunkuna - Konta - Guinea Border Roads Magbele Magbang- Moyamba Junction Improving Roads Network System 6 Innovation & Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Projects digital services Operationalization and Expansion of eGovernment Platform (New) 7 SME and Trade Support to Micro-Small and Medium Enterprises (Munafa Fund) - (Ongoing) Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDA) 8 Public works and Rehabilitation of Existing Presidential Lodge (Ongoing) community Rehabilitation and Upgrading of State House (Ongoing) development Rehabilitation and Improvement of Miatta Conference Hall (Ongoing) Demolition and Construction of Ministry of Labor Administrative Building (Ongoing) Rehabilitation of Seven Lift Elevator at Youyi Building (Ongoing) Rehabilitation of a Materials Testing Laboratory (New) Construction/Rehabilitation of Provincial/District/Administrative Buildings (New) Rehabilitation of Government Residential Quarters (Ongoing) Demolition of Multi-Storey Building (former UN Building) at Siaka Steven Street (Ongoing) Construction and Rehabilitation of Judicial Service Infrastructures (Ongoing) 9 Other Sources Youth in Agriculture (Ongoing) (including sports, Youth in Fisheries Project (Ongoing) etc) Youth Empowerment in Car Wash Project (Ongoing) Graduate Service Programme (Ongoing) 108 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation No. Institution Project Areas Youth Entrepreneurship and Employment Project (Ongoing) Rehabilitation and reconstruction of Craig Belamy Football Academy Construction of multi-purpose complex stadium in 8 districts across Sierra Leone Establishment of sports Physio-Therapy and Fitness Centres in the 5 regional headquarter towns Support to girls in sport across the 16 districts of Sierra Leone Establishing youth opportunity centres in every district headquarter town Youth development fund for start-up ventures Setting up special funds and partnerships with the private sector for hiring training and upscaling youth Providing targeted incentives for the private sector to hire youths Provide special incentives for youth in the ICT and creative industry Designing a special programme to create job opportunities for out of school girls Total 81 Direct private sector generated jobs In February 2016, the Commissioner of Corporate Affairs Commission Sierra Leone, disclosed about 6,240 registered and functional companies in Sierra Leone.43 This number, which can be expected to have grown overtime (data on the present number not available currently) depicts the existing potential for direct private sector employment generation. The likelihood of generating new jobs increases with more friendly business environment and incentives that can be enabled by the Government. Among the incentives GoSL has planned to provide to the private sector for youth employment generation include:

1. Provide targeted incentives (tax and non-tax incentives) for the private sector to hire youths

2. Set aside a special fund to reimburse costs of hiring, training and upskilling of youth incurred by private sector

3. Provide access to capital for youth that wish to start their own venture

4. Establish a database to track employment of youth in both public and private sector Accordingly, we have projected the supply of new jobs from this broad area (the private sector as engine of growth) at 350,000 (70 percent of the government-targeted 500,000 jobs for youths), distributed across big, medium and small businesses as shown in Table 2.3.2. --------------------------------------------------------------- 43 https://sierraexpressmedia.com/?p=77335#:~:text=The%20Commissioner%20of%20Corporate%20Affairs ,registered%20companies%20in%20Sierra%20Leone. 109 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 2.3.2: Projected supply of 350,000 jobs for youth through direct private sector employment Job Supply No Institution supply 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Total coordinating weight institution CAC, Chamber of Big Business 1 0.5 9,000 13,500 17,000 23,500 30,500 35,000 46,500 175,000 Commerce, NIB, Companies MTI Medium CAC, Chamber of 2 Business 0.3 5,400 8,100 10,200 14,100 18,300 21,000 27,900 105,000 Commerce, NIB, Companies MTI CAC, Chamber of Small Business 3 0.2 3,600 5,400 6,800 9,400 12,200 14,000 18,600 70,000 Commerce, NIB, Companies MTI Sub-Total 1.0 18,000 27,000 34,000 47,000 61,000 70,000 93,000 350,000 ➢ Strategic objective Going forward with the implementation of the new plan (MTNDP 2024-2030) the main strategic objective of the Government within the Youth Employment Scheme is to explore various avenues to supply at least 500,000 new jobs for the youth in Sierra Leone ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, create 500,000 jobs for young people

2. By 2025, the public sector is fully prepared to directly supply at least 150,000 jobs for youth

3. By 2025, the private sector is fully prepared to directly supply at least 350,000 jobs for youth ➢ Key policy actions

1. Promoting inclusion of youth in public works and infrastructure projects

2. Ensure the establishment of Youth Opportunity Centres across the country

3. Provide special incentives for youths in the ICT and creative industry

4. Design a special programme to create job opportunities for out of school young girls

5. Provide targeted incentives (tax and non-tax incentives) for the private sector to hire youths

6. Encourage reimbursement of costs of hiring, training and upskilling youth incurred by private sector

7. Provide access to capital for youth that wish to start their own venture

8. Establish a database to track employment of youth in both public and private sector 110 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.3.5 Employment across the big five game changers The Government of Sierra Leone identifies sports as an enabler, catalyst means to support the creation of jobs for young people in particular. Sporting activities contribute to the personal development of people through the promotion of good health, personal discipline, leadership, and team building skills. Accordingly, the Government has demonstrated great interest in exploring the potential of sports in accelerating the delivery of national development objectives. This activity is considered to be a crucial part of social and economic development, as the physical health of a nation is fundamental to achieving a wealthy nation. Therefore, it is of great importance that government continues to prioritise sports development, building on the gains achieved under this sector in the previous national development plan; as it promotes socioeconomic benefits and individual wellbeing. Youths mostly benefit in significant numbers from the services and opportunities generated from this industry. The sporting landscape in Sierra Leone has the potential to enrich and deliver numerous services and support to the youth population that mostly make up the sport competitors, even administrators and other stakeholders. It is in this light that GoSL has hugely invested in the sports sector over the last five years. The sector remains a critical cost-effective and flexible tool for promoting peace and development objectives relating to achieving SDG 16 on Justice, Peace and Security, besides SDG 8 on Decent Employment. Therefore, it cannot be more justifiable that the industry is a critical dimension in the Big 5s of GoSL, and to the effective delivery of the National Goals for 2030. The most outstanding interventions by the Government in the sports sector during the previous plan implementation was the reactivation of the male and female premiership football competitions, as well as increasing budgetary allocation to the sector, and the allowance of athletes in the national teams to motivate them in rekindling the industry. Standard registration criteria for all sporting associations were enforced and stronger governance instruments within national sports organisations was imposed. These structural adjustments helped to bolster cohesion and unity among Sierra Leoneans irrespective of age, tribe or political affiliations; linking youth and sports development to the promotion of peace and national cohesion agenda of the Government, as both an end and an enabler discussed in PART 3 of this plan. Tangible progress made in sports, following the revamping of the industry in the last five years, includes the participation of the country in: the African Cup of Nations Tournament in Cameroon in 2022 after 25 years; the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham 2022; the World Boxing Championship in Serbia 2022; the West Africa Football for Under 20 Boys and Girls in Senegal 2021; the Tokyo Olympic Games 2021; the National Female team participation in the West African Football Union Competitions 2020; and the All African Games in Morocco 2019. The country hosted the West African Karate and Boxing Championship in Freetown 2022; reactivated the Inter- Force Sports Competitions;44 and started the Non-Division Sports Competitions across communities in all sporting disciplines, including boxing, volleyball, karate, strongest man and weightlifting. Despite the aforementioned achievements, there have been some challenges to the implementation of planned programmes for sports, including limited sports infrastructure; lack of strategy to promote mass sports and develop youth talents in different sports disciplines; lack of effective legal framework to meet the current needs of the sector; inadequate financing; unavailability of proper marketing strategy; and perceived lack of trust in the sports management system of the country, with noted capacity gaps in the administration of sporting bodies, including inadequacy of qualified personnel to facilitate sports development. Additionally, there is a limited number of role models in the industry for young talents to emulate, while coordination among relevant institutions, such as sports bodies, local government and schools has been inadequate. Furthermore, space for women, older people, and the disabled is very partial in the sector. --------------------------------------------------------------- 44 The Inter-Force Competitions involve the Sierra Leone Police, the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, the Sierra Leone National Fire Force, the Sierra Leone Correctional Services, and the National Scout Association. 111 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation The lessons learned during the implementation of programmes in sports include the need to encourage volunteerism in the sector that boosts coaching, assists with requisite facilities, and promotes governance and the overall quality of sporting events. Certain potentials and opportunities to leverage in addressing challenges and building on achievements exist, including availability of bilateral and international agreements on sports development; high international awareness on the potential of Sierra Leonean athletes, growing demand for branding the country in this area, and the continuing role of Sierra Leonean diaspora in marketing local sports. Also, expectations around quality, inclusion and ethics and governance in sport have risen, thus places pressure on administrators to deliver better; and there is increased private sector opportunities and investment in sports, as accountability and transparency has increased in the sector, with public scrutiny given the growing financing in the sector. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective for sports development is to empower the sector to play a leading role in the employment of youth talents, skills and services while serving as a key driver for education, entertainment, general revenue generation, national cohesion, and consolidation of peace. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, the strategy and legal framework to promote mass sports, including development of talents of youth in sports fully developed

2. By 2030, Sierra Leone participates in at least one international competition annually

3. By 2030, at least 70 percent of planned annual national competition events for all sporting activities undertaken ➢ Key policy actions

1. Increase support for sporting activities in learning institutions and communities

2. Increase funding to National Sports Association

3. Review all existing policy documents and regulations for sports development in the country

4. Develop comprehensive strategy and legal framework for sports development

5. Develop awareness and public resource centre to attract local and foreign visitors

6. Establish strong research capabilities in sports

7. Develop education programmes on sports in learning institutions

8. Develop a diversified resource mobilisation strategy for sports

9. Develop a Sport Museum/hall of fame as a resource centre for tourism marketing and promotion

10. Facilitate membership of athletes in national sport associations and world governing bodies 112 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Box 5.3: Youth and children’s priorities obtained during nationwide consultations The Big Five Game Top priorities of young people Changers

1. Youth Farms 5.1 Feed Salone 2. Formulation of laws and support for women's right/access to farming land andlivestock

3. Establishment of Farms for all forces

4. Reintroduction of School gardens

5. One-stop shop for locally grown Agricultural produces

1. Provision of Student Loans 5.2 Human Capital 2. Provision of free health care (for all categories of children (0-18 years) Development 3. Free and quality education for PWDs

4. Reduction in examination malpractices

5. Constructions of more equipped health facilities in hard-to-reach areas 5.3 Youth Employment 1. Strengthening and decentralised TVET across all regions. Scheme 2. Support youth in sport

3. Entrepreneurship training

4. Create well-equipped regional creational facilities for youths’ activities

5. Support youth in Agriculture 5.4 Infrastructure, 1. Access to free, cheaper, and stable internet connectivity Technology and 2. Roads, Electricity Innovation 3. ICT Facilities

4. Provision of Transport infrastructure 5.5 Transforming Public 1. Harmonization of salary for all government officers by grades Sector Architecture 2. Improve the application and recruitment processes automated at PSC.

3. Establishment of civil service/public service commission offices at regional level

4. Decentralized the civil service training college

5. Increase funding to the civil service training college Note from: The comprehensive report on the nationwide adolescent and youth consultations on the plan can be obtained from the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development for detailed recommendations on the implementation of the plan. 113 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.4. Infrastructure, technology and innovation 5.4.1. Energy The strategic objective of the energy sector has always been to produce/generate and distribute adequate electricity and power from renewable and clean sources for increased access for the population to enhance economic growth and development. Access to electricity in 2017 was less than 16 percent mainly attributed to the poor Transmission and Distribution network and the low voltage quality which required huge investment in generation, transmission and efficient distribution of electricity to address the technical losses on the network and low voltage quality due to an overburdening of infrastructure by illicit users. Over the medium-term 2019-2023, huge investments in the Generation, Transmission, and Distribution system yielded desirable results, as access to electricity more than doubled from 16 percent in 2018 to 36 percent in 2023; households with access nearly doubled from 13.5 percent in 2018 to 25.4 percent in 2021; while the loss of electricity through leakages in the distribution system increased from 38 percent in 2018 to 44 percent in 2019, and fell to 38 percent in 202145. The number of district headquarters towns with reliable electricity supply stood at nine in 2021 out of the 10 planned in 2019. Finally, the Percentage of the population with access to improved ecologically friendly stoves increased from 18 percent in 2018 to 20.2 percent in 2019. Furthermore, to match energy demand with supply, the country had a roadmap of producing 1,130MW by 2030 from 100MW in 2017 of which (64MW of Solar power and over 120MW of Hydro Power). This increase in supply was driven by the projected demand for energy by mining companies, estimated at 650 MW of thermal baseload capacity, and SMEs and commercial entities have been projected to require 350 M. This sector contributes significantly to GDP through the revenue/cash collection process and Management Information System of its utilities (EDSA, EGTC, Mini-grid Operators) and Independent Power Producers (Karpower Ship, SALINI, Serengeti) 114 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 2.4.1: Trends in performance in the energy sector 2019-2021 2019 2020 2021 Target Indicator Baseline Target Actual Target Actual Target Actual 2023 Percentage of population with 15.0 percent 21 25 27 30 32 32 44 access to electricity (MoE 2018) percent percent percent percent percent percent percent Percentage of the households 13.5 percent 15.0 22.0 17 22.9 18 25.4 22 with access to electricity (DHS 2013) percent percent percent percent percent percent percent Installed generation capacity under the management of 167.62 260 176 360 180 460 253 650 EGTC(MW) Number of districts headquarter towns with 9 10 9 11 9 13 9 16 reliable electricity supply Percentage of electricity generated that is lost in the 34 44 30 39 27 38 38 percent 20 process of transmission and percent percent percent percent percent percent percent distribution. Length of the transmission 200 450 - 700 549 950 682 1,500 grid (km) Percentage of population with 18 23 20.2 28 36 access to improve ecologically - - 45 percent percent percent percent percent friendly stoves percent Source: Ministry of Energy While there have been some laudable successes in the energy sector, there remain critical challenges, including lack of inadequate staffing, limited inter-sectoral coordination and financing including delay in the disbursements of funds (allocation and counterpart funds) which affect the successful implementation of the mandate of the sector. High inflation and depreciation of Leones affected the efficiency of operations in the sector. Other challenges including commercial inefficiency due to electricity theft, theft of cabling and equipment, vandalization of assets and sabotage of facilities, coupled with the destruction/deforestation of Hydro Power Plant catchment areas. The country has huge potential and opportunity for scaling up energy resources, productive use of energy and the development of energy facilities. Some of these opportunities include: the presence of strong political will, a stable political and security situation, a tropical climate conducive for solar power, high levels of rainfall for hydropower, the development of the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP), the development of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policies, development of Sustainable Energy for All (SA4ALL), robust reforms and technical audits, coupled with a large landscape of green vegetation for biomass, good working relationships between government and development partners, and a good environment for doing business. 115 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to provide adequate, affordable and sustainable power supply nationwide, to stimulate economic development through the consolidation, improvement and expansion of existing energy supply infrastructure and ensuring energy security for sustainable development. Table 2.4.2: Key Targets for Big 5.4.1 Energy Key Targets Base-line Annual Targets 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Percentage of population with 32% in 36% 40% 44% 48% 52% 56% 60% access to electricity increased 2021 Percentage of the households with 25.4% in 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55% 60% access to electricity increased 2021 Number of districts headquarter towns with reliable electricity supply 9 in 2021 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 increased ➢ Key policy actions

1. Embark on increasing electricity generation, transmission and distribution

2. Improve on the policy and regulatory environment of the energy sector

3. Restore electricity supply to all district headquarters towns and cities

4. Increase investment in low-cost renewable energy (solar, hydro, wind, and biomass)

5. Improve governance at all levels of the sector- the Ministry of Energy, EDSA, EGTC, EWRC, NSRPA, BWMA- to develop responsible leadership and institutional culture

6. Ensure expansion of the transmission grid nationwide by increasing the annual regular kilometric coverage.

7. Ensure rural electrification is carried out through the engagement and involvement of key stakeholders, including the private sector.

8. Ensure robust monitoring and supervision of Projects.

9. Ensure affordable tariffs Box 5.1 below presents a critical workstream of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security to support national, sectoral and local efforts to supporting renewable energy production in Sierra Leone. The box presents clear goals and specific actions of the Initiative to provide support in this area. 116 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Box 5.2: Presidential Initiative—supporting renewable energy production in Sierra Leone Goals

1. By 2024, a Just Energy Transition Plan (JET-P) developed and approved by parliament

2. By 2034, contribute to grow grid generation capacity from 200MW to 1GW

3. By 2030, contribute to add at least 200 mini grids to support energy access.

4. By 2030, at least 20 percent of households using LPG, ethanol, or other clean energy for cooking Specific actions

1. Advocate for policies for improved energy efficiency and access to and adoption of renewable energy technologies and use

2. Renewable energy and energy efficiency and conservation projects focussing on production and distribution of clean energy, household efficient lightening, and energy efficient buildings

3. Developing loan programme through financial institutions to support uptake of clean cooking technologies

4. Support youth (female and male) through training and business start-ups support to produce and market clean cooking stoves;

5. Explore fiscal measures to encourage women and youth to manufacture non forest biomass fuel briquettes from agricultural waste, sawdust, etc.

6. Establish a delivery unit for clean cooking and support implementation of the Clean Cooking Strategy

7. Enacting policies that incentivize renewable energy investment and ensure the integration of renewable energy into the national grid.

8. Facilitate policies and advocate for improved energy efficiency and use.

9. Support the generation of carbon credits, through the introduction of clean technologies for cooking and diffusion of clean cooking solutions by the programme. 5.4.2. Road and transportation systems Transport is a strategic sector for Sierra Leone’s growth and development. The sector contributes considerably towards the country's economic growth, competitiveness, and human capital development. It does this as a stimulator of economic activity, and as an active employer of the working population. The sector facilitates all trade activities including imports, exports, and distribution of products within the country. It facilitates the movement of people both within and out of the country. It therefore enables other sectors like Tourism, Mining, Agriculture, Energy, Finance, and Fisheries. It is estimated that the sector contributes over 15 percent of the country’s GDP. As a vital service, public transport is strategically important for the economic and social life of countries. Millions of people rely on public transport for mobility, to access their jobs and other services, and also as a source of work. The transport system consists of a network of infrastructure including all transport modes such as road, rail, seaports, airports and inland waterways, and the transport services operating on the network. Sierra Leone is located along the Atlantic coast with a total area of 71,740km 2 which is divided into 71,620 km2 of land and of 120 km2 of water. which is conducive for natural harbours. The land area of the country has a huge opportunity and potential for efficient railway and road network connections. Over and above physical infrastructure, the sector is also comprised of transport services, which are provided by the public and private sector alike and includes buses, taxis, motor trikes (Kekes), motorbikes (okadas) for land transportation; ferries, water taxis, local motorized boats (Pampas) for water transportation; and airline services. These services are geared towards poverty reduction and building a resilient social and general development of the nation. On the road subsector, it employs over 200,000 (two hundred thousand) people. These include over 50,000 youths as motorcycle riders (motorbikes and motor trikes), 150,000 people as personal chauffeurs, taxis, mini-bus (poda- poda), and truck drivers and assistants. The aviation sector, employs over 1,000 people either directly by the airport, the airlines, or the regulator, and about 500 indirectly as travel agents, clearing and forwarding agents etc. 117 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation In the marine sector, over 1,500 people earn their living as boat operators, port stevedores, crane drivers, coxswains, or rescue corps. The transport sector in Sierra Leone is coordinated by nine (9) state-constituted institutions including the Ministry of Transport and Aviation as the Ministry mandated to give oversight to Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, Sierra Leone Ports and Harbour Authority, Sierra Leone National Shipping Company, Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority, Sierra Leone Airport Authority, Sierra Leone Air Accident Incident Investigation Bureau, Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority, Sierra Leone Public Transport Authority which regulate Government public buses that provide urban and inter-urban passenger transport. Added to these institutions are many ad-hoc transport unions including but limited to the Sierra Leone Drivers Union, Bike Riders Union, Boat Owners Association, etc. Even though there are huge potentials and opportunities in the Sierra Leone transport systems, the sector has been and is still exposed to many shocks including its vulnerability to climate change, flash floods, and landslides. Climate change effects are expected to continue as the weather continues to rise. Funding for major transport infrastructures continues to challenge the sector. National road network The Sierra Leone Road infrastructure provides for over 90 percent of passenger and freight traffic and comprises 4,070km of national trunk roads, 1,904km of district roads, 3,104km of urban roads, and approximately 4152km of community/feeder roads and local access roads. National roads, of which 953km are paved, connect districts with one another and the country with its neighbours and are the responsibility of the central government. The public road network of Sierra Leone is functionally classified in the National Road System as Primary Roads or Class A, Secondary Roads or Class B, Tertiary Roads, or Feeder Roads, and Urban Arterial and Township Roads. National roads, of which 953km are paved, connect districts with one another and the country with its neighbours and are the responsibility of the central government and managed by the SLRA. The National Road System (NRS) have a direct influence on national welfare by serving international, national, and regional road transport needs and also promoting territorial integration. The National Road network is the most widely used transportation avenue and also consists of other means such as rail though it’s almost non-existent considering the little stretch it currently covers. It is noteworthy that over the five years (2019-2023), significant progress was recorded in the National Road Network of the country including, Rehabilitation of 46 Km of paved trunk road and paved with Asphalt 250 Km of trunk roads, Constructed several major bridges including Sewa Bridge (Gondama), Waanje Bridge (Bandajuma Sowa), Mos Bridge (Bandasuma), Mabele Bridge, Mabang Bridge, Kpangbama Bridge, Savage Street Bridge, Work on the way to complete the regravelling of 1,760km of roads to connect all major towns and villages (chiefdom HQ Towns), Expedited the construction of roads linking district headquarter towns including Kenema to Kailahun (completed), Bandajuma to Pujehun (80 percent complete to date); Bo-Mattru Road (25 percent complete to date), Construction of township roads in Bonthe Municipal, Bo, Kenema, Makeni, Kailahun including the No.2 Lumley-Tokeh road and the Hillside bye pass road, The maintenance of Feeder Roads has been devolved to Local Councils with funding from the Road Maintenance Fund Administration, Despite the many strides made in developing and improving road networks in the country, there remain critical challenges that impede Sierra Leone from realising the full potential of its road infrastructure. Key among the many challenges include inadequate financing to develop and upgrade existing and new road networks, high cost to undertake road projects some of which are due to endemic corruption, lack of road maintenance culture, encroachment along the roadsides, and poor road security systems to safe road infrastructures. 118 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Specific policy actions will include, a) continuing improvement to major border crossing town and MRU regional trade facilitation, b) continue improvement to the Freetown and other urban roads, c) targeting major connecting roads linking district capitals, d) focusing on roads leading or going through tourist attraction areas, e) targeting roads leading to potentially viable agricultural areas and major fishing communities, f) targeting major bridges without which economically viable route will be redundant. Urban transport Freetown remains the biggest city in Sierra Leone and is an all-encompassing city politically, commercially, and administratively. These factors have made Freetown a destination for internal migration where everybody seeks improved livelihood and better opportunities. This has considerably increased the population in Freetown which also puts more pressure on the demand for public transportation in Freetown and other urban settings in the country. The amount of transportation needed to cope with the growing population in Freetown is still relatively low compared to other Sub-Saharan countries. However, the school bus service was a considerable boost to the urban transportation system especially in Freetown. The Government through the Integrated Resilience and Urban Mobility Project (IRUMP) is undertaking road improvement on the West corridor to the Central Business District with signalization at selected intersections at Lumley, Congo Cross, and Ferry Junction and Construction of Eight Pedestrian overpasses in and around the Freetown area. Four pedestrian overpasses at Lumley, Wilberforce, Shell and Jui near completion; modern market and transport terminal at Lumley near completion; construction of transit terminal at Wilberforce for public transport operators is near completion; developed a Traffic Management Plan that encompasses regulations and policies on traffic management including directional traffic flow structure; completed traffic studies for the installation of traffic lights at 7 critical intersections in Freetown. 119 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Notwithstanding, there remain some key challenges in urban transportation, especially in Freetown and some of these include poor connectivity requiring urgent maintenance and few roads requiring widening and the construction of new road networks and/or other means of transportation that would substitute road transportation methods. The Sierra Leone Public Transport Authority is the regulators of public bus transportation system and provides formalised public transport in Freetown though currently non-existent except for the school buses. In the absence of public buses, the city has witnessed an influx and growth of unregulated, informal transport operators of small vehicles with a mix of full-sized buses, minibuses (poda poda), motor tricycles (Keke) and motorcycles (Okada). Many other factors still challenge the urban transport system including increased demand for transportation in Freetown and other cities, constant traffic congestion, inadequate road networks, and no provision for pedestrian routes among many others. Key policy actions to enhance delivery in this sector will include: a) Expand the Integrated and Resilient Urban Mobility Project at the Ministry of Transport & Aviation to other corridors in Freetown and to other provincial headquarters towns, b) Install traffic signals/lights at critical intersections in Freetown and other parts of the country, c) Consolidate and integrate other modes of transportation into the Urban transport network including river transportation, d) Improve non-motorized Transport facilities – continuous footpaths on both sides of roads, prioritised crossing, overhead pedestrian walkways, and missing links in Freetown, e) Develop an urban transport master plan that will establish the framework for urban transportation improvement, f) Modernised urban transit system with safe, modern, and physically challenged friendly bus systems, g) Develop human capital with the requisite technical skills to manage public transport operations for efficient and effective service delivery, h) Introduce intelligent traffic enforcement systems, such as red light running and other traffic enforcement street cameras, i) Establish a Traffic Control and Management Centre (TCMC) that will be focused on real-time traffic congestion monitoring and improving traffic efficiency, j) Establish a Traffic Engineering and Management Agency (TEMA) to operate and maintain all traffic-related infrastructure nationwide effectively and sustainably, k) Fully implement a robust Ministry of Transport (MoT) fitness regime to ensure that trucks and heavy-duty vehicles are road-worthy. Rail transport Until the mid-1970s, Sierra Leone had a national rail network consisting of two lines connecting the Northern and Eastern parts of the country. The operation of the rail halted due to the growing competition and the resulting decline in rail traffic. During the Civil War, majority of the rail infrastructure was either removed or damaged beyond repairs. Thus, it may be extremely difficult and expensive to restore the lines or build a new rail system. However, there is presently a rail system owned by the Government of Sierra Leone and operated by an iron ore mining company that runs from the ports at Pepel to the Tonkolili Mines. The major challenge is that the rail is still limited to just the mining routes and is mainly dedicated to iron ore carriage activities. However, for the years ahead 2024-2030 the sector is committed to carrying out key reforms to change the face of the railway industry and make it competitive, thereby contributing its share to the socioeconomic growth of the country. Key policy actions will include a) Explore the possibility of reintroducing the national railway, b) Conduct Feasibility Study of the construction of railway line along the Conakry- Freetown – Monrovia corridor. 120 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Marine/Sea transportation sub sector Sierra Leone has 800 km (497 mi) of waterways in Sierra Leone, and 600 km (373 mi) are navigable year-round. Sea transportation is of immense importance for economic transactions as over 80% of all international trade in goods is transported by sea, thus making marine transportation a beacon for international connectivity and globalization. Sea transport is the next popular form of transportation considering the geography of Sierra Leone. There are major ports in Sierra Leone located in Bonthe, Freetown and Pepel. One of the largest natural harbours in Africa is in Sierra Leone, the Queen Elizabeth II Quay in Freetown which represents the country's only deep-water port facility capable of berthing large-hulled cargo or military vessels. The country possesses a merchant marine of two cargo ships exceeding 1,000 GT. Currently, the full potential of Sea transportation is not harnessed as there is no competing mode to transport bulk goods from Freetown to other cities. Reforms at the Sierra Leone Ports Authority changed the model of the port to a land port from a service port model with increased private participation in the operation of the port of service provision. The current 300,000 twenty-four unit capacity of the port is a huge revenue potential for self-financing and sustainability. Of critical note in the marine sector is the importance of security to enhance the growth and stability of the sector. Consequently, adequate security is required to police the country’s 500 plus kilometres of sea transport routes in the Atlantic Ocean. Key achievements in the Marine sector over the years include; a) Secured five Zodiac Search and Rescue Boats to serve the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, b) Enhanced the search and rescue operations with a modernised state of the art radio communication system that covers the entire country's terminal stations, including coverage on the search and rescue boats, c) The government has established a first-ever search and rescue centre and regional headquarter in Bonthe. Construction of Berths, d) Rehabilitated of Berths 4 and 5 to increase vessel traffic and to accommodate larger vessels at the Port has been completed, e) Reconstructed and rehabilitated the Tagrin Ferry Terminal. This is over 90 percent complete, f) Constructed a Multi-purpose Berth of 14 meters depth at the QEII to attract trade from South America and to increase productivity. Despite the many efforts made to improve sea transportation in the country, the sector is still plagued by some challenges, key among which are the limited security to guard the coasts, poor physical infrastructures, poor law enforcement, inadequate safety mechanisms, and exemption of private companies, especially mining companies from paying cargo levies on import and export thereby depriving the sector and the state of much- needed revenues. Key policy actions will include, a) Explore other modes of transport within Freetown and the Western Area such as the construction of jetties and ferry terminals at strategic locations for commercial ferry and boat transport with private sector participation, b) Develop a Port facility security Plan as mandated by International Maritime Organization (IMO), c) Alongside the private sector, explore the possibility of a home-based or locally owned shipping company actively engaged in both imports and exports, c) With private sector partnership, explore the possibility of a second seaport in Sierra Leone, d) Create maritime jobs through increasing the number of Sierra Leoneans at sea in all vessels flying the country’s flag. 121 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Inland Waterway/Estuary Crossing Currently, crossing from Freetown to Lungi is either unsafe, difficult, expensive, inconvenient, and unreliable. Over a million passengers’ traverse over the ocean to Freetown using vessels with varying efficiency and safety issues. Recently, the near-safe and reliable means of crossing the estuary is by the Water taxis at Aberdeen on the West side of Freetown which are small and fast but expensive. Over the MTNDP implementation period, the sector accomplished the construction of the Targrin Ferry terminal waiting hall to meet customer’s need, b) Sierra Leone Ports Authority completed the erection of a new multi- purpose berth (275 metres long and 13 metres in draft), thereby accommodating more and larger vessels, cargo throughout and reducing turnaround time. The major challenges in the sector continue to be the limited forms of safe, reliable and affordable means of crossing; the expensive fare of the few small water taxis, and the dilapidated ferries that ply across the estuary. However, the Government through the transport sector is committed to changing the narrative and making the estuary crossing convenient and affordable. Key policy actions to realise this commitment include: a) Exploring other modes of transport within Freetown and the Western Area such as the construction of jetties and ferry terminals at strategic locations for commercial ferry and boat transport with private sector participation. Air/Aviation transportation sub sector Air transportation is one of the very important means of global connectivity and a key enhancer of socio- economic growth. However, there has been irregular growth in the air transport market for Sierra Leone over the past decade. Figures in 2016 indicate that Lungi International Airport handled about 200,000 passengers, which is a very low volume when compared to other airports in the West African subregion. Freetown is connected to capitals in West Africa and three countries in Europe, but it lacks connectivity with other surrounding countries. Since the national carrier, Sierra National Airlines, ceased operations in 2006, there has been no sustainable commercial air transport operator based in the country. Notwithstanding, the industry successfully completed the construction of a new modern First-Class International Airport with a New Passenger Terminal, VIP Terminal, Taxiways and widened runway. The Airport also has annual capacity of One Million passengers with a capacity to handle eight wide body aircraft at any one time. Also, the Aviation Safety Rating by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), 60 percent was targeted for 2021 but only 40 percent was achieved in that year, whilst 75 percent was targeted for 2023, and a safety rating of 74 percent was achieved following ICAO audit in 2023. Additionally, the 2022 target on the Aviation Security Rating by ICAO of 83 percent was quite impressive, progress on this indicator was far above the target at 80 percent, progressing well from the baseline of 64 percent in 2014. A figure for the 2021 rating was reported by November of the year, estimated at 80 percent against a target of 83 percent. Furthermore, the 2021 annual number of International Passengers passing through FNA reported in November that year was approximately 129,979, below the target of 280,000 and the 2017 baseline figure of 200,000; which could be attributed to disruptions of air travel by the COVID-19. However, the figure for 2022 rose to 240,317 as against the target of 288,000. Notwithstanding, the aviation industry continues to be challenged by the lack of a National Carrier to replace the Sierra National Airlines which ceased operation in 2006. Specific policy actions will include; a) develop a sound and seamless air transport system that is safe, secured, reliable, efficient, accessible and affordable in compliance with ICAO SARPs; b) improved infrastructure at the civil aviation authority, c) enhanced a regulatory framework for local, regional and international connectivity, d)122 Strengthen safety oversight capabilities in compliance with ICAO SARPs; e) strengthening the human and institutional capacity at the Sierra Leone aircraft accident and incident investigation bureau (SL-AAIIB); f)enhance safety recommendations and promote safety culture; g) introduce best practices in the provision of air SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to plan, develop, and implement the national transport infrastructural system in an integrated, holistic, and cross-sectoral manner that will increase connection and safety for better utilisation of the transport system and broader benefit across the country. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, safety of life and property at sea significantly improved

2. By 2030, public transport facilities expanded in all major cities by upgrading jetties for water transport and launching a railway rehabilitation project, thereby expanding inter-urban transport.

3. By 2026, all laws, rules, and regulations of direct importance to the sector revised and reconciled, removing all conflicts in legislation that affect the smooth and effective governance of institutions within the transport sector

4. By 2027, domestication of all nine International Maritime Organisation mandatory instruments undertaken ➢ Key policy actions

1. Build sectoral service delivery and technical capacity and strengthen the reporting system between the Ministry and its Agencies.

2. Capacitate the Sierra Leone Public Transport Authority as a regulator to effectively superintend over transport operators

3. Establish an integrated air transportation system that is in compliance with ICAO standards for safety and security

4. Develop a framework to regulate local, regional, worldwide connections and infrastructure.

5. Improve aviation safety and promote global confidence in the industry through the conduct of timely independent investigation to determine causes of accident, incident.

6. Enhance sector governance for improved transportation services

7. Modernise public transportation services and improve road safety

8. Ensure safe, secure and efficient sea transportation services to harness the potential of the Blue Economy and facilitate trade 123 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.4.3. Communication, Technology and innovation As a game-changer in the economic development landscape of Sierra Leone, technology, with its attendant components of innovation and communication, are viewed as being crucial to achieving impactful change. As key drivers of economic growth, the communications, technology, and innovation (CTI) sector is critical in promoting general socioeconomic development in Sierra Leone. The sector contributes significantly to the country's GDP, fostering innovation, creating employment opportunities, and improving access to education, healthcare, and financial services. Additionally, it helps reduce poverty and social disparities, making it indispensable for Sierra Leone's overall development. The influence of the CTI sector is quite encompassing, as it enables and enhances the performance of a range of key growth sectors such as energy, agriculture, fisheries/marine sector, manufacturing, mining, construction, transport, tourism, trade/commerce, and more; as it facilitates efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness across various industries by providing the necessary infrastructure, connectivity, and innovative solutions. This has enormous multiplier effects in terms of GDP, revenue and employment generation, especially for the youth who are at the centre of driving contemporary technological and innovation changes. The cross-cutting nature of the sector makes it a key pillar in the Government’s Big 5 Agenda aimed at transforming Sierra Leone into an advanced digital economy by 2030. During the implementation of the previous national development plan (MTNDP 2019-2023), the CTI sector experienced steady growth, which could have substantially contributed a large share to the country's GDP and revenue generation. For example, Figure 2.9 and Box 5.3 illustrate the growth in digital financial services (DFS) in Sierra Leone in 2020, as reported by a study conducted by the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) on the state of the DFS market in the country in that year.46 From the figure and the box, out of a total of 13 providers surveyed, 12 reported growth in their registered customer base between December 2019 and December 2020. On average, the number of registered DFS accounts grew by 47 percent per provider during this period, with the number of active 90-day DFS accounts reaching 2.2 million in December, from1.4 million in December 2019, representing a 63 percent growth.47 The average number of DFS-based customer transactions per month in 2020 exceeded 12 million according to the report. 48 This suggests that, if this size of transactions prevailed each year during 2024-2030 (the next seven years) and that a tax of Le 1.0 is levied on each transaction, the Government would receive at least Le 12 million (12 billion Old Leones) each year from DFS; Le 24 million if the tax is Le 2. Substantial institutional milestones in the CTI sector were achieved by GoSL in driving the production of output in the foregoing paragraphs, including: a) establishment of the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation in the Office of the President to provide the highest political support for digitalisation in the country; b) enactment of the Cybercrime Act 2021; c) launch of the national digital development policy; d) enactment of a new Communications Act 2022; e) advancement of the Digital Infrastructure of the economy; f) extension of the National Fibre backbone to five more districts, and construction of district metro rings for last mile government services; f) increase in the number of internet users from 307,000 people in 2017 to about 2.67 million as of June 2022; and g ) rolling-out time/attendance management system to 24 MDAs. Despite the above laudable efforts made during the MTNDP 2019-2023, critical challenges remain going into the implementation of the MTNDP 2024-2030. These include: the high cost of digital services (especially mobile and voice services); lags in the effective implementation of e-governance initiatives, including enhancing digital service delivery, transparency, and accountability; difficulty in migrating from analog to digital broadcasting; and a low level of digital literacy. --------------------------------------------------------------- 45 See the United Nations Capital Development Fund Office in Freetown, Sierra Leone for the report. 47 This is directly obtained from the 2020 UNCDF Report on the state of Digital Financial Services market in Sierra Leone, page 15. 48 Ibid, page 15. 124 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Despite the above laudable efforts made during the MTNDP 2019-2023, critical challenges remain going into the implementation of the MTNDP 2024-2030. These include: the high cost of digital services (especially mobile and voice services); lags in the effective implementation of e-governance initiatives, including enhancing digital service delivery, transparency, and accountability; difficulty in migrating from analogue to digital broadcasting; and a low level of digital literacy. Box 5.3: Growth in the DFS industry in Sierra Leone during 2019-2020 based on UN CDF Report the state of the DFS market in Sierra Leone in 2020, page 15 Figure 2.9 Performance of DFS indicators for December 2020 Source: UNCDF Report on the state of the DFS market in Sierra Leone in 2020, page 15 125 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Critical emerging issues that require serious attention in advancing the CTI landscape of the country include; the country include: a) digital inclusion and accessibility to ensure that all citizens, including those in remote and marginalised areas have equitable access to digital services and infrastructure, including physical access points; b) data governance and privacy necessitating establishment of robust data governance policies and frameworks to protect user data and privacy as digital services expand; c) capacity building and skill development, necessary to address shortage of skilled professionals in technology-related fields by investing in training/upskilling and education programs; d) support for innovation to foster an enabling environment for local tech start-ups and entrepreneurs to compete with international firms and drive innovation; e) digital divide, which notes the persistence of a significant urban-rural digital divide, limiting access to information, education, and healthcare in unserved and underserved areas; and f) capacity building & digital literacy, noting the shortage of skilled professionals in technology-related fields and low levels of digital literacy and awareness that pose a challenge to sector growth and innovation and the adoption of digital technologies among the population. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to increase the supply of communications, technology and innovation services for their increased access and affordability to ensure they are effectively integrated into all development initiatives for growth, innovation, entrepreneurship, and building a digital economy. Table 2.4.3: Key Targets for Big 5.4.3 Communication, Technology & Information Area of Annual Targets Key Targets Baseline Intervention 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Communication, Number of internet 1.84 2.0 2.16 2.32 2.48 2.60 2.76 2.9 Technology and users increased by million in million million million million million million million Information 60 percent 2023 Internet penetration 21.2% in rate increased to at 25.3% 29.4% 33.1% 37.2% 41.3% 45.4% 50.0% 01/2023 least 50 percent Access to digital 25 percent financial services in 2023 28.4 32.0 35.6 39.2 42.8 46.4 50% increased to at least (UNCDF) 50% Establish a smart City in Bo District by Zero - - - - 1 - - 2028 ➢ Key policy actions Communications Technology

1. Develop policies, strategies, standards, and guidelines to facilitate the deployment of Digital Governance services

2. Develop policies, strategies, standards, and guidelines for the establishment of a Smart City

3. Increase the current internet broadband and mobile penetration for the population

4. Develop resilience and enhance security in ICT infrastructure networks and digital platforms

5. Upgrade rural telecommunications by improving accessibility, customer choice and affordability for rural areas and underserved communities.

6. Develop and implement an e-Government core network infrastructure and services

7. Develop and implement a Government Data Centre and cloud computing infrastructure

8. Use the postal sector as a platform to deliver government services to all citizens for digital, financial, commercial and social inclusion

9. Promote the increased usage of computers and other technological devices among citizens, including learning institutions

10. Create a conducive environment to empower people to innovate 126 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Digital Financial Services and e-Commerce

1. Streamline the enabling legal and regulatory environment for Digital Financial Services

2. Ensure an interoperable and secure digital financial infrastructure

3. Encourage DFS competition, user protection, and adoption through technology-forward National financial inclusion strategies

4. Create a conducive environment for the development and uptake of digital financial services as an enabler and driver for e-commerce.

5. Expand and strengthen the role of postal network in the digital economy as a Hub for e-Government services.

6. Facilitate access to finance and funding mechanisms for digital enterprises

7. Deploy the essential enabling building blocks for the implementation of a National e-Governance systems

8. Support interventions to strengthen cybersecurity at the national level. 127 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.5. Transforming the public service architecture Having an efficient, effective, and inclusive public service is most pivotal to the optimal delivery of public goods and services. This justifies the central place of the sector in the Government’s strategic framework for 2024- 2030 summarised in its Big 5 Game Changers aimed at accelerating the socioeconomic transformation and development of Sierra Leone. An efficient and effective public service will be achieved through building and strengthening institutional capacity of the sector, sound financial management, optimal administration of public revenues, and integrity of processes in the system. The sector is the Government’s machinery and vehicle to maximise the achievements of the SDGs through the formulation and implementation of informed and bankable national policies and programmes. Indeed, a sound public service epitomises the principles of good governance, professionalism, patriotism, ethics, and integrity that are indispensable for the effective delivery of sustainable development goals. The contribution of the public service to Sierra Leone’s GDP stands at 6.6 percent for the year 2022, growing from 0.1 percent in the previous year.49 From 2018 to 2023, a total of 6,113 qualified Sierra Leoneans were recruited into the civil service; the percentage of recruitment noted to have substantially increased from 55 percent in 2019 to 65 percent in 2020. There has been an improvement in reporting on recruitment processes, with the percentage of these processes posted on the Automated System of the Public Service Commission increasing from 40 percent in 2018 to 55 percent in 2019. Significant efforts were made towards automating the civil service records management system, including the creation of the Document Archive System and Personnel Records Management System, as well as the establishment of a website for information dissemination purposes. The Public Sector Wages and Compensation Policy was developed and approved by Cabinet, and the Bill for the establishment of the Wages and Compensation Commission was passed into law by Parliament. The Civil Service Training Policy was developed and implemented, as well as the Internship Placement Guideline to regulate the placement of students across MDAs from higher institutions of learning, and the Performance Management Policy to guide the management of performance appraisal system for civil servants. Tools, such as the Rapid Results Initiative, Performance Contracts, and Individual Performance Appraisal Systems were advanced to deepen the institutionalisation of Results-Based Management in the public sector. Accordingly, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) ranking on public sector effectiveness increased from 31 percent in 2018 to 42 percent in 2021. 50 --------------------------------------------------------------- 49 See the June 2022 Statistics Sierra Leone’s Report on the 2021 & 2022 real GDP; figures obtained at 2006 prices 50 For more details on progress made in this sector, please refer to the Sector Policy Paper submitted to the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development on the Public Sector Architecture of Sierra Leone towards the preparation of this National Development Plan. 128 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Progress made in the past regarding general Public Service Reforms to build on and implement going forward with the new National Development Plan 2024-2030 include:

1. Foreign Affairs Reforms: The Cabinet approved the transformation of the Foreign Service Academy into a Semi-Autonomous Government Agency. This was accompanied by the formulation and launch of the Foreign Service Academy Strategic Plan 2016-2020.

2. Diaspora Policy: This was finalised, launched and implemented during 2019-2023; aimed at creating a platform to engage and effectively communicate with the diaspora community; engaging them in the protection of Sierra Leonean migrants returning from countries in crisis.

3. Decentralisation: Sierra Leone continued to implement a decentralised system of government aimed at ensuring equal participation and inclusivity. Taking its root from the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2004, a new Local Government Act was ratified in February 2004, leading to the inauguration of local council elections held in May 2004. The Act serves as the launch pad for inclusive governance through various legislative reforms that devolved political, fiscal, and administrative functions from the central government to the lower tiers of government, especially the provincial and the district/local councils. Over the past years, various institutions, and intergovernmental structures at provincial, district and chiefdom level were strengthened to bolster local access to service delivery and to reduce various inefficiencies that characterised the pre-war experiences. The main challenges to address within the new national development plan, while building on gains made in the previous plan, include:

1. Inadequate funding and delay in the disbursement of budgetary allocation to the institutions managing public sector operations, such as the Public Service Commission, (PSC), the Human Resources Management Office (HRMO), the Public Service Reform Unit and the Cabinet Secretariat;

2. Lack of a conducive work environment (including provision of requisite equipment and workspace), affecting motivation at workplace; human resource constraint resulting from poor strategic human resources (HR) planning, non-execution of succession HR plans, and inadequate training to produce fit-for-purpose workforce that is required to drive national growth and prosperity;

3. Duplication of employment patterns, wastage of training-related resources, underfunding of critical training and capacity building (reinforced by the slow progress in the establishment of the National Civil Service Capacity Enhancement Scheme to provide a centralised arrangement to coordinate and fund all Civil Service Capacity building programmes);

4. High staff turnover in the most productive and critical public sectors; overlaps and duplication of administrative functions; disparity in salaries and remuneration at national and regional levels (delay in the implementation of the Wages and Compensation Commission Act meant to address salary disparity across sectors adding to this challenge);

5. Weak human resource information management systems; existence of many inconsistent laws hampering effective service delivery, resulting in conflicting mandates, coupled with continued growth in the number of public institutions leading to underfunding and human capacity gaps; and

6. There have been the entrenched issues of corporate governance characterised by lack of transparency, accountability, and probity in the funding of various commissions, agencies and governance units by development partners. An institutional opportunity is the establishment of a ministry to coordinate the affairs of the public service in Sierra Leone with a strategic focus on transforming this sector in the next 7 years. Going forward, the broad focus areas (as derived from the public service reform plan of the Ministry of Public Administration and Political Affairs for driving the transformation of the public service architecture) are:

1. Structural alignment and rationalisation of mandates in the public service

2. Human resource management/manpower planning

3. Public sector coordination and management

4. Monitoring, evaluation, and performance management for effective public service delivery

5. E-governance; and

6. Pay and incentives 129 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Strategic objective Accordingly, the strategic objective to pursue during the implementation of the MTNDP 2024-2030 is to create an efficient, professional, and result-oriented Civil/Public Service that attracts and retains the brightest talents to be at the forefront of rolling out the Government’s agenda as well as tackling complex national challenges for socio-economic development. Table 5.28: Key Targets for Big 5.5 Transforming the Public Sector Architecture Annual Targets Key Targets Table 5.5: Key Targets for BigBaseline 5.1.3 Nutrition 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 By 2030, bill to rationalise mandates of Zero - - - - 1 - - MDAs enacted By 2030, public service Zero - - - 1 - - - act promulgated By 2030, public service academy successfully Zero - - - - 1 - - completed By 2026, a public sector coordinating body is Zero - - 1 - - - - established By 2026, migrating of all public service workers Zero - - 1 - - - - from paper to digital platforms completed By 2026, all job adverts are uploaded in one portal platform as Zero - - 1 - - - - deemed necessary. ➢ Key targets Structural alignment and rationalization of mandates

1. By 2030, all relevant policies and legal frameworks for the civil/public service reviewed

2. By 2030, highly significant number of non-core government services outsourced Human resource management / manpower planning

1. By 2026, employee head count and gender audit successfully completed

2. By 2026, an incentive scheme to promote staff retention developed and is in use Public sector coordination and management

1. By 2026, a clear framework for joint implementation of cross-sectoral programmes/projects developed and launched 130 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation M&E and performance management for effective public service delivery

1. By 2025, all existing frameworks for strengthening Performance Management in MDAs reviewed

2. By 2030, all frameworks reviewed for performance management in MDAs and fully operational

3. By 2026, all necessary tools for performance management developed and in use in MDAs E-governance

1. By 2026, all reporting formats transformed into digital platforms

2. By 2026, all MDAs have successfully installed a biometric attendance system Pay and incentives

1. By 2026, a unified pay and compensation system is established

2. By 2026, an incentive scheme to motivate staff is developed

3. By 2030, a hire purchase and housing scheme is established ➢ Key policy actions Structural alignment and rationalization of mandates

1. Undertake a comprehensive national Governance landscape scanning of existing policies, legislations, regulations, guidelines etc. in delivering on their mandates

2. Develop a Public Service Policy, Act and Regulations

3. Out-sourcing of non-core government services

4. Undertake structural alignment of MDAs through Management and Functional Reviews to meet contemporary public sector management demands in respect of formulation and implementation of development policies, programmes and projects

5. Enact a bill for rationalization of MDAs mandates, functions and responsibilities. Human resource management / manpower planning

1. Increase funding to the Civil Service Training College, and its staff capacity to formulate comprehensive curricula for effective capacity building in the Civil/Public Sector

2. Develop incentive scheme to support staff retention, productivity and career progression

3. Transform the Civil Service Training College into a Public Service Academy to improved and strengthen capacity to continue to undertake training, research, consultancy and advisory in the Public Service as well as function as a think tank to guide on policy research as well as 4. establishment of e-learning and resource centre

5. Decentralise the Civil Service Training College to provide requisite training and capacity for Civil Servants across the Ensure the functionality of the Wages and Compensation Commission to rationalise and harmonise the pay and compensation system across the Public Service. 131 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.6. District priorities across the big 5s This section presents district/local level priorities for the next seven years across the Government’s Big Five Game Changers. Each of the 16 districts of Sierra Leone has its unique geographic and economic features that distinguishes it from each other. Therefore, holding consultations with all the relevant stakeholders in the districts during the plan preparation process was critical to the identification of strategies and community level priorities for inclusion in the Plan. These consultations were held in 15 of the 16 districts (leaving out the Western Urban District housing the Capital of Freetown, whose priorities have been largely captured at national level). Each district consultation drew participation from the local council leadership, decentralised MDAs, CSO/NGO representatives, all paramount chiefs and other community leaders within the districts, women and youth representatives at sub-district/chiefdom level, persons with disabilities, and the general public whose inputs were captured through radio phone-in programmes. Below are the district priorities identified during this process, aligned to the Government’s Big 5s. District priorities in the Eastern Region • Kailahun District: The population of the district is 550,435, with an area of 3,959 km 2. The district is in the Eastern Region of the country and shares boundaries with Kono District to the North, Kenema District to the North-West, and the Republics of Guinea and Liberia to the South-East, serving as an important route for international trade and migration. The box below depicts the basic profile of the district, its comparative advantage and development priorities for the 2024-2030 plan implementation period. Population: 550,435 (Male: 273,793 Female: 276,642) Land Areas: 3,959 km² Poverty rate: 56.7 (SLIHS) Comparative Advantage 2024-2030 Agriculture (Rice, Cocoa, Coffee, Cassava, Small Ruminants) The Top District-level Priorities across the Big 5s Big 5.1 Feed Salone: Support small-scale and master farmers Big 5.2: Human Capital Development: Scale up Early Childhood Development (ECD) Big 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme: Youth-led programmes on drug/substance abuse Big 5.4: Infrastructure & Technology: Construction of Roads and Bridges Big 5.5 Transforming Public Sector Architecture: Total devolution and service training for personnel 132 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation • Kenema District: The Kenema district is the headquarter of the Eastern Region, making it extractive to domestic and foreign trade. It shares boundaries with Kono and Tonkolili Districts to the North, Kailahun District to the East, Pujehun and Bo Districts to the West, and the Republics of Liberia to the South. The box below depicts the profile of the district, its comparative advantage and development priorities for the 2024-2030 plan implementation period. Population: 772,472 (Male: 384,173 Female: 388,299) Land Areas: 6,364 km2 Poverty rate: 78 (SLIHS) Comparative Advantage 2024-2030: Agriculture (Rice, Cocoa, Coffee, Small Ruminants, Pulses, Sweet potatoes, Cassava) Mining (Diamond) Tourism Gola Forest, Kamboi Hills, The Top District-level Priorities across the Big 5s Big 5.1 Feed Salone: Mechanization of Agriculture Big 5.2: Human Capital Development: Expand and Improve Existing Health & Education Infrastructure Big 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme: Youth in Agriculture Big 5.4: Infrastructure &Technology: Construction of Roads Big 5.5 Transforming Public Sector Architecture: Strengthen Civil Service Recruitment Policies • Kono District: The Kono district is located in the Eastern Region, and shares boundaries with Falaba and Koinadugu Districts to the Northwest, Tonkolili District to the West, Kenema and Kailahun Districts to the South, and the Republic of Guinea to the East, making it attractive for international trade. The box below depicts the profile of the district, its comparative advantage and development priorities for the 2024-2030 plan implementation period. Population: 620,703 (Male:311,832, Female:308,871) Land Areas: 5,413 km² Poverty rate: 52.4 (SLHIS) Comparative Advantage 2024-2030: Agriculture (Rice, Maize and Soybean, Cocoa, Coffee, Cashew, Tomatoes, Small Ruminants, Pulses, Sweet Potatoes, Cassava) Mining (Diamond, Gold, and Bauxite) The Top District-level Priorities across the Big 5s Big 5.1 Feed Salone: Establishment of Rice Farms Big 5.2: Human Capital Development: Establishment of pre-primary schools in all chiefdoms, Technical and Vocational Centers, and Universities Big 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme: Establishment and equip re-creational centres for youths in selected chiefdoms Big 5.4: Infrastructure & Technology: Construction of roads Big 5.5 Transforming Public Sector Architecture: Professional training for Government MDAs 133 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation District priorities in the Northern Region • Bombali District: The Bombali district is the headquarter of the Northern Region. It shares boundaries with Koinadugu Districts to the Northeast, Tonkolili District to the Southeast, Port Loko District to the South, and Karene District to the Northwest. The box below depicts the profile of the district, its comparative advantage and development priorities for the 2024-2030 plan implementation period. Population: 387,236 (Male:186,824, Female: 200,412) Land Areas: 3,885 km² Poverty rate: 64.1(SLIHS) Comparative Advantage 2024-2030: Agriculture (Rice, Onions, Pepper, Tomatoes, Pulses, Sweet Potato, Cassava) The Top District-level Priorities across the Big 5s Big 5.1 Feed Salone: Increase crop production and livestock development Big 5.2: Human Capital Development: Improve Health Care Facility Big 5.3 Youth Employment Scheme: Agric Business Development Big 5.4 Infrastructure & Technology: Feeder roads rehabilitation Big 5.5 Transforming Public Sector Architecture: Improve working conditions for teachers • Koinadugu District: The Koinadugu district is located in the Northern Region, and shares boundaries with Falaba Distroct to the East, Kono and Tonkolili District to the South, Karene and Bombali District to the West and the Republic of Guinea to the North, serving as an important route for international trade. The box below depicts the profile of the district, its comparative advantage and development priorities for the 2024-2030 plan implementation period. Population: 206,133 (Male:102,364, Female: 103,769) Land Areas: 4,964 km² Poverty rate: 76.6(SLHIS) Comparative Advantage 2024-2030 Agriculture (Onions, Cashew, Tomatoes, Small Ruminants, Palses, Sweet Potatoes) Mining (Gold) Tourism: Lake Sonfon National Park, Bintumani Hills The top district-level priorities across the Big 5s Big 5.1 Feed Salone: Support Smallholders farmers Big 5.2: Human Capital Development: Rehabilitation of schools Big 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme: Strengthen Technical and Vocational Training Centres Big 5.4: Infrastructure & Technology: Construction of Roads and Bridges Big 5.5 Transforming Public Sector Architecture: Complete Devolution to Councils and MDAs 134 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation • Falaba District: The Falaba district is located in the Northern Region, and shares boundaries with Kono District to the South, Koinadugu District to the Northwest, and the Republic of Guinea to the Northeast, serving as an important route for international trade. The box below depicts the profile of the district, its comparative advantage and development priorities for the 2024-2030 plan implementation period. Population: 166,205 (Male: 83,622, Female: 82,583) Land Areas: 7,423 km² Poverty rate: 81.3 (SLHIS) Comparative Advantage 2024-2030: Agriculture (Rice, Onions, Cashew, Pepper, Small Ruminants, Pulses, Sweet Potatoes) The Top District-level Priorities across the Big 5s Big 5.1 Feed Salone: Support rice production and productivity Big 5.2: Human Capital Development: Construction of District referral hospital Big 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme: Youth Technical and Vocational Training Centres Big 5.4: Infrastructure & Technology: Construction of Roads and Bridges Big 5.5 Transforming Public Sector Architecture: Complete Devolution • Tonkolili District: The Tonkolili district is located in the Northern region of the country, and shares boundaries with the Koinadugu District to the Northeast, Bo and Moyamba district to the South, Port Loko and Bombali distroct to the Northwest, and Kono and Kenema district to the east. The box below depicts the profile of the district, its comparative advantage and development priorities for the 2024-2030 plan implementation period. Population: 557,257(Male; 282,127, Female: 27,5130) Land Area: 6,299 km² Poverty rate: 84.8 (SLHIS) Comparative Advantage 2024-2030: Agriculture: Rice, Poultry, Maize & Soybean, Onions, Cashew, Sugar cane Mining (Gold, Bauxite, and Iron Ore) Energy/Tourism: Bumbuna Hydro Dam The top district-level priorities across the Big 5s: Big 5.1 Feed Salone: Mechanize farming Big 5.2: Human Capital Development: Strengthen community health care system. Big 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme: Establishment of youth sectional farms across the district. Big 5.4: Infrastructure & Technology: Construction of roads Big 5.5 Transforming Public Sector Architecture: Harmonization and increment of salaries for devolve sectors. 135 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation District priorities in the North Western Region • Karene District: It is located in the North western Region of the country, sharing boundaries with Port Loko district to the South, Kambia district to the West, Bombali and Koinadugu districts to the East, and the Republic of Guinea to the North, serving as an important route for international trade. The box below depicts the profile of the district, its comparative advantage and development priorities for the 2024-2030 plan implementation period. Population: 290,313 (Male: 147,124 Female: 143,189) Land Area: 5,830km2. Poverty rate: 77.3 (SLIHS) Comparative Advantage 2024-2030: Mining: Diamond, Gold Agriculture: Rice, Onions, Small Ruminants, orange, sweet potato Tourism: Otamba kilimi (Natural parks and Animal Sanctuaries) The Top District-level Priorities across the Big 5s Big 5.1: Feed Salone: Mechanization of agriculture Big 5.2: Human Capital Development: Establishment of technical vocational centres Big 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme: Training of youths on entrepreneurship Big 5.4: Infrastructure & Technology: Construction of Roads Big 5.5: Transforming Public Sector Architecture: Construction /Rehabilitation of government offices, facilities and quarters. • Kambia District: The Kambia district is located in the north western region of the country, and shares boundaries with the Karene district in Northeast, the Port Loko district in the South, and the Atlantic Ocean in the West. The district is commonly referred to as the main rice bowl of the country, endowed with natural resources such as fertile swamps for rice cultivation, as well as long riverine areas along the Atlantic Ocean, presenting huge blue economy potential. The box below depicts the profile of the district, its comparative advantage and development priorities for the 2024-2030 plan implementation period. Population: 367,699 (Male: 188,560 Female:179,139) Land Areas: 3,025 km² Poverty rate: 45.8 (SLIHS) Comparative Advantage 2024-2030: Agriculture (Rice, Onions, Cashew, Pepper, Tamotoes, Sweet Potatoes) Fishing: Blue Economy The Top District-level Priorities across the Big 5s Big 5.1 Feed Salone: Mechanization and Irrigation Big 5.2: Human Capital Development: Recruitment of Trained and qualified teachers Big 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme: Provide Trainings for Youth in Agriculture Big5.4: Infrastructure & Technology: Improvement of roads infrastructure Big 5.5 Transforming Public Sector Architecture: Fighting corruption 136 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation • Port Loko District: The Port Loko district is located in the nort western region and shares boundaries with the Kambia and Karene districts to the North, and the Bombali district to the Northeast, Tonkolili district to the East and the Western Area and Moyamba districts to the South, and the Atlantic Ocean to the West. The below depicts the profile of the district, its comparative advantage and development priorities for the 2024-2030 plan implementation period. Population: 528,038 (Male: 253,790, Female:274,248) Areas: 4,666 km² Poverty rate: 64.3 (SLHIS) Comparative Advantage 2024-2030: Agriculture: Rice, Maize & Soybeans, Onions, Cashew, Pepper, Pulses, Tomatoes, Small Ruminants Mining: Iron ore Fishing: Blue Economy Potential The Top District-level Priorities across the Big 5s Big 5.1 Feed Salone: supply Improved seed varieties Big 5.2: Human Capital Development: Increase Drugs supply Big 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme: Build capacity of young people Big 5.4: Infrastructure & Technology: Construction of roads Big 5.5: Transforming Public Sector Architecture: Periodic Capacity Building for local council and devolved sectors District priorities in the Southern Region • Bo District: The Bo district is the headquarter of the southern region. It shares boundaries with Koinadugu districts to the Northeast, Tonkolili district to the Southeast, Port Loko district to the South, and Karene district to the Northwest. The box below depicts the profile of the district, its comparative advantage and development priorities for the 2024-2030 plan implementation period. Population: 756,975 (Male:366,346, Female:390,629) Land Areas: 5,473 km² Life expectancy: 47.90% years, MMR: IMR: 30 (MICS) Poverty rate: 60.2 (SLIHS) Comparative Advantage 2024-2030: Agriculture: Rice, Cashew, Pepper, Pulses, Sweet Potatoes, Cassava The Top District-level Priorities across the Big 5s Big 5.1 Feed Salone: Establish Agricultural Development Bank Big 5.2: Human Capital Development: Strengthen health care service delivery system Big 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme: Promote mechanized youth farming Big 5.4: Infrastructure & Technology: Construction and rehabilitation of main/feeder roads Big 5.5 Transforming Public Sector Architecture: Equip public offices with adequate technical and professional staff 137 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation • Bonthe District: The Bonthe district is located in the Southern region of the country, sharing boundaries with the Bo district to the North, the Pujehun district to the East, the Moyamba district to the West, and the Atlantic Ocean to the South. The box below depicts the profile of the district, its comparative advantage and development priorities for the 2024-2030 plan implementation period. Population: 29,756 (Male:149,555, Female:14,8006) Land Areas: 3,589 km² Poverty rate: 51.9 (SLHIS) Comparative Advantage 2024-2030: Mining: Rutile Agriculture: Rice, Pepper, Tomatoes, Cassava Fishing: Blue Economy The top district-level priorities across the Big 5s Big 5.1 Feed Salone: Strengthen mechanization and Irrigation Methods in farming Big 5.2: Human Capital Development: Establish Standard/Referral Government hospital in the mainland. Big 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme: Strengthen Technical, and Vocational, and disable friendly training centres. Big 5.4: Infrastructure & Technology: Construction of main roads and improve the district road network Big 5.5 Transforming Public Sector Architecture: Provide remote allowance for public sector workers. • Moyamba District: The Moyamba district is located in the Southern region of the country, sharing boundaries with the Western Area, Tonkolili and Port Loko districts to the Northwest, Bo district to the Southeast, Bonthe distrct to the South, and the Atlantic Ocean to the West. The box below depicts the profile of the district, its comparative advantage and development priorities for the 2024-2030 plan implementation period. Population: 346,771 (Male: 167,836 Female:178,935) Land Areas: 6,972 km² Poverty rate: 73.5 (SLIHS) Comparative Advantage 2024-2030: Mining: Rutile Agriculture: Rice, Maise & Soybeans, Cashew, Small Ruminants, Pulses, Sweet Potatoes, Cassava Fishing: Blue Economy Potential The Top District-level priorities across the Big 5s Big 5.1 Feed Salone: Mechanized farming and crop production Big 5.2: Human Capital Development: Trained and Qualified Teachers Big 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme: Provide skills training opportunities Big 5.4: Infrastructure & Technology: Improve Road infrastructure Big 5.5 Transforming Public Sector Architecture: Introduced MDA Asset Register and Logistic Management 138 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation • Pujehun District: The Pujehun district is located in the Southern region of the country, sharing boundaries with the Kenema district to the Northeast, the Bo district to the North, the Bonthe district to the West, the Republic of Liberia to the Southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the Southwest. The box below depicts the profile of the district, its comparative advantage and development priorities for the 2024-2030 plan implementation period. Population: 429,574 (Male: 215,332 Female: 214,242) Land Areas: 4,192 km² Poverty rate: 84.6(SLIHS) Comparative Advantage 2024-2030: Agriculture: Rice, Pulses, Cassava Mining: Diamonds, Oil, and Gas Fishing: Blue Economy Tourism: Gola Forest and Tiwai Island The Top District-level Priorities across the Big 5s Big 5.1 Feed Salone: Introduce Mechanization of Agriculture Big 5.2: Human Capital Development: Provision of Essential Drugs & Medical Supplies Big 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme: Establish vocational institutions in chiefdom headquarters. Big 5.4: Infrastructure & Technology: Improve Public Infrastructure Big 5.5 Transforming Public Sector Architecture: Provide Logistical support for service delivery District priorities in the Western Region • Western Area District: The Western Area district is located in the Western region of the country, sharing boundaries with the Port Loko district to the North, the Moyamba district to the East, and the Atlantic Ocean to the West. The district has huge potential for blue economy resource maximisation. The box below depicts the profile of the district, its comparative advantage and development priorities for the 2024-2030 plan implementation period. Population: 662,156 (male: 322,058, Female: 340,098) Land Areas: 613 km² Poverty rate: 37.7(SLIHS) Comparative Advantage 2024-2030: Tourism: Animal Sanctuary, Beaches The Top District-level Priorities across the Big 5s Big 5.1 Feed Salone: Rice Self-Sufficient Big 5.2: Human Capital Development: Health Infrastructure Big 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme: Strengthen Technical Vocational Education Big 5.4: Infrastructure & Technology: Improve Energy Infrastructure Big 5.5 Transforming Public Sector Architecture: Complete the devolution process 139 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Part 3: Enablers of the Big 5 Game Changers 140 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Overview of the Enablers of Big 5 Game Changers As shown in the Theory of Change in Figure 2, five critical enablers have been identified to catalyse the specific interventions prioritised to achieve the ultimate objectives and goals of the Government’s Big Five Game Changers. In this national development plan, while all sectors are deemed to be enablers of each other, those discussed in this Part (Three) have been considered highly strategic to the transformative acceleration agenda of the Government towards achieving planned national goals and targets by 2030. These are: Enabler 1 Scaling Up Efforts to Diversify the Economy and Promote Growth; Enabler 2 Governance and Accountability; Enabler 3 Advancing Climate Resilience and Environmental Action; Enabler 4: Gender Mainstreaming; Enabler 5 Financing, Partnerships for Implementation and Risk Management. All the result areas discussed under these broad enablers were policy clusters in the previous plan, with clearly defined strategic objectives, targets and key policy actions monitored and reported on. Essentially, these enablers and their specific focus areas constitute a continued implementation of a broad set of objectives and programmes from the previous plan that remain critical to the achievement of the overall national goals of the new plan and the SDGs. They remain fundamental to the transformative acceleration agenda of the state for food security, human capital development, job creation and hence improved macroeconomic position, drastic poverty reduction and social stability. The following sections present the strategic direction of these enablers and their sub-sectors in supporting the Big 5s for the next seven years, reflecting on gains made from them during the implementation of the previous plan and accompanying challenges. Details on progress made in the implementation of projects in these areas during 2019-2023 can be obtained from the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development in Freetown. Enabler 1: Diversifying the economy and promoting growth 1.1. Transforming the tourism sector In the previous plan, the government placed a higher premium on tourism as one of the key growth sectors, capable of contributing to job creation, revenue generation, and poverty alleviation. The tourism sector realised an increase in tourist arrivals in the first year of implementation of the previous plan, from 95,308 in 2018, to 107,630 in 2019, before the outbreak of COVID-19. In 2020, arrivals reduced to 41,240 due to the pandemic. The sector drew up a strategic recovery plan that later saw a surge in arrivals to 71,153 in 2021, and 99,850 in 2022, from lower levels in 2020 (Figure 3.1 presents trends). The Government generally placed a higher premium on the sector as one of the key areas for economic diversification and growth, with huge potential to contribute to job creation, revenue generation, and poverty alleviation. The sector has witnessed a consistent growth rate since 2020 and is among the very few countries on the continent to quickly recover and surpass the pre- pandemic growth rate. Also, to further guide the sector, a 10-year Strategic Tourism Plan (STP) which includes a five-year implementation action plan with priority activities, time frames, and realistic budgets, has been developed. 141 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 120000 107,630 100000 99,850 95,308 80000 71,153 60000 40000 41,240 20000 0 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Figure 3.1 Revenue trends in the tourism sector Source: Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs The main challenges of the sector going forward include ineffective regulatory policy frameworks, inadequate and outdated overall tourism planning and registration, and average institutional capacity in product identification and marketing, as well as inadequate travel services. Lack of vehicles, motorbikes, working tools and materials to engage in research, outreaches, and monitoring. Another critical issue is the poor shape of tangible cultural heritage sites and monuments, and inadequate basic tourism infrastructure such as credit card facilities, shopping facilities, leisure facilities, electricity, water, last-mile roads, signage, toilets, solid waste, and parking facilities among others. Tourist attractions require enormous improvement coupled with the poor maintenance of tourist sites. In addition to the unfavourable image of the country at the international tourism market, which must be overcome, the shortage of skilled labour in the sector is another hindrance to its development. Marinas, amusement parks, and national art galleries are lacking in the sector, and there is a loss of prime tourism lands and assets. Finally, air pollution, deforestation, desertification, sand mining, encroachment on environmentally sensitive areas, poor sewage and waste disposal systems, and a dwindling wildlife population threaten the natural beauty and biodiversity of the country, thereby potentially damaging tourism opportunities. Despite the wide range of challenges, opportunities exist going forward with the ongoing implementation of the new Marketing Strategy and completion and implementation of the Sustainable Tourism Strategic Plan. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to develop the sector to the level where in Sierra Leone as a destination will be competitive in the sub-regional and regional tourism market, thereby contributing significantly to the economic development of the country and by extension enhancing national pride and prestige. 142 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Key targets Table 3.1.1: Key Targets for Enabler 1.1 Transforming the Tourism Sector Annual Targets Key Targets Baseline 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Comprehensive tourism and culture bill enacted Zero - 1 - - - - - At least five key new tourism destinations in Zero - 1 2 1 1 - - the Western Area fully developed Domestication and popularization of all six ratified UNESCO Zero - 1 2 1 1 1 - Conventions related to culture and heritage completed At least 5 areas declared as tourism Zero 1 1 1 1 1 - - development areas nationwide ➢ Key policy actions

1. Improve and consolidate policy and legal environment for tourism and culture to thrive and contribute meaningfully to national development

2. Map out and undertake the restoration of heritage sites for the protection, preservation, and management of cultural heritage assets in Sierra Leone

3. Promote competition in the sector to reduce costs and improve value for money, through the improvement of standards and quality service delivery.

4. Promote eco-tourism to ensure the protection of the country’s rich biodiversity and the enhancement of green investment

5. Develop new and improve on existing tourism infrastructure especially around historical sites, and tourist destination in the country

6. Support local entrepreneurs and create linkages with international partners to promote tourism-based activities that link with the rural economy, harvest seasons, wildlife tourism, farming practices, creative art and culture

7. Establish public-private community partnerships and promote private-sector involvement

8. Promote domestic tourism and cultural awareness through robust decentralization, adventure tours such as safaris, jungle tours, mountain trekking, education and research tourism, etc.

9. Support inter-MDA collaboration and coordination to support the growth of sustainable tourism and culture

10. Support the domestication and popularisation of all ratified UNESCO Conventions related to culture and heritage

11. Support the development of the Western Area as a major hub for tourism activities, and the construction of Tourist information Offices at strategic border crossing points

12. Facilitate the home coming of people of African ancestry with Sierra Leonean roots

13. Create partnership and dialogue platforms with stakeholders, research institutions and universities to promote heritage tourism, research and development

14. Support skills and entrepreneurship initiatives to advance and empower women in the tourism, hospitality and creative industries 143 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 1.2. Strengthening private sector for trade and sustainable development Major gains in the trade and private sector were recorded during the implementation of the MTNDP (2019-2023). During this period, the share of manufacturing in GDP increased from 2 percent in 2019 to 8 percent in 2020 and 10 percent in 2023; the World Bank Doing Business ranking for starting a business improved from 81 to 51 out of 190 countries. The national industrial and cooperative policies were revised, the special economic zone policy drafted, and the agribusiness policy and national trade policy and strategy were developed and approved by the cabinet. These frameworks were geared towards providing information to SMEs on available opportunities in the Agri-business sector; reviving the cooperative movement as a key determinant of economic prosperity; and repositioning Sierra Leone to harness emerging opportunities in the Global Market, especially within the trade framework arrangements of the AfCFTA, ECOWAS and Mano River Union. The National Micro Finance MUNAFA fund was rolled out, targeting 5,328 beneficiaries for loans; 10 financial service providers were recruited, and 1,000 SMEs-owned by women trained in business development services. The first cohort of 25 agribusiness SMEs in the country were trained with the second cohort of 40 SMEs already recruited and provided access to Capital for 100 Agro Processing SMEs through the Sierra Leone Ago Processing Competitive Project. The sector established community stores in eight districts that created market competition and sustained supply of essential commodities; and linked 98 SMEs to big businesses, with 18 supermarkets now selling made-in- Sierra Leone goods nationwide, established 20 block farms in 17 chiefdoms, all geared towards enhancing rural earnings for sustainable livelihood in the underlying communities; increasing job opportunities for women and youths and market access to farmers. Additionally, the European market ranked Sierra Leone third in the world for the sale of organic cocoa; while Coffee Stenophylla, which is indigenous to Sierra Leone, had global recognition as the most superior flavoured coffee and the country now has a bilateral trade agreement with The Gambia that has removed residential permits for citizens of the two countries and facilitates commerce between them; improving registration processes, which has led to the incorporation of 1,558 new companies. Other milestones include the approval of 10 companies for the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme that were already exporting under the scheme, through a scaled-up incentive regime for the private sector; potential investment was attracted in the trade and business industry, leading to the signing of over 10 agreements in various sectors of the economy, including food and beverages, Agro-forestry, construction, and two of the agreements made Sierra Leone a net exporter of Vegetable Oil and increase job opportunities/ employment. Going forward in the implementation of the MTNDP (2024-2030), the challenges to overcome include limited financing to ensuring optimal investment in the sector to take advantage of the huge potential it has in supporting the enhancement of economic growth, employment, and income generation. There are generally macroeconomic development challenges to trade, such as exchange rate fluctuations and inflation. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to strengthen the role of trade in the diversification, infrastructural development and economic competitiveness of the country. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2026, Sierra Leone’s trade repositioned for the Africa Continental Trade Free Trade Area Agreement.

2. By 2030, SEZs and Agro-Parks established through a green Industrialisation program that is inclusive and sustainable

3. By 2030, productivity and export diversification and value in businesses drastically increased during implementation

4. By 2028, the contribution of manufacturing to GDP increased from 10 to 25 percent 144 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Key policy actions

1. Fulfil the legal obligations required of Sierra Leone by its ratification of the AfCFTA Agreement, and put in place the means to take advantage of its rights under the Agreement to the benefit of all, including SMEs, women, and youth

2. Promote industrial development, spur rapid economic growth, and transform economies from low- productivity activities (such as agriculture and simple manufacturing) to high-productivity activities (such as modern industries)

3. Establish effective and transparent mechanisms for consultation between the private sector and government in the area of trade, with consideration to the inclusion of women entrepreneurs

4. Improve trade-related infrastructure including Port, Air, Road, and Digital Infrastructure

5. Improve the business climate, increase access to finance, facilitate Financial Inclusion, and promote local businesses

6. Establish viable PPD Platforms for Trade and Agriculture Dialogue

7. Strengthen trade facilitation and logistics development—development of cross-border economic zones, and the promotion of links with regional production networks

8. Reform relevant policies to increase trade and investment opportunities, enhance private sector development, and realize the full potential of global and regional trade agreements

9. Modernize obsolete agriculture legislation and regulations to enhance trade

10. Facilitate access to agricultural inputs, such as seeds, machinery and other support services

11. Develop a roadmap for improving export performance 145 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 1.3. Value addition and efficient management of natural resources Mining The mining sector in Sierra Leone is highly diversified with large scale production of diamond, iron ore, bauxite and rutile. The mining sector plays a critical role in the Sierra Leone’s economy as it accounts for almost 70 percent of the country’s exports, contributes almost 6 percent to the GDP (see Table XX), and account for 3 percent of the workforce. In addition to the large-scale minerals produced, Sierra Leone also engages in small scale and artisanal mining of gold and certain types of diamond. Among the achievements made in the sector during 2019-2023 include the following: contribution of mining revenue to total national revenue increased from NLe222 billion in 2018 to NLe414 billion in 2022 (see Table 3.1.2); introduction of the Sierra Leone Mineral Policy, Geo-data Management Policy, and Artisanal Mining Policy; review of the 2009 Mines and Minerals Act and enactment into law of the Mines and Mineral Development Act 2022 which seeks to improve provisions for the socio-economic benefit of the country; ensuring that at least 20 percent royalty for a district mining development fund be allocated to the affected districts through the District Councils, while making payment of 3 percent export levy on the value of artisanal diamonds to the Diamond Area Community Development Fund (DACDF) to promote rural development and improve the primary livelihood of diamond-mined communities; creation of the Mining Cadastre Administration System and the Web-based GoSL Online Mining Data Repository, which have improved financial transparency and accountability, consistent with the Extractives Industries Transparency Initiative standards; increasing the number of large-scale mining companies by 83 percent, from 6 in 2018 to 11 in 2023, and small scale mining companies by 86 percent, from 7 in 2018 to 13 in 2023; the total number of mining sector jobs increasing by 73 percent, from 8,552 in 2018 to 14,768 in 2023; while supported over 200 Engineering and Geology graduates with advanced training. Table 3.1.2: Mining Sector’s Contribution to the Sierra Leone Economy, 2018-2022 No. Areas of contribution 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 1 Contribution of mining revenue to total NRA revenue 222 233 257 522 414 2 Mining revenue as percent of total revenue collected by NRA 5.0% 4.3% 4.7% 7.6% 5.9% 3 Mining sector as percentage of GDP* 1.5% 1.6% 1.1% 1.7% - Source: National Revenue Authority It should be acknowledged that the sector was also confronted by critical challenges during 2019-2024. It was badly hit by external shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, not long after the Ebola Virus Disease fallouts, leading to the closure of major mining companies, and causing a huge decline in the economy. Furthermore, activities in the sector have been disrupted by drops in the price of these commodities and interruptions in the global supply chain which has impacted export volumes and value. Additionally, the prevalence of widespread illicit mining operations remains a major challenge that undermines domestic revenue collection efforts. The current government is striving to reform the structure of the mining sector to bolter productivity for the benefit of all citizens. Reforms put in place by the New Direction government have positioned the sector to rebound faster, and we are already seeing the impact in the growth in the sector. There have also been overlapping functions with other MDAs on the administrative oversight of the mines and minerals sector. Funding required to undertake the review and enactment of the proposed legislations and regulations was limited, while provisions contained in existing frameworks, such as the Extractive Industries Revenue Act 2018, have been inconsistent with the fiscal provisions in the reviewed Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development (MMDB) and most of the Mining Lease Agreements. Also, there were concerns from various stakeholders, including the mining communities, line MDAs, CSOs and Donor Partners, on specific provisions relating to Artisanal and Small-scale mining in the proposed MMDB. Finally, there were envisaged challenges relating to managing the transition from the current polygon system with existing licenses to the proposed block system. 146 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to improve the governance and management of the mining sector, including value addition for employment, poverty reduction, community benefit, environmental rehabilitation, and revenue generation. ➢ Key targets Table 3.1.3: Key Targets for Enabler 1.3 Value addition and efficient management of natural resources Annual Targets Key Targets Baseline 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Increase domestic 6% 6.57% 7.14% 7.71% 8.28% 8.85% 9.42% 10% mining revenue (2022) Increased share of 1.7% mining sector’s 2.2% 2.7% 3.2% 3.7% 4.2% 4.7% 5.2% (2021) contribution to GDP Environmental rehabilitation in five Zero 1 1 1 1 1 - - mined sites ➢ Key policy actions

1. Increase revenue generation in both the short and long term

2. Protect the economic and social rights communities affected by mining

3. Provide support for artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) in Sierra Leone

4. Carry out a comprehensive review of key legislative instruments as part of institutional reform of the mines and minerals sector

5. Introduce enterprise geoscientific management information system (eGIMS) as a viable geoscientific data repository and information management system for Sierra Leone's minerals sector

6. Reduce illegal and illicit mining in Sierra Leone by using advanced technology-based solutions

7. Introduce green mining operations for the sector

8. Increase women's participation in the mining sector --------------------------------------------------------------- 51 Further details can be obtained from the Sector Paper on Oil and Gas submitted to MoPED for the preparation of the new MTNDP. 147 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Oil and Gas Sierra Leone holds a huge potential in the exploration of oil and gas in the near future. The exemplary success story of oil and gas exploration in Guyana which was at par with Sierra Leone in terms of potential has spurred the Government of Sierra Leone to invest in this sector to take full advantage of emerging opportunities in this area. The revised fiscal regime and investment in acquiring critical data has allowed the country to be in a better position to start gaining revenue from the sector again. Among the milestones recorded during 2019-2023 include the attraction of the Nigerian Independent Exploration and Production (E&P) Company and Innoson Oil and Gas SL Ltd. into Sierra Leone in 2021, making them as the first E&P company to enter Sierra Leone’s exploration space since 2014. In 2022 Innoson Oil and Gas SL Ltd.’s (IOG) announced a significant commercial prospect in their license area, with a plan to drill this prospect in the third quarter of 2023, hoped to mark the first well drilled in Sierra Leone since 2013. The Fifth Offshore Licensing Round instituted was opened during May 2022-September 2023, while a multilateral agreement to build a 5,660-kilometre gas pipeline from Nigeria to Morocco and then to Europe, passing through Sierra Leone was signed in the last five years, worth $25 billion to be installed over five years.51 The realisation of the full potential of this industry was mainly challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, which adversely impacted on the exploration budgets. The Integrated Operating Centres (IOCs) reviewed their portfolios and shifted focus to their reserves and produced assets at the expense of frontiers such as Sierra Leone. Most of the key performance indicators (KPIs) have precedented relationship with downstream activities that depend on the attraction and retention of companies that were affected by global challenges. Additionally, efforts towards the establishment of the Petroleum Regulatory Commission were derailed because of “a precedented relationship with the commercial discovery of petroleum”—that is, the discovery must be at a commercial level before the establishment can be pursued, which was not accomplished during 2019-2023. Also, the global call for green energy prompted international operators to diversify their operations incorporating renewable energy into their energy mix. This call reduced the total quantum of exploration budgets. Funding constraint has generally limited the ability of Government of Sierra Leone to undertake some of its planned projects and activities, such as creation of Petro physical and geochemical laboratories, as well as training to improve the job-related competences of its personnel and other critical stakeholders. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to revitalise the oil and gas industry through sustainable exploration and expansion of its scope, while building the capacity of the sector for operational excellence. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, transparency and accountability practices mainstreamed into the sector according to the 2016 Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative standards

2. By 2030, a petroleum commission established

3. By 2030, legal frameworks and laws formulated and promulgated for the sustainable development of the oil and gas industry xx ➢ Key policy actions

1. Attract more exploration and production companies into Sierra Leone to drill more exploration wells and unearth country’s world-class oil and gas potential, enabling the country to become an oil and gas producing nation

2. Petroleum regulatory frameworks rationalised and made attractive to investors, and onshore exploration brought to the fore, with companies already interested in exploring hydrogen as well as hydrocarbon onshore Sierra Leone

3. Investment in geological and geophysical data increased; pre-qualification criteria strengthened, while transparency in the sector improved to attract the best oil and gas companies.

4. Negotiation processes and tax structures adequately simplified to maximise benefit from the sector. 148 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 1.4. Financial inclusion for strengthened rural and informal economies Since 2009, the Bank of Sierra Leone (BSL) has mainstreamed financial inclusion into its operations as evidenced in its membership to the global Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI).52 Promoting financial inclusion efforts was at a low pace until 2016, when the Mobile Money Financial Services guidelines were rolled out by BSL to permit mobile money operators to transact mobile money businesses. Some of the factors that culminated to its slow progress were attributed to the exclusion of women, youth and rural communities due to the lack of access to finance and mobile coverage. This mobile money financial guideline propelled mobile money operators, commercial banks and non-bank financial institutions to embark on digital transactions to cover large swaths of rural communities whose business operations are dominated by informal operation, women and youth. Due to the importance of financial inclusion to economic growth, welfare and poverty eradication, it was emphasised in seven SDGs, reflected in the figure below. As per the latest Global Findex Report 2022, Sierra Leone’s financial inclusion rate is estimated at 29 percent—a measure of 15+ years old that have an account at a formal financial institution. These numbers are lower for women (24 percent), youth (25 percent) and rural communities (22 percent). 2011 2014 2017 2022 35% FINANCIAL INCLUSION RATE 29% 30% 25% 20% 20% 17% 15% 15% 10% 5% 0% YEARS Figure 3.2 Sierra Leone Financial Inclusion Rate Source: World Bank Findex Reports, 2011-2022 To accelerate the progress in financial inclusion, GoSL developed its first National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI) 2017-2020, which was revised later in 2022, leading to the production and launch of the 2 nd NSFI 2022-2026 in April of that year. One of the objectives of the latest NSFI is: To promote the development of, and expand access to, client-centric financial products and services geared specifically towards key underserved population groups such as women, youth, rural communities, and MSMEs.53 --------------------------------------------------------------- 52 “The Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) is a global network of central banks and policymakers with more than 110 members in over 90 developing and emerging nations. AFI provides its members with the tools and resources to share, develop, and implement their knowledge of financial inclusion policies that work”: https://www.youtube.com/user/AFIglobal#:~:text=The%20Alliance%20for%20Financial%20Inclusion,financial%20inclusion%20policies%20that%20work. 53 See the Sierra Leone’s National Strategy for Financial Inclusion 2022-2026, page I, launched in January 2022; Bank of Sierra Leone, Freetown. 149 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation The GoSL also developed and launched the Tiered Know-Your-Customer Guidelines; and guidelines on the use of Agents; established a Regulatory Sandbox to foster growth; developed Guidelines on Use of Agents; conducted a Geospatial Survey on Mapping Financial Access Points; developed the e-money and money remittances guidelines; revised the Borrowers and Lenders Act 2019, the Banking Act 2019, the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating of Financing Terrorism 2019; and amended the OFIS Act 2001. These reforms have led to the penetration of financial inclusion activities nationwide. 54 Despite these successes during 2019-2022, the limited funding to this sector served as a key challenge to improve awareness and sensitization, and training on financial inclusion, which was compounded by the poor internet connectivity to hold virtual meetings in the absence of funding. Furthermore, the lack of interest from some stakeholders hinders the rolling up of financial inclusion. The successful implementation of the second National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (2022 – 2026) serves as an opportunity to further augment financial inclusion in order to overcome some of the challenges through the development of a Deposit Protection Unit, financial inclusion data templates and a Manual on Market Conduct Supervision to promote and protect fair competition, and consumers. Towards awareness raising, sensitization and Training, the Sierra Leone Financial Inclusion Newsletter Initiative was to be launched, followed by the development of Financial Literacy Core Messages, and the partnership with NGOs to deliver financial literacy trainings/workshops with NGO staff and some of their beneficiaries. With regards to financial technology, the strategy aimed to update the Geospatial Mapping of Financial Access Point Project, Implementation of DigiGov (digitalization of government payment) project initiative as well as the deployment of National Payment Switch Phase 1(under the first Sierra Leone Financial Inclusion Project 1) to provide data on financial access point in order to improve and strengthen financial payment system. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to increase financial inclusion (defined as the rate of 15+ years old that have an account at a formal financial institution) from 29 percent in 2022 to 50 percent in 2030, with a special focus on expanding access of financial products and services to underserved population groups such as women, youth, rural communities, and MSMEs. ➢ Key targets Table 3.1.4: Key Targets for Enabler 1.4 Financial inclusion for strengthened rural and informal economies Key Targets Baseline Annual Targets 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Access to client-centric 29% in 2022 30.7% 32.4% 34.0% 35.7% 37.3% 39.0% 40.0% financial products and (WB Findex services increased by Report) 40 percent Development and 29% in 2022 31.6% 34.2% 36.8% 39.4% 42.0% 44.6% 47.2% usage of digital (WB Findex financial services Report) increased by 60 percent Number of active 2.2 million in 2.7 3,2 3.7 4.2 4.7 5.2 5.7 digital financial service 2021 (NSFI- million million million million million million million users increased 2022-2026) Digital economy score 46% in 2020 48% 50% 52% 54% 56% 58% 60% increased (NSFI-2022- 2026) --------------------------------------------------------------- 54 Further details can be obtained from the Sector Paper on Financial Inclusion submitted to MoPED for the preparation of the new MTNDP. 150 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Key policy actions

1. Ensure effective implementation of all relevant financial included related projects

2. Roll-out the financial inclusion data templates and dashboard to improve data collection and reporting on the status of financial inclusion in Sierra Leone

3. Ensure effective functioning of the national Fintech Associations to boost its operations

4. Develop regulations for stand-alone fintech entering the Bank of Sierra Leone Sandbox

5. Implement the DigiGov initiative funded by AfDB to improve digitalization of government payments

6. Ensure the full implementation of the National Payment Switch Project/Phases 2 and 3 which includes instant payments and connectivity to the international gateway

7. Improve information management on the state of Digital Financial Services in Sierra Leone.

8. Improve coordination on the advancement of digital financial services

9. Develop and improve guidelines for promoting financial inclusion in the country

10. Improve public education on financial inclusion and promote fair competition, financial stability and consumer protection. 151 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Enabler 2: Governance and Accountability 2.1. Political modernization for consolidating peace and national cohesion Political parties in Sierra Leone are mandated by the constitution (Section 35(1)) of the republic to shape the political will of the people, by publicizing information on political ideas, and national socio-economic programmes. Consequent upon the ineffective implementation of the aforementioned mandate and subsequent civil war in the 1990s, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was empowered by law to make recommendations to address impunity, respond to the needs of victims, and promote healing and reconciliation. Another important objective was to prevent a repeat of the conflict and all the abuses suffered by Sierra Leoneans. Other objectives of the commission were to address impunity, respond to the needs of victims, and promote healing and reconciliation. Since the end of the civil war, Sierra Leone has held five presidential and parliamentary elections, two of which resulted in the peaceful transfer of power from one political party to another supposedly consolidating democracy. During the implementation of the previous plan, the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC) was established to enhance dialogue among political parties and strengthen national cohesion. The ICPNC focused on peace promotion, mediation, reconciliation, early warning, early response, enhancing national cohesion and advisory to the Government. Similarly, the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) effectively regulated the conduct and activities of political parties through the passage of the Political Parties Act No. 25 of 2022 (PPA, 2022), which saw political accountability and transparency in political parties increased to 40 percent in 2023. Equally, the Ministry of Public Administration and Political Affairs played a pivotal role in the country's political landscape. Despite the democratic gains recorded so far, there is an increasingly worrying polarisation and politicisation of all facets of the Sierra Leonean society, among the critical remaining challenges. The seemingly unending intolerance, intimidation, and drive to polarize the electorate, has rendered the political environment unpleasant. Elections are gradually becoming a source of tension, mistrust, and lack of confidence in state institutions, particularly the Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs), the Judiciary, and the security sector. The belief that politics is a must-win game despite the implications of citizens’ and institutions' actions on the moral and social fabric of society is a disturbing and lamentable trend that has come to the fore in recent years. Additionally, the Commission faces significant budgetary, human resources, and infrastructure challenges,152 limiting its ability to invest in personnel, training and expansion of the institution. SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Additionally, the Commission faces significant budgetary, human resources, and infrastructure challenges, limiting its ability to invest in personnel, training, and expansion of the institution. Key lessons going forward: A well-defined and robust regulatory framework is essential for ensuring political parties' compliance with rules and ethical standards. The promotion of inclusivity and gender equality within political parties is crucial for enhancing democracy and representation. Adapting messages to the cultural and linguistic diversity of the population can improve the effectiveness of communication campaigns. Engaging local leaders and influencers can help overcome resistance to change and foster community participation in civic activities. Also, timely and effective mediation of conflicts within and between political parties is crucial for maintaining political stability. Public awareness and civic education programs are essential for fostering a politically informed electorate. Finally, maintaining political neutrality and independence is critical for the credibility and effectiveness of the PPRC. A key opportunity remains in the existence of the ICPNC as a platform for the provision of leadership in ensuring that Sierra Leone walks on the path of peace and national cohesion with a focus on attaining SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), SDG 17 (Partnership for the Goals), African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 (Aspiration 4; A peaceful and secure Africa), the Bintumani III Conference and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendations. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to promote a peaceful, united, and cohesive Sierra Leone where diversity, inclusion, transparency, accountability, and human rights are respected. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, the vast majority of the public are aware and educated about the importance and benefits of national cohesion

2. By 2030, a significant number of community leaders have expert knowledge and understanding of conflict prevention and peacebuilding

3. By 2030, inhabitants of every chiefdom across the country adopt and use citizens led alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to resolve conflicts

4. By 2028, the review of the Political Parties Act No. 25 of 2022 completed and legal reforms undertaken

5. By 2026, the institutional capacity of the PPRC is built to enhance professionalism. ➢ Key policy actions

1. Embark on staff capacity building for the ICPNC, conflict prevention, and promotion of peace, mediation dialogue, and reconciliation

2. Establish a peacebuilding and conflict resolution knowledge management system

3. Undertake monitoring and evaluation of the progress of political parties towards democratic practices, peace, tolerance, sustainable development, and national cohesion

4. Conduct a comprehensive review of the Political Parties Act of 2022 and facilitate legal reforms.

5. Support political parties in developing and enhancing their internal systems, including transparency and accountability mechanisms

6. Develop and implement capacity-building programs for political parties

7. Conduct awareness campaigns and public education on the importance of democratic practices, peace, tolerance, sustainable development, and national cohesion

8. Establish mechanisms for political parties to report on their progress in adhering to democratic principles and the achievement of key targets

9. Supportconfidence and trust-building measures among citizens about the different phases of conflict prevention and peacebuilding processes across the country

10. Establish strategic partnerships with and involvement of religious and traditional leaders, civil society actors, institutions of learning, media, and the UN agencies in designing and implementing confidence and trust-building measures around ICPNC’s work 153

11. Support strategic planning and implementation process that is informed by citizens' and stakeholders' consultations, inputs, and effective participation SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation

9. Support confidence and trust-building measures among citizens about the different phases of conflict prevention and peacebuilding processes across the country

10. Establish strategic partnerships with and involvement of religious and traditional leaders, civil society actors, institutions of learning, media, and the UN agencies in designing and implementing confidence and trust-building measures around ICPNC’s work

11. Support strategic planning and implementation process that is informed by citizens' and stakeholders' consultations, inputs, and effective participation

12. Conduct a national fragility assessment analysis that integrates conflict mapping (historical, current, and emerging)

13. Embark on follow-up national dialogue on reconciliation where the findings and outcomes of the national fragility assessment are presented to the security sector and partners 2.2. Strengthening the fight against corruption and illicit financial flows The last five years of implementing the previous plan can be considered a significant success in the fight against corruption as there has been progress made in all four pillars of the strategic plan of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) prevention, public education, investigation, and prosecution). Consistent with ACC's the mandate to raise awareness of the ills of corruption and to solicit public support in the fight against the scourge, the Commission continues with a well-coordinated and targeted public education and outreach across the country. This has helped to make many more Sierra Leoneans learn about the work and activities of the Commission and has enabled the Commission to sustain vital public support in the campaign. The work of the Commission and the country's efforts in combating corruption has made the country continue to perform well in the 'Control of Corruption' indicator of the Millennium Challenge Corporation Scorecard with a 79 percent excellent score. In Transparency International's Global Corruption Country Rankings, Sierra Leone has moved from 115 in 2021 to 110 out of 180 countries surveyed in the 2022 Transparency International Corruption Perception Index (TI-CPI). The country also maintains its 2021 score of 34 in 2022, which is above the Sub-Saharan average of 32, and the highest the country has ever recorded since the CPI rankings began. In the Perception Index (TI-CPI), the country also maintained its 2021 score of 34 in 2022, which is above the sub- Saharan average of 32 and the highest the country has ever recorded since the CPI rankings began. Despite these gains, corruption and illegal financial flows remain a challenge to the effective and efficient functioning of government and a threat to the socio-economic growth, development, and stability of Sierra Leone. Empirical evidence suggests fighting corruption and illicit financial flows at all levels is crucial for alleviating extreme poverty and boosting private sector growth and development. The lesser the incidence of corruption in a country, the greater the likelihood of steady economic growth, as investor confidence will increase significantly. Among the remaining challenges are financial and logistical constraints, especially the poor state of vehicles and the lack of working tools such as computers (laptops) and other related gadgets, limiting the operations of the commission. However, despite the challenges faced by the commission, it is believed that with strong collaboration and engagement with partners in the fight against corruption as well as the availability of working tools and vehicles, the commission will be able to achieve its set targets. 154 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Strategic objective The ultimate objective of the commission is to reduce corruption significantly through the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of corruption in all its forms and scaling up the fight against illicit financial flows in Sierra Leone to increase domestic revenue to finance development programmes. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, systems and processes in public and private bodies improved

2. By 2030, public awareness of the dangers of corruption, and the benefits of a corrupt-free society increased

3. By 2030, law enforcement against corruption, unethical conduct, and illicit financial flows enhanced

4. By 2030, partnership with other MDAs in the fight against and control corruption increased

5. By 2030, Sierra Leone’s performance in 'the Control of Corruption indicator and other international ➢ corruption Key policy indicators actions improved by 25 percent 6.

1. Strengthen the preventive approach in ensuring accountability and transparency in ministries, departments, and agencies through a systems and processes review approach that subjects the public sector to more scrutiny by the recommendations and instructions of the review

2. Establish mechanism for planning, monitoring, and reporting on development results, referred to as results-based management, wherein development targets will be set at the start of each year and senior managers will be accountable for delivering these results

3. Develop the anti-corruption regulations that provide a detailed step-by-step implementation of the 2008 amended 2019 framework. 2.3. Public financial management The Government remains steadfast in its determination to ensure continued policy action in advancing effectiveness, probity, transparency and accountability in the use of public resources. It has continued to recognize that the state can only realise effective and sustainable economic management and public service delivery in Sierra Leone if it sustains policy focus on driving effectiveness and efficiency in public financial management (PFM) systems. In the last MTNDP 2019-2023 that supported the implementation of the previous PFM Strategy 2018-2021, the focus was on implementing instruments aimed at improving revenue generation; effectively addressing fiscal risks; improving public debt management; advancing integrated financial management information systems; strengthening procurement and public asset and payroll management; and improving ICT and e-governance. Policy actions undertaken in these areas included conduct of follow-ups on the implementation of Audit recommendations by the Ministry of Finance (MoF), with issues of non-compliance escalated to higher strategic decision making levels, such as parliament; monitoring of compliance in the implementation of risk- based Annual Internal-Audit Work Plans across MDAs and Local Councils; development of capacity building plan for internal auditors and conduct of training on Risk-Based Internal Auditing and Audit Reporting; production of reports on the Financial Performance of State-owned Enterprises, establishment of a functional debt management framework, ensuring internal controls for non-salary payments and rule based/transparent intergovernmental transfers, and sound payroll management and a budget classification system in line with international standards. Notable improvements reported by the Open Budget Survey 2021, Public Investment Management Assessment 2020 and Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability Assessment 2021 were in macroeconomic and fiscal forecasting (PI-14), which improved from a score of ‘C’ to ‘B’; and the payroll controls (PI-23), which scored ‘B+’, up from ‘D+’ in 2017. 155 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation macroeconomic and fiscal forecasting (PI-14), which improved from a score of ‘C’ to ‘B’; and the payroll controls (PI-23), which scored ‘B+’, up from ‘D+’ in 2017. Critical PFM challenges to address going forward with the implementation of the MTNDP 2024-2030 relate to major weaknesses expressed in the forgoing assessment reports, including “a high variance between the budget and actual expenditure, the non-use of country systems for donor projects (and the information gap it creates), public access to fiscal information, poor information on service delivery and the lack of gender consideration in the budgeting framework.” 55 It is against the above background, efforts and challenges that GoSL has recently launched a successor PFM Strategy for 2023-2027, with a vision to deliver three budgetary outcomes by 2027: a) fiscal discipline, b) prudent allocation of resources, and c) effective service delivery. These outcomes are to be achieved through enforcing policy actions in the following broad operational areas:

1. Strategic Planning and Macro-Fiscal Framework

2. Budget Formulation, Preparation, and Execution

3. Fiscal Decentralisation for Improved Service Delivery

4. Accounting and Reporting through IFMIS (Integrated Financial Management Information System)

5. External Audit and Legislative Scrutiny ➢ Strategic objective Accordingly, the overall strategic objective for PFM in the MTNDP 2024-2030 is to continue to ensure the prudent, efficient, effective and transparent use of public funds consistent with the Public Financial Management Act 2016 and the new PFM Strategy 2023-2027. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2026, domestic revenue increased to at least 18 percent of GDP from 13 percent in 2022

2. By 2026, debt-to-GDP ratio reduced from 98.9 percent of GDP in 2022 to not more than 70 percent

3. By 2028, public expenditure management architecture significantly strengthened

4. By 2028, fiscal decentralisation notably strengthened for improved service delivery at the sub- national level

5. By 2028, a Transformational Development Fund (Sovereign Wealth Fund) fully established for managing natural resource revenues. ➢ Key policy actions

1. Strengthen macroeconomic and fiscal policy formulation, analysis, coordination and monitoring while advancing research capability to support evidence-based policy design and decision-making

2. Improve the processes of budget planning, execution and reporting consistent with the PFM Act 2021

3. Design and develop tax laws, policies and regulations and produce periodic reports on revenue performance and the implementation of revenue legislations, to boost domestic revenue mobilisation

4. Strengthen the accounting, recording and reporting of public funds, including improving the preparation of annual statements of Public Accounts and improving payroll, treasury, records, stores, inventory and asset management

5. Enhance the oversight and effectiveness of internal control systems in MDAs and Local Councils to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of public funds 6. Strengthen fiscal risk management and fiduciary oversight of MDAs, SOEs and public sector project

7. Strengthen public debt management to improve the sustainability of public debt and minimise the risk of high and rising debt distress --------------------------------------------------------------- 55 8. Scale-up fiscal decentralisation for improved service delivery at the sub-national level through the See the Sierra Leone Public Financial Strategy 2023-2027 (Page 13) for the achievement and challenges obtained from the MoF; as well as various Annual development Progress Report on the MTNDP of 2019-2024 a fiscal decentralisation policy and strategy, improving financial management and produced by MoPED. 156 delivery capacity, and upgrading the fiscal property cadastral system and ICT environment

9. Implement all activities in the new Public Financial Management Strategy 2023 – 2027 within the time frame stipulated SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation

6. Strengthen fiscal risk management and fiduciary oversight of MDAs, SOEs and public sector project

7. Strengthen public debt management to improve the sustainability of public debt and minimise the risk of high and rising debt distress

8. Scale-up fiscal decentralisation for improved service delivery at the sub-national level through the development of a fiscal decentralisation policy and strategy, improving financial management and delivery capacity, and upgrading the fiscal property cadastral system and ICT environment

9. Implement all activities in the new Public Financial Management Strategy 2023 – 2027 within the time frame stipulated

10. Strengthen private sector coordination and promote innovative climate and green finance initiatives

11. Promote external audit and legislative scrutiny of the national budget implementation process 2.4. Audit services During 2019-2022, Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL) carried out financial, compliance, and performance audits on the National Development Plan, the 17 SDGs, and other relevant documents including our strategic plan, and issued the reports to Parliament on time. For instance, the 2021 audit report noted that 21 (95 percent) out of the 22 Local Councils, got unqualified audit opinions. This performance materially increased by 18 percent when compared to 2020 in which the councils recorded 17 (77 percent) unqualified audit opinions56. Lack of financial independence and the difficulty in sourcing funds for operations and administrative activities were among the challenges encountered that would need to be overcome in the implementation of the new plan. As a lesson, political will to see that audit recommendations are implemented and securing the full cooperation by Parliament in providing reports to the ASSL after concluding deliberations, are critical to the realisation of an increased rate of implementation of audit recommendations.57 ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to support government institutions in improving revenue generation and service delivery to citizens, by strengthening the independence of ASSL and increasing its audit coverage in undertaking financial, compliance, and performance audits. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, full annual performance audits conducted

2. By 2030, revenue audit conducted annually and submitted to Parliament

3. By 2030, a system to fully implement and follow up on all financial audit recommendations set up ➢ Key policy actions

1. Strengthen the independence of the ASSL

2. Increase audit coverage

3. Improve stakeholder engagement and wider publicity

4. Improve the use of Information and Communication Technology

5. Implement the Surcharge Provision in the Amended Audit Service Act once it becomes Law. --------------------------------------------------------------- 56 See the Sierra Leone Public Financial Strategy 2023-2027 (Page 13) for the achievement and challenges obtained from the MoF; as well as various Annual Progress Report on the MTNDP 2019-2024 produced by MoPED. 57 Audit Service Sierra Leone Strategy For 2021-2025, p(20) 157 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 2.5. Inclusive and accountable justice institutions Sierra Leone’s Justice Sector continues to play a recognizable role in facilitating reforms crucial to the advancement of the rule of law, promoting justice, and guaranteeing and protecting citizens' human rights. The justice sector has been proactive in ensuring access to justice as a key component of Sierra Leone’s thriving democracy. The Sector together with its coordinating institutions including the Ministry of Justice, the Justice Sector Coordination Office which primarily drives justice sector reform initiatives and coordinates the implementation, the Sierra Leone Judiciary, the Law Enforcement agencies, the Human Rights Commission, the Law Reform Commission, the Legal Aid Board, and the Sierra Law School amongst others promoting justice and human rights primarily drives justice sector reform initiatives and coordinate the implementation of sector plans. The sector's continued reforms are fundamental catalysts for promoting sustainable peace and development in the country. The sector has made significant progress in recent years in its effort to ensure access to justice for all citizens and uphold the rule of law. The Justice Sector while implementing the MNTDP (2019-2023) over the past five years recorded some significant gains in promoting access to Justice focusing on legal representation, and alternative dispute resolution which are key components of any thriving democracy. Legal Representation facilitated by the Legal Aid Board has increased the provision of free legal aid services to indigenes across the country. Presently there is a fair presence of the Legal Aid Board in every District in the country delivering free legal services to indigenes who cannot afford legal representation. The Legal Aid Board currently deployed 32 state councils providing free legal representation across the country with statistics of cases handled listed in the table below. 158 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 3.2.1: Legal Representation 2019-2023 Year Adult Juvenile Total Male Female Boys Girls 2019 12997 3936 134 280 18555 2020 9258 1493 1596 192 12539 2021 10367 934 1612 267 13180 2022 14738 1416 2180 418 18752 2023(Jan-Sept) 11870 1365 2270 287 14798 Total 59,230 9,144 7,792 1444 77,610 Source: Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board In a bid to reduce the backlog of cases in the court system, the Legal Aid Board has embraced ADR mechanisms. Mediation and arbitration becoming more common for resolving disputes outside the formal legal process, enabling swifter, cost-effective, and community-based resolutions. The table below shows the extent disputes were resolved outside the formal legal process. Table 3.2.2: Alternative Dispute Resolution ADR 2019-2023 Year Adult Juvenile Total Male Female Boys Girls 2019 12208 23237 5824 8013 49282 2020 9342 15455 4532 7955 37286 2021 12432 30449 9774 22616 75271 2022 15417 38180 14543 30511 98651 2023(Jan-Sept) 17317 40059 11368 27090 95834 Total 66716 147358 45841 96185 356324 Source: Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board Furthermore, the Justice Sector has made significant efforts in strengthening the paralegal system with more investments made in training and deploying more than 70 paralegals across the country, especially in remote areas, introducing the judicial week and circuit courts Sierra Leone Judiciary Judicial week and circuit Courts to bring justice closer to rural and underserved areas, Upholding the Rule of Law, initiating reforms to strengthen the independence and efficiency of the judiciary, strengthening law enforcement agencies, such as the Sierra Leone Police, and reviewing and updating its legal framework to align with international human rights standards are key achievements of the Justice sector over the past five years. The Development of a Monitoring and evaluation Framework for Reporting SDG 16+, the Development of the Justice Sector Strategy (2021-2025): and the Development and Publication of the Justice Sector Quarterly Newsletters implementing The Justice Sector Reform Strategy and Investment Plan-JSRSIPIV (2019-2023) are top-notch achievements of the sector. Additionally and more explicitly the sector, during the past five years and while implementing the MTNDP (2019-2023), made landmark achievements including, Increased access to justice by establishing magistrate and high courts in all districts, Establishing a Special Court to try perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence, Completed a Commission of Inquiry of public officials, issued a White Paper, and gave the opportunity for Appeal, Completed the Constitutional Review process and drafted a White Paper, the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone was graded “A” status for the third consecutive time by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights through its accredited body, Global Alliance for National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) and Reviewed the Criminal Procedures ACT 1965. 159 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Experiences in the sector over the immediate five years have shown that there is an urgent need for a holistic approach, involving multiple stakeholders such as government agencies, civil society organizations, and international partners, for the success of justice sector reforms. Furthermore, evidence shows that data collection and monitoring for evaluating the impact of justice sector reforms enables evidence-based decision- making and adjustments to strategies as needed. Prioritizing interventions based on the specific needs of different regions and communities has proven more effective in addressing access to justice issues and increasing public awareness and engagement in the justice system has shown vital for building trust and ensuring that citizens can fully exercise their rights. Notwithstanding the many gains, the sector grappled and continues to grapple with challenges such as inadequate funding and resources, capacity gaps especially relating to relevant skills needed to optimize the delivery of the sector, difficulty concerning access to remote and rural areas of Sierra Leone, where legal services are less accessible, limited public awareness relating citizens, particularly those in rural areas, are unaware of their legal rights and the justice services available to them. The ever-increasing demand for legal aid services outweighs the supply with only 70 paralegals-, and 31 state councils recruited and deployed which is grossly short of the demand required for effective justice dispensation. Another setback is how compromises of cases continue to undermine the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms. Despite the challenges encountered over the immediate five years, the sector is committed to improving court infrastructure and building more courtrooms to enhance access to justice, digitizing case management with the view to tracking the progress of all matters before courts, Maintaining its grade ‘A’ status by supporting the Human rights Commission to implement the recommendations of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) and strengthen its relationship with the Government and other local and international partners and networks and enact the Criminal Procedures Act 2023. The strategic objective, key targets, and policy actions outlined below are to improve access to justice and uphold the rule of law for the next seven years. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to ensure that all citizens benefit from a fair, impartial, and effective justice sector by enabling increased access to justice, expedition of justice, protection of human rights, and equal opportunities for economic development. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, ensure that the number of cases awaiting judgement for six months is considerably lower than in 2023

2. By 2030, increase public confidence and trust in the justice sector as measured in periodic surveys

3. By 2030, all administrative districts have more resident High Court Judge ➢ Key policy actions

1. Enact the Justice Sector Coordination Office Bill into law to give a legal foundation that will enhance the authority and resources of the sector thus making it the central hub for coordination within the justice sector

2. Initiate policy reviews, and ensure communication amongst justice sector institutions in improving public awareness of the activities of the justice sector

3. Increase the capacity of the Justice Sector Coordination Office through various staff training initiatives

4. Increase funding to the Legal Aid Board 160 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation

5. Develop and implement a structured inter-agency communication plan to facilitate regular information sharing and collaboration among justice sector actors, including law enforcement, judiciary, legal practitioners, and related agencies

6. Launch a comprehensive public awareness and education campaign to inform the public about the roles, functions, and key processes of the justice sector

7. Implement measures to enhance transparency by making legal proceedings and decisions more accessible to the public

8. Establish feedback mechanisms to enable the public to provide input and concerns related to the justice sector 2.6. Public trust in state institutions Public trust in state institutions depends on their capacity to address socio-economic insecurity as well as guaranteeing effectiveness, transparency, and accountability. The building and sustaining of public trust in state institutions is the cornerstone of a vibrant democracy and effective public governance. That said, trust in public institutions remained challenged by perceived widespread corruption, nepotism, and political patronage. In the past five years, the Government has shouldered its responsibility to enhance public trust and good governance. By initiating reform in the public sector and recording progress in the MCC ‘Control of Corruption’ indicator, and freedom of information indicator among others, the Government expressed its determination to ensure state resources are well spent and transparent. In 2022, the Afro Barometer, showed that public perception of corruption in Sierra Leone declined to 40 percent from 70 percent only a few years ago. The government also made progress in the implementation of the HRCSL Universal Period Review recommendations by resuming the constitutional review process with the launch of the Government White Paper and the abolition of the death penalty in fulfilment of its pledge/commitment. The government continues to reaffirm its commitment to deliver social services (Free Education and Health programs) fairly and effectively to every Sierra Leonean irrespective of their political conviction and socioeconomic circumstances. Additionally, the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) made strides in increasing transparency and accountability among political parties by developing and implementing a robust regulatory framework. Sierra Leone has experienced political polarization, which poses a serious challenge to the PPRC's efforts to promote unity and constitutionalism. The festering perceived lack of independence in some state institutions (such as the judiciary, the Electoral Commission, and the police) constitutes an enormous public trust challenge. In addition, the deficit in the efficacy of human rights and democratic institutions; coupled with patronage and nepotism in public service delivery continues to impact public trust. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to build trust in state institutions through the implementation of strategies to strengthen national cohesion and ensure a peaceful, just, and inclusive society. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, public trust in state institutions is significantly improved compared to 2023

2. By 2030, about 50 percent of the adult population expressed satisfaction that state institutions functioned better than in 2023

3. By 2030, a favourable space for human rights organizations to effectively promote transparency and accountability in an unfettered manner created

4. By 2030, a citizens’ bureau that will meet annually with public authorities to review a wide range of issues stemming from the previous 12 months created 161 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Key policy actions

1. Consolidate gains by launching a Presidential Peacebuilding and National Cohesion Basket Fund.

2. Review the National Youth Service Scheme to make it involuntary for beneficiaries of the Government’s grant and create opportunities for people in other districts instead of their home districts.

3. Promote a national character in political appointments and civil service.

4. Review the ICPNC Act and develop the capacity to make it more efficient.

5. Strengthen collaboration between the security sector and justice sector resulting in professional and measured responses to serious security threats and incidents.

6. Strengthen the interface among the security sector, the populace, MDAs, and the Government to ensure inclusive security, which is necessary for peace, security, and national development.

7. Review the policy and legal framework for the public service to make it more professional and attractive to Sierra Leonean professionals who would like to work for the Government.

8. Improve incentives to support productivity and merit-based systems in recruitment and progression of the workforce in the Civil Service.

9. Develop an Electronic Personnel Management System to keep track of professionals recruited into the Civil Service.

10. Strengthen the capacity of human rights organizations and organizations promoting democracy and sensitize the public on their work throughout the country.

11. Strengthen the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law.

12. Commits to advancing the values of a free and open society and providing support to all citizens to fully enjoy the freedoms enshrined in our constitution and inherent in the best democratic practice.

13. Implement the 2023-2028 National Anti-Corruption Strategy with emphasis on the preventative approach to curb corruption in Sierra Leone.

14. Upgrade its operations through digitization of its processes and activities to ensure proper record keeping, transparency, and inter-agency collaboration. 2.7. Decentralisation, local governance, and rural development In the last five years of implementing the previous MTNDP 2019-2023, efforts to strengthen decentralisation and local governance recorded a number of achievements. Key among the achievements are: The Decentralization Policy and the Local Government Act 2004 were reviewed and new Decentralisation Policy and Local Government Act 2022 were promulgated; 77 percent of the planned devolved functions fully transferred to Local Councils; the People’s Planning Process (Wan Fambul Framework) was pilot tested in some chiefdoms; and the District Development Coordination Committees (DDCCs) were re-established and fully functioning in 15 districts of Sierra Leone for effective monitoring, supervision, and reporting on development progress at community level. Key challenges encountered during implementation are as follows: Most traditional authorities and citizens in remote locations found it difficult to relate with local council authorities to access services due to difficult terrains and long distances between district council headquarters towns and local settlements. In most cases, services were located in municipal centres. Additionally, since 2017, the issues surrounding de-amalgamation remain the same, and historically, the de-amalgamation of Chiefdoms in Sierra Leone has accounted for most boundary disputes among other factors. It is important to note that a good number of chiefdoms are still shrouded in sharp conflicts in terms of boundary disputes. As such, allegation of land grabbing and encroachment between chiefdoms is not uncommon. Furthermore, the MLGCA is currently challenged with boundary disputes coupled with the desire from the remaining 27 chiefdoms to be separated as social tensions have been reported frequently in the said chiefdoms. Also, the present situation of staff in the local councils regarding general conditions of service is very unsatisfactory and fragile, lacking effective industrial relations management and guiding principles. 162 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation In urban cities, the growing size of populations, such as in Freetown (1,309,168 in 2023), has made the proper and effective administration of municipalities daunting—the capital of Freetown being especially notable. There are serious challenges of waste management, and revenue mobilisation targets have been falling far below expectation to meet competing demands in administering and providing social services in cities. An opportunity going forward: towards the resolution of community-related conflict, the MLGCA, in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Minister and the Office of National Security has developed a new architecture with rolling out strategies for settling land and boundary disputes. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to strengthen local governance architecture, address the staff retention deficiencies in local councils, enhance local level food security, and promote local economic development. ➢ Key targets Table 3.2.3: Key Targets for Enabler 2.7 Decentralisation, local governance, and rural development Annual Targets Key Targets Baseline 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 By 2030, Village/chiefdom level planning rolled-out to Zero 10 10 16 10 10 10 10 at least 40 percent of the chiefdoms By 2030, the de- amalgamation process in the Zero - - - 27 - - - remaining 27 chiefdoms completed By 2030, chiefdom Zero farms and district chiefdom 10 10 10 10 10 10 6 farms in 2023 agro-business centres established in Zero district at least 35 percent of agro- the chiefdoms and 60 business 10 24 20 20 20 10 10 percent of the centres in 2023 districts ➢ Key policy actions

1. Establish Village Development Committees

2. Facilitate the roll-out of village/ chiefdom planning

3. Support local and chiefdom councils to establish district and chiefdom farms with agro-business centres

4. Disseminate and operationalise the Local Councils' Development Operational Guidelines

5. Develop and implement Local Council Staff Retention Strategy

6. Develop human resource guidelines/policies that will address the critical issues relating to recruitment, postings, and transfers of staff

7. Support the operationalisation and implementation of the provisions in the Local Government Act 2022 for the payment of leave allowance, severance benefits, gratuities, and pensions

8. Strengthen the institutional capacity of the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs

9. Develop an integrated policy framework that speaks to issues on amalgamated and de- amalgamated chiefdoms in terms of land acquisition and ownership

10. Facilitate the de-amalgamating of the remaining 27 chiefdoms. 163 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 2.8. Security institutions The provision of national security remains the primary responsibility of the Government and a prerequisite for sustainable development. The security sector comprises the Republic of Sierra Leone Arm Forces (RSLAF), the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), the Sierra Leone Correctional Service (SLCS), the National Fire Force (NFF), the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA), the Immigration Department, National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Sierra Leone Commission on Arms and Ammunition (SLeCAA) and Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME). The concluding MTNDP ushered in significant Improvement in infrastructural development in the sector, addressing wide-ranging constraints in the sector. For instance, the Government constructed five Forward Patrol Bases, a young officer’s Mess at the Wilberforce Barracks, and a 100-bed hospital for the Military and Sierra Leone Police. The capacity of the Engineering regiment of the RSLAF was enhanced with new construction equipment and engaging them in road works. Also, the NFF, the SLP, NDLEA, and SLCS, had their infrastructure capacity enhanced. Among many other successes, the SLCS constructed Child-friendly facilities at the Freetown and Kenema Female Correctional Centres for babies and children accompanying their detained lactating mothers. In addition, the acquisition of land for the relocation of the Freetown Main Correctional Centre to Masanki underwent cabinet approval. On the policy, transparency, and accountability front, the sector saw progress as well. A nationwide Managerial Assessment of all correctional facilities in Sierra Leone was conducted and a report was produced. The Fire Safety Policy and Bill was submitted to Cabinet, the policy is awaiting popularization. SLeNCSA amended the SLeNCSA Act of 2010 transforming it into SLeCAA, and the Arms and Ammunition Act of 2012, to ensure compliance with the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The Statelessness Secretariat in the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) developed the National Action Plan to eradicate statelessness in Sierra Leone, as per Article 24 of the Abidjan Declaration. NDLEA developed the 5-year Smart National Drug Control Strategy (2023-2028). NCRA completed the United Nations-guided Comprehensive Country Assessment and developed a costed National CRVS & ID Management Strategic Plan for Sierra Leone. NCRA strengthened Civil Registration and contributed to the preparation of the Data Protection Policy and enactment of the Data Protection Act. NCRA strengthened Birth and death registration, interoperability between NCRA and MoHS, and printing of securitized Birth and death certificates. Furthermore, MIA strengthened the fortnightly inter-agency meetings of all Heads of Agencies for security updates to improve coordination and collaboration in the security and safety institutions. The ONS also delivered in the areas of security coordination; protective security; border security; maritime security; counter-terrorism, and election security, with reference to the 2023 elections. Challenges recorded include low capability in conducting forensic investigation at Scientific Support Unit including the investigation of SGBV cases at the Family Support Unit (FSU), lack of a clear legal framework within TOCU to enhance its effectiveness; inadequate manpower to manage the growing FSUs establishment across the country, insufficient holding centres for juveniles that might compromise their rights and welfare whilst in police stations/posts, inadequate number of firefighters, fire stations, fire engines, firefighting and essential communications equipment for NFF. There is insufficient staff due to the high attrition rate in some spheres of the security sector, and insufficient workshop equipment, tools, and machines for SLCS to train inmates for industrial production. Non-availability of office structures in strategic border crossing points and inadequate mobility for operations. Lessons learned during the implementation of the MTNDP 2019-2023 include, building partnerships and MDA collaboration is key to successful programme implementation. Safety and security, Public Rights-Based Inmate Management Approach, Psycho-social educational and after-care service for discharged Inmates, capacity building for Staff, Construction of Correctional Centres and provision of essential logistics can be improved with an enhanced and timely budgetary allocation. The dynamic nature of threats to national security requires robust planning, training, and logistics to respond effectively to existing and emerging threats. 164 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to have a security sector that is efficient, effective, highly apolitical and professional, one that can contribute significantly to sustainable development and the advancement of democracy and the rule of law, and can ensure a robust response to national threats and emergencies. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, national crimes rate reduced by 25 percent from a caseload of 27,018 in 2022

2. By 2030, the RSLAF are more modernised and robust than in 2023

3. By 2030, early warning and response capacity of the security institutions is significantly higher than in 2023

4. By 2030, community engagement in security processes and functions is greater than in 2023. ➢ Key policy actions

1. Implement the Safe City project for Freetown

2. Conduct registration of stateless persons throughout the 16 Districts of Sierra Leone

3. Relocate the Freetown Main Correctional Centre to Masanki, Ribbi Chiefdom, Moyamba District

4. Strengthen the management and operations in various Police Divisions, and provide accommodation for police officers nationwide

5. Strengthen the National Immigration Regulation System and Information Management

6. Improve the welfare and terms and conditions of service for career-serving personnel

7. Improve the capacity of the security sector to continue to serve the nation and participate in international peacekeeping operations

8. Strengthen the interface among security sector institutions, and between these institutions and the populace, MDAs, and the Government

9. Review existing legislations governing the security sector with a view to bringing them in line with best practice

10. Strengthen the intelligence wing of the security sector to detect and thwart threats to national security

11. Enforce private security regulations and conduct regular joint inspections of private security companies

12. Implement the National Protective Security Framework (NPSF) across MDAs and critical national infrastructure. 165 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Enabler 3: Advancing climate resilience and environmental action Among the milestones achieved during previous plan implementation in this area was the establishment of a separate Ministry of Environment and Climate Change in 2021, to provide political leadership and policy direction in the environmental governance architecture of the country. Other areas of achievement include the review of six key legislations to enhance enforcement and compliance with climate change and environmental sustainability-related requirements. A National Development-Induced Resettlement Policy was formulated, while the National Climate Change Policy reviewed and updated. Additionally, GoSL produced a national Blue Economy Strategy and comprehensive Action Plan to operationalise the strategy. It also developed a National Framework for Climate Services (NFCS), and an NFCS strategy and action plan for delivering these services. The sub-sections below present key areas of focus in the present plan with respect to addressing climate and environmental issues in the country that were also pursued in the previous plan. 3.1. Building national environmental resilience Inroads were made here during 2019-2023. In 2022, Sierra Leone’s environmental performance index score for air quality estimated at 21.60 with a rank of 151st out of 180 countries, jumping 10 places from a score of 161 in 2020.58 Challenges encountered in this policy area include: limited resources and general institutional capacity to implement critical programmes/projects, high levels of poverty and food insecurity that put pressure on land resources to provide alternative livelihood opportunities for the population, inadequate infrastructure, lack of education and awareness about environmental hazards and climate change vulnerabilities, weak regulatory enforcement, high population growth and urbanisation, limited access to clean energy, fragile ecosystems, biodiversity loss, and ineffectively coordinated approach to environmental governance. With regard to nuclear safety and radiation protection efforts, the challenges include lack of calibration facilities, such as calibration survey meters for radiation monitoring, and inadequate central management facility for handling disused sealed radioactive wastes. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to strengthen the environmental governance architecture of the country, promote the sustainable management of natural resources, and build resilience and adaptive capability to climate change, nuclear and radioactive wastes for the well-being and socio-economic livelihoods of Sierra Leoneans. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, the Vulnerability Ranking of the country drastically improved

2. By 2030, the Extreme Events Ranking of the country drastically improved

3. By 2028, a significant number of people in Sierra Leone were adequately sensitised and educated on climate change-related issues

4. By 2030, Sierra Leone’s access to international climate resilience finance including Green Bonds increased. --------------------------------------------------------------- 58 Wolf, M. J., Emerson, J. W., Esty, D. C., de Sherbinin, A., Wendling, Z. A., et al. (2022). 2022 Environmental Performance Index. New Haven, CT: Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy. epi.yale.edu. 166 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Key policy actions

1. Conduct Strategic Environmental Assessments for the agricultural sector and other assessments to produce a state of the environment report

2. Establish monitoring programmes on water pollution and air quality including GHG emission inventory

3. Conduct studies on the use of nuclear and isotopic techniques for the effective monitoring of GHG emissions

4. Establish a standard environmental laboratory to ensure the scientific monitoring of environmental compliance and to enable the speedy detection of pollutants in air, water, waste, and soil samples

5. Develop and implement the National Action Plan on Plastic Waste Management for Sierra Leone

6. Conduct national climate change vulnerability assessments for crops, livestock, forestry, fisheries, and water sectors

7. Strengthen mechanism to access climate finance for the implementation of climate change interventions in the country

8. Develop regulations on air quality, coastal and marine environment protection, chemical and hazardous wastes, lead in paint and review existing regulations (such as the 2010 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Fee Regulations and the Environment Protection Agency, the Mines and Minerals Regulations 2013, to align it with the EPA Act 2022

9. Develop Regulations, Guides, and Codes of Practice for both Ionizing radiation protection and non- ionizing radiation protection. 3.2. Forestry management and wetland conservation During 2019-2023, the number of functional Co-Management Committees on forestry management and wetland conservation increased from 37 in 2018 to 75 in 2023; and the restoration of degraded areas in wetlands and terrestrial ecosystems increased from 70 acres in 2019 to over 300 acres in 2023. There were critical challenges to implementation of programmes, nonetheless, including limited funding, irregular weather patterns (including indiscriminate rainfalls), prolonged dry seasons, flooding of lowlands, weak knowledge management system, weak collaboration between Conservation Trust Fund management and relevant stakeholders, inadequate machinery and equipment to support revenue generation efforts, and high expectations from forest-edged communities in terms benefits from forest management-related programmes. Going forward, there exist opportunities and lessons to leverage towards effective implementation of programmes in the new national development plan. There exists the Loma Mountain Conservation Project; and the recruitment of community youths as tour guards, providing employment for the local communities, and increasing their interest and participation in forest conservation. The involvement of women in the nursery development and restoration of degraded areas of National Parks creates a livelihood for them and brings them to the fore of the conservation process. The registration of youth and women initiatives as farming groups to undertake sustainable farming practices has increased green and smart climate-friendly farming methods among communities. 167 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to promote biodiversity conservation, wildlife management, research, and the harnessing of ecosystem services in an integrated way for the well-being of present and future communities; and ensure an integrated sector governance structure for the sustainable management and conservation of natural resources in protected areas, while diversifying and expanding resource mobilisation, strengthening multi-stakeholder partnership, and supporting programme development. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, the area of national forest/wetlands under improved management for conservation doubled

2. By 2030, the national area under sustainable carbon financing at least doubled from a baseline of 71,000 hectares currently

3. By 2030, an additional 10,000,000 trees planted

4. By 2030, local revenue generation from ecosystem services increased by at least 35 percent ➢ Key policy actions

1. Improve legal and enforcement mechanisms with appropriate laws

2. Develop a Carbon Market Framework

3. Improve the capacity of forest-adjacent communities in forest fire management, restoration, and sustainable farming practices

4. Develop a national tree planting program for regeneration and shared management of forest cover and related products

5. Develop a National Forests and Wildlife Inventory

6. Enhance the management and oversight capacity of regulatory agencies

7. Conduct a study to quantify the total forests and wildlife resources of the country

8. Expand resource mobilization to support conservation activities and natural resource management in the protected areas alongside governance

9. Combat environmental degradation and manage forests and wetlands.

10. Strengthen the capacities of communities in reducing threats on forests including wild forest fires, wildlife trade, and unsustainable grazing

11. Increase marine protection and maintain the number of forest reserves and conservation areas.

12. Promote sustainable financing mechanisms for long-term biodiversity conservation and wildlife management in Sierra Leone

13. Strengthen participatory governance by increasing support for community conservation efforts

14. Facilitate transboundary cooperation to transboundary forest and wildlife resources management and policy harmonization. 3.3. Disaster management and governance Sierra Leone continues to be prone to both man-made and natural hazards such as floods, landslides, tropical storms, coastal erosion, and droughts that cause severe economic damage and loss of lives with disproportionate effects on the poorest and most vulnerable. The life expectancy of the population may be adversely affected in a cumulative and debilitating way if they are subjected to recurring or prolonged localised hazard circumstances. Climate change and its underlying socioeconomic factors have increased the exposure of people, especially the urban population to disasters, poverty, and low levels of economic development. This climatic or extreme weather situation was made worse by the Ebola outbreak of 2014-2016 and the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic of 2019, whose effects continue to endure. Epidemics and other health- related risks, including cholera and dengue fever outbreaks in the aftermath of floods are another key concern. The vulnerability of Sierra Leone to hazards and natural disasters is directly correlated with its location, climate, extreme poverty, and deficient environmental management systems. 168 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation During 2019-2023, the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) was established to strengthen disaster management-related coordination efforts at national level. The NDMA and its partners pursued a number of programmes to build national resilience, mitigate the effects of flooding and enhance poverty alleviation. Challenges to address to improve on gains made going forward include: limited funding for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts; lack of strategic stock for effective disaster preparedness and response; unplanned urbanisation and high rate of deforestation; land reclamation, stone and sand mining in wrong places, and environmental degradation. A major lesson learned from recent disaster incidents is the need to increase public knowledge and education on risks, hazards, vulnerabilities, and disasters. The poor state of financing for conducting comprehensive disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery efforts has emphasised the need for enhanced disaster risk financing. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to mainstream disaster risk management into national, sector and local development plans and policies and ensure an integrated and robust national response to future emergencies with minimised human, infrastructural and related costs. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, ensure that 80 percent of disaster risk management and climate change adaptation policies, strategies, plans, and programmes are mainstreamed into sectoral and local development plans

2. By 2030, ensure that 80 percent of disaster risk reduction interventions are decentralised

3. By 2027, national early warning and early response system immensely scaled up ➢ Key policy actions

1. Develop local disaster risk management strategic plans and review standard operating procedures for all districts

2. Institute and operationalise policies, plans, and legal frameworks to reduce risk and strengthen resilience at local levels

3. Set up a robust mechanism to conduct a post-disaster needs assessment to evaluate, record, share, and account for disaster losses and understand their environmental and socioeconomic impacts.

4. Develop and scale up capability to forecast future disaster occurrences, including research capability, improved data systems and general information management

5. Improve public education on disaster-related issues Box E.1 below presents a critical workstream of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security to support national, sectoral and local efforts to reducing risks and impacts of climate-related disasters, such as greenhouse emissions, droughts and floods on communities and infrastructure. The box presents clear goals and specific actions of the Initiative to provide support in this area. 169 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Box E.1: Presidential Initiative—Reducing risks and impacts of climate-related disasters, such as greenhouse emissions, droughts and floods on communities and infrastructure. Goals

1. Adaptation priorities in all districts identified and prioritised and Climate Action Committees (composed of men, women and youth) established, providing data and information for early warning systems by 2030

2. By 2030, at least 30% of households are better able to cope with climate change impacts due to implementation of locally led and focussed adaption projects

3. Improved climate information system for local communities leading to at least 30% of households using the information in their climate risk management decisions by 2030

4. By 2030, climate action and climate governance is devolved to all 395 wards through mobilisation of resources for financing Locally Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) Programme.

5. By 2030, at least households in urban areas recycling waste, especially plastics, through viable private sector led green investments Specific actions

1. Build the capacity of communities to take ownership and participate in climate adaptation and mitigation interventions, adopt sustainable practices and climate-smart technologies.

2. Develop standards and guidelines for the sustainable management of forests

3. Advocate for policies to protect coastal erosion, degradation and minimize landslides.

4. Support the integration of climate change adaptation strategies into the health sector

5. Conduct feasibility of sustainable waste collection and recycling in urban areas

6. Advocate for the construction of coastal sea walls especially along degraded sea fronts in Freetown. 170 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Enabler 4: Gender mainstreaming Having gender mainstreaming as Enabler 4 in the new MTNDP is based on empirical evidence that mainstreaming gender issues in development frameworks, laws and strategies would make a quick and positive turnaround in the lives of an entire populace. Achievements in gender mainstreaming during the implementation of Sierra Leone’s previous plan indicate that the country has been on a trajectory towards reducing gender imbalances in the political, social and economic spheres of life. This is reflective of the country’s commitment to several normative frameworks at international and regional levels, including the Sustainable Development Goals. As earlier mentioned in Part Two under human capital development and women’s empowerment, the gender-narrowing institutional efforts in Sierra Leone have ranged from the promulgation of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy 2020, to the National Male Involvement Strategy for the Prevention of Sexual Gender-Based Violence in Sierra Leone 2020, the National SGBV Response Strategy 2012-2023, National Referral Protocol on GBV 2022, and the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act 2022; which are all consistent with international instruments. 3.3.1 presents some tangible results made to date in closing the gender gap in critical political and decision-making positions—progress in 2023 compared with 2018 in Table 3.3.2. Table 3.3.1: Gender differentials in decision making in Sierra Leone 2023 Number of Observations Percentage Positions Males Females Total Females Males Total Candidates Nominated as Chairpersons/ Mayors 79 28 107 26 74 100 Candidates Nominated as Councillors 1691 1034 2725 34 66 100 Candidates Nominated as MPs 590 299 889 34 66 100 Elected as Mayors / Chairpersons 19 13 32 41 59 100 Elected as Councillors 310 157 467 34 66 100 Elected as MPs (excluding PCMPs) 94 41 135 30 70 100 Elected as MPs (inclusive PCMPs) 107 42 149 28 72 100 Ambassadors/ High Commissioners 20 4 24 17 83 100 Dep. Ambassadors/ High Commissioners 21 3 24 12.5 87.5 100 Cabinet Ministers 19 10 29 34.5 65.5 100 Deputy Ministers 22 11 33 33 67 100 Source: Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs 2023 171 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 3.3.2: Gender differentials in decision making in Sierra Leone 2018 Number of Observations Percentage Position Males Females Total Females Males Total Presidential Candidate 14 2 16 87.5 12.5 100 Vice-Presidential Candidate 12 4 16 75 25 100 Member of Parliament 128 18 146 87.6 12.3 100 Paramount Chief Member of Parliament 12 2 14 85.7 14.2 100 Mayor 5 2 7 71.4 28.5 100 Council Chairperson 20 1 21 95.2 4.7 100 Local Councillors 389 90 479 81.2 18.7 100 Cabinet Minister 20 5 25 80 20 100 Deputy Minister 20 5 25 80 20 100 Minister of State 3 2 5 60 40 100 Source: Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs 2018 While the country had made the foregoing laudable efforts in closing gender gap in strategic decision spheres, there are still critical challenges, as the state continues to remain widely gender unequal across levels. As a crucial Enabler in the delivery of GoSL’s Big 5 Game Changers and the overall transformation of the economy of Sierra Leone, it is imperative that support for gender equality be scaled-up towards the country’s 2030 Agenda and its determination to become a middle-income status by 2039. We draw from the general lesson that a nation can only achieve sustainable development if it optimally integrates gender in all national development operations, at central, regional and local levels. To this end, the strategic thrust of Enabler 4 on Gender Mainstreaming is pulled from the 13 specific policy areas outlined in the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy 2020, reproduced as follows:

1. Gender, education and training; 2. Gender, trade, employment, economic development and social protection;

3. Gender-based violence;

4. Gender, decision-making and political leadership;

5. Gender, health, sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS;

6. Gender, the environment and disaster management;

7. Gender, media and access to Information and Communication Technology and Innovations;

8. Gender, disabilities and other forms of social inequities;

9. Gender, legal justice and human rights;

10. Gender, culture and family;

11. Gender, peace-building and conflict resolution;

12. Gender Responsive Macro Sector Formation Budgeting;

13. Building women's capacity, leadership and resilience to cope with humanitarian disasters. The remaining critical challenges to closing gender gaps in the country suggest a great need to address these 13 policy areas. Consequently, these areas will inform the required coordinated actions in the MTNDP 2024- 2030 with regard to defining the priority gender mainstreaming needs for closing the gender gaps in the next 7 years. To ensure effective institutional coordination and follow-up on the delivery of specific strategies in these 13 areas, this list of areas has been further thematised into 6 broad policy action domains aligned to the 13 specific action blocks contained in the GEWE Policy (see Table 3.3.3). The 6 broad themes are listed as follows:

1. Gender Education, Economic Participation, Technology and Communication

2. Gender, Health, Living with Disability and SGBV

3. Gender and Governance 172 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation

4. Gender Justice, Human Rights and Peace Building

5. Gender Mainstreaming into Policies, Programmes and Legal Frameworks

6. Gender and Environment Table 3.3.3: Policy themes and specific policy areas Policy Themes Specific Policy Areas

1. Gender, Education and Training

2. Gender, trade, employment, economic development and social

1. Gender Education, Economic Participation, protection Technology and Communication

3. Gender, media and access to Information and Communication Technology and Innovations

4. Gender, health, sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS

2. Gender, Health, Living with Disability and

5. Gender, disabilities and other forms of social inequities SGBV

6. Gender-based violence

7. Gender, decision-making and political leadership

3. Gender and Governance 8. Building women's capacity, leadership and resilience to cope with humanitarian disasters

9. Gender, peace-building and conflict resolution;

4. Gender Justice, Human Rights and Peace

10. Gender, legal justice and human rights Building

11. Gender, culture and family

5. Gender Mainstreaming into Policies,

12. Gender Responsive Macro Sector Formation Budgeting Programmes and Legal Frameworks

6. Gender and Environment 13. Gender, the environment and disaster management; Strategic direction under the 6 broad policy themes: The following summarises the main strategic thrust under these themes derived from the GEWE Policy (Pages 22 & 23): Gender education, economic participation, technology and communication

1. Ensuring equal access to quality education by girls, boys, men and women by providing guidelines to diminish GBV and other discriminatory practices and policies in schools and in education in general by 2025

2. Strengthening women's access to and control over productive resources to lessen poverty among women in Sierra Leone by 2025

3. Promoting measures to improve women' s access to and leadership in information and communication technology and innovations by 2022 1. Gender, health, living with disability and SGBV

1. Implement measures to ensure at least 60 per cent of women and adolescent girls, children and infants have access to health including sexual and reproductive health, cancer and HIV/AIDS by 2025

2. Eliminate obstacles women and girls with disabilities and special needs face with regards to equality and economic empowerment, by proposing practical transformative measures

3. Harmonise relevant laws and strengthen implementation mechanisms to reduce the incidences of GBV in the country by at least 60 per cent by 2025 Gender and governance

1. Ensuring active participation of women in political leadership and decision-making at all levels by 30 per cent minimum by 2022;

2. Ensuring effective mainstreaming of gender perspective in humanitarian disaster interventions 173 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Gender justice, human rights and peace building

1. Enhance the participation in, and contribution of, Sierra Leonean women to peace-building and conflict resolution by implementing Resolutions 1325 and 1820 and SILNAP II

2. Upholding women's and girls' human rights by implementing human rights protection mechanisms and strengthening women's access to justice

3. Promoting equality in the family units and the upholding of women's rights in marriage, divorce and inheritance by strengthening the mechanisms that protect these rights Gender mainstreaming into policies, programmes and legal frameworks

1. Enhance the technical capacity of MDAs, Parliamentarians, Local Councils and the District Budgeting Oversight Committee to ensure that gender is Mainstreamed in sectoral policies, plans, laws, strategies and budgeting operations

2. Provide guidelines for public expenditures and meaningful allocation of public resources including to the Gender Ministry by institutionalizing gender responsive macro sector formation budgeting into all sectors and levels;

3. Establish/strengthen gender focal points/Gender Desks in MDAs and Local Councils. Gender and environment

1. Review and/or implement guidelines to increase women's active and effective participation in environmental activities

2. Strengthen women’s role in disaster management initiatives In addition to having the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy and Legislation, an additional opportunity to leverage going forward in narrowing the gender gap in development is the existence of the Radical Inclusion Policy in education, the Comprehensive Sexuality Education, the Free Quality School Education Programme with a School Feeding Component, and the Basic Education Act 2023; which if continuously implemented will deliver desired outcome in the strife for gender equality in the country towards the advancement of human capital development, the other Big 5 policy areas and in the overall development of the country. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to ensure effective mainstreaming of gender into national, sectoral and local policies, plans, budgets and programmes in order to significantly narrow gender inequality. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2028, women constitute at least 30 percent of the membership in parliament, and in ministerial positions, local council mayoral and chairperson positions

2. By 2025, Gender Units are established in all line ministries

3. By 2025, Gender-Based Violence Information Management Systems Plus (GBVIMS+) is rolled-out across the 16 districts of Sierra Leone ➢ Key policy actions On direct implementation of the GEWE Policy

1. Scale up actions in promoting gender equality in education, economic participation, technology and Communication

2. Improve efforts at narrowing gender gaps in accessing health services and providing welfare for PWDs

3. Scale up interventions in addressing SGBV

4. Consolidate and promote initiatives narrowing gender inequality on socioeconomic and political governance

5. Accelerate actions in addressing gender gaps in the dispensation of justice and human Rights and ensuring the effective participation of women as well as men in advancing peacebuilding

6. Ensure effectiveness in gender mainstreaming in policy, planning, programming/budgeting processes; and enhancing gender sensitivity in all legal frameworks

7. Strengthen gender disaggregated data in the national and sectoral statistical systems 174

8. Increase gender considerations in addressing climate change and promoting environmental sustainability. On institutional strengthening for effective delivery of GEWE Policy SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation

15. Scale up actions in promoting gender equality in education, economic participation, technology and Communication

16. Improve efforts at narrowing gender gaps in accessing health services and providing welfare for PWDs

17. Scale up interventions in addressing SGBV

18. Consolidate and promote initiatives narrowing gender inequality on socioeconomic and political governance

19. Accelerate actions in addressing gender gaps in the dispensation of justice and human Rights and ensuring the effective participation of women as well as men in advancing peacebuilding

20. Ensure effectiveness in gender mainstreaming in policy, planning, programming/budgeting processes; and enhancing gender sensitivity in all legal frameworks

21. Strengthen gender disaggregated data in the national and sectoral statistical systems

22. Increase gender considerations in addressing climate change and promoting environmental sustainability. 175 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Enabler 5: Financing, partnerships for implementation and risks management The world faces immense challenges, and due to the interconnectivity of various parts of the world, these challenges are felt right across all nations, with the hardest hit being LDCs like Sierra Leone. Indeed, the crises has widened the financing gaps for all nations. At the global level, SDG financing has risen from $2.5 trillion before the COVID-19, to more than $ 6 trillion to date. Thus, financing and implementation would be particularly daunting for weak states like Sierra Leone. Against this background, among the key principles guiding implementation of the plan will be exploration of innovative means of financing the new plan 2024- 2030, ensuring strengthened PFM systems, enhancing development cooperation, and scaling up sectoral coordination, coherence and alignment of multistakeholder operations with the National Development Plan, while linking the national plan more strongly to international development frameworks. This chapter is accordingly organised as follows. It starts by presenting the overall cost of the new plan and financing gap. It presents a realistic gap calculated out of what is realistically needed across the various planned sectors and what is forecast as expected cash inflows within the Government multiyear budget system. Projects considered in the activity matrix are those for which there is foreseeable cash streams and with bankable financing proposals. A financing strategy is then discussed, capturing innovative financing approach with the framework of a scaled-up implementation of the Sierra Leone Integrated National Financing Framework. This is followed by a well-articulated implementation coordination arrangement, linking national, subnational and development partners’ role in the implementation, including all the relevant stakeholders that participated in the plan preparation process. Next is an articulation of the monitoring and evaluation requirement, including performance management and service delivery mechanisms necessary for maximising value for money and development results. The role of statistics, data collection and development communications are discussed thereafter, before presenting a highlight of identified risks to implementation and risk mitigation measures, and then conclude the plan. 5.1. Cost of the plan and financing gap The total projected cost of the seven-year New MTNDP 2024-2030 is US$12.05 billion. Of this amount, the sum of US$6.62 billion represents direct project-related costs, while the sum of US$5.43 billion represents the government's statutory expenditures to support project implementation (see Table E.5.1). The government has projected to raise US$9.49 billion from both internal and already committed external resources, leaving a total financing gap of US$2.56 billion for seven years (a US$ 366 million average annual gap), for which new money will be sought to fully finance the New National Development Plan. The US$ 366 million annual gap for the new plan compares very well with the annual gap of US$310 million for the previous five-year plan that had a total gap of US$1.55 billion. Essentially, the new plan is highly realistic of the need to ensure increased prudence in the management of state resources in the next seven years, given the challenging fiscal situation that both global and national economies will continue to encounter. The Government will implement a robust integrated national financing framework to mobilise the needed resources, including innovative, climate and blended financing. Tables 3.4.1 to 3.4.4 present the Governments projected available resources for non-salary, non-interest recurrent expenditure, and domestic and foreign development estimates (capital projects spending). 176 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 3.4.1: Cost of the National Development Plan 2024–2030 (US$m) No Programme Areas 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Total Feed Salone 242.19 262.94 276.69 281.47 283.92 282.94 281.01 1,911.17 Accelerating productivity and commercialisation of the agricultural sector 233.16 252.99 266.19 270.79 273.57 272.48 270.49 1,839.66 Accelerating productivity and sustainable management of fisheries and the marine sector 8.61 9.44 9.89 9.97 9.68 9.82 9.87 67.29 Availability, access and consumption of diverse, safe and nutritious foods 0.41 0.52 0.62 0.71 0.67 0.64 0.65 4.22 Human Capital Development 191.11 206.8 226.18 237.62 247.76 254.65 262.57 1,626.68 Accelerating and expanding free quality basic and senior secondary education 35.54 43.70 48.00 48.62 50.84 50.85 52.45 329.99 Strengthening Tertiary and higher education 20.17 18.9 34.6 36.55 37.94 39 39.78 226.95 Improving health care delivery 36.75 48.21 60.69 64.65 67.14 68.94 70.3 416.68 Ending AIDS and TB by 2030 0.36 0.44 0.48 0.55 0.57 0.59 0.6 3.6 Water, environmental sanitation, waste management 88.45 85.84 72.61 76.87 80.58 84.3 88.26 576.92 and hygiene Women’s Empowerment 1.28 1.37 1.45 1.47 1.53 1.57 1.6 10.27 Children, the Aged and Disability Welfare 0.83 0.84 0.81 0.82 0.77 0.8 0.81 5.69 Social protection 6.1 5.7 5.66 6.12 6.35 6.5 6.62 43.05 Land, Housing and Urbanisation 1.64 1.79 1.87 1.96 2.04 2.1 2.14 13.55 Youth Employment Scheme 12.32 14.4 16.32 18.26 16.7 16.75 17.04 111.79 General employment promotion for youth 0.95 1.04 1.05 1.14 1.19 1.24 1.29 7.89 Addressing irregular migration 0.09 0.11 0.14 0.18 0.13 0.1 0.08 0.83 Resolving barriers to youth employment 0.15 0.2 0.26 0.3 0.25 0.22 0.19 1.56 Employment across the Government’s Big Five Game Changers 3.18 4.04 5.08 6.35 4.42 4.00 3.79 30.86 Sports for youth empowerment and socioeconomic development 7.95 9.01 9.78 10.30 10.71 11.19 11.70 70.64 Infrastructure, Technology and Innovation 110.38 116.06 120 126.3 131.44 135.25 141.25 880.69 Energy 59.44 61.12 64.39 67.25 69.88 71.3 74.74 468.11 Road and Transportation systems 50.12 53.99 54.56 57.93 60.44 62.81 65.34 405.18 Technology and innovation 0.83 0.95 1.05 1.12 1.12 1.14 1.18 7.39 5.5 Transforming Public Service Architecture 4.42 4.4 4.26 5.09 4 4.06 4.36 30.59 Structural alignment and rationalization of mandates 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.4 0.1 0.2 1.4 Human resource management / manpower strengthening 2.00 1.50 1.20 1.60 0.50 0.90 1.10 8.80 Public sector coordination and management 1.69 2.13 2.49 2.7 2.58 2.52 2.5 16.61 Monitoring, evaluation and performance management in the Public Service 0.63 0.57 0.47 0.50 0.52 0.54 0.56 3.78 E1 Diversifying the Economy and Promoting Growth 19.67 22.44 22.59 23.46 24.24 24.85 24.88 162.14 Transforming the tourism sector 9.54 9.39 8.52 8.76 9.03 9.18 8.72 40.79 Strengthening private sector for trade and sustainable development 4.15 6.06 6.48 6.68 6.81 6.94 7.10 44.23 Value addition and efficient management of natural resources 4.38 5.48 6.21 6.51 6.84 7.12 7.39 66.28 Financial inclusion for strengthened rural and informal economies 1.59 1.51 1.39 1.50 1.56 1.61 1.67 10.84 E2 Governance and Accountability 118.51 139.2 158.98 166.56 174.03 182.33 191.13 1,130.74 Political modernization for consolidating peace and national cohesion 106.26 127.58 148.22 155.68 163.28 171.35 179.86 1,052.24 Strengthening legislations, policies, and practice in fighting corruption and illicit financial flows 0.13 0.11 0.09 0.10 0.10 0.11 0.12 0.76 Public financial management 1.08 0.99 0.82 0.86 0.91 0.95 1 6.62 Audit services 1.46 1.34 1.11 1.16 1.22 1.28 1.34 8.91 Inclusive and accountable justice institutions 0.2 0.26 0.29 0.27 0.27 0.32 0.38 2.00 Public trust in state institutions 0.8 0.75 0.65 0.63 0.65 0.69 0.72 4.89 Decentralisation, local governance, and rural 0.33 0.31 0.25 0.27 0.28 0.29 0.31 2.04 development Security institutions 8.25 7.85 7.54 7.59 7.31 7.35 7.4 53.29 177 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation E3 Advancing Climate Resilience and Environmental Action 35.68 35.73 33.28 34.93 36.52 38.16 39.84 254.13 Building National Environmental Resilience 4.25 5.43 6.29 6.58 6.76 6.93 7.06 43.29 Forestry management and wetland conservation 31.31 30.09 26.77 28.11 29.52 30.99 32.54 209.33 Disaster management and governance 0.12 0.21 0.22 0.24 0.24 0.24 0.23 1.5 E4 Gender Mainstreaming 1.2 1.42 1.7 1.81 1.8 1.7 0.73 10.36 Support the full implementation of the GEWE Policy and programmes 1.00 1.30 1.50 1.70 1.60 1.40 0.60 9.10 Strengthening institutional and coordination capacity of the Gender sector 0.20 0.12 0.20 0.11 0.20 0.30 0.13 1.26 Financing, partnership, implementation & risk E5 54.63 63.13 69.86 72.33 75.57 78.97 82.85 497.33 management Coordinating implementation of the Plan. 2.53 3.58 3.61 3.27 3.07 2.86 2.95 21.87 Resource mobilization and fiscal management 34.37 43.05 50.95 53.54 56.21 59.01 61.95 359.09 Monitoring and evaluation, performance management and service delivery 0.08 0.08 0.06 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.08 0.51 Strengthening statistical systems 17.43 16.22 15.07 15.27 16.03 16.83 17.67 114.53 Communication for development 0.21 0.20 0.17 0.18 0.19 0.19 0.21 1.34 Total Direct Project Related Cost 6,616 Add (Government's Statutory Expenditures) 5,434.46 Wages and Salaries 3,472.87 Debt Service Obligations 1,709.96 Contingency and others 251.63 Grand-total National Development Plan 12,050 Less (Projected Available Resources) 9,486.01 Financing Gap -2,564 178 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 3.4.2: Non-Salary, Non-interest recurrent budget estimates, and foreign and domestic development estimates of Government of Sierra Leone (US$m) Strategic Programme Areas 2024 2024 2024 2024 2024 2024 2024 Total Total 255.23 303.12 353.77 371.29 389.15 407.06 425.37 2504.98 Feed Salone 9.58 11.39 13.64 14.32 14.89 15.34 15.64 94.79 Accelerating productivity and commercialisation of the agricultural 5.78 6.97 8.47 8.90 9.25 9.53 9.72 58.62 sector Accelerating productivity and sustainable management of fisheries and the marine sector 3.79 4.42 5.16 5.42 5.64 5.81 5.92 36.17 Availability, access and consumption of diverse, safe and nutritious - - - - - - - - foods Human Capital Development 32.61 38.73 45.59 47.87 49.78 51.28 52.30 318.16 Accelerating and expanding free quality basic and senior secondary education 7.63 9.09 10.59 11.12 11.57 11.91 12.15 74.07 Strengthening Tertiary and higher education 8.37 9.86 11.50 12.08 12.56 12.94 13.20 80.51 Improving health care delivery 11.43 13.97 16.24 17.05 17.73 18.26 18.63 113.30 Ending AIDS and TB by 2030 0.12 0.15 0.17 0.18 0.18 0.19 0.19 1.18 Water, environmental sanitation, waste management and hygiene 2.18 2.56 2.99 3.14 3.27 3.37 3.43 20.96 Women’s Empowerment 0.63 0.75 0.88 0.92 0.96 0.99 1.01 6.13 Children, the Aged and Disability Welfare 0.16 0.19 0.22 0.23 0.24 0.25 0.26 1.55 Social protection 1.11 0.95 1.59 1.66 1.73 1.78 1.82 10.64 Land, Housing and Urbanisation 0.99 1.21 1.41 1.48 1.54 1.58 1.62 9.82 Youth Employment Scheme 5.65 6.91 8.04 8.44 8.86 9.30 9.77 56.97 General employment promotion for youth 0.29 0.36 0.42 0.44 0.46 0.48 0.51 2.96 Addressing irregular migration - - - - - - - - Resolving barriers to youth employment - - - - - - - - Employment across the Government’s Big Five Game Changers 0.64 0.79 0.92 0.96 1.01 1.06 1.12 6.51 Sports for youth empowerment and socioeconomic development 4.71 5.76 6.70 7.04 7.39 7.76 8.15 47.50 Infrastructure, Technology and Innovation 59.91 65.59 74.00 77.53 81.33 85.14 89.35 532.84 Energy 37.79 39.61 43.68 45.70 47.90 50.05 52.50 317.2 Road and Transportation systems 21.57 25.31 29.55 31.02 32.57 34.20 35.91 210.1 Technology and innovation 0.54 0.66 0.77 0.81 0.85 0.89 0.94 5.5 Transforming Public Service Architecture 1.17 1.44 1.67 1.75 1.84 1.93 2.03 11.81 Ministry of Public Administration and Political Affairs 0.31 0.38 0.44 0.46 0.48 0.51 0.53 3.10 Public Sector Reform Unit (PSRU) 0.14 0.17 0.19 0.20 0.21 0.22 0.23 1.37 Cabinet Secretariat 0.27 0.33 0.38 0.40 0.42 0.44 0.46 2.70 Human Resource Management Office 0.21 0.26 0.30 0.32 0.33 0.35 0.37 2.15 Public Service Commission 0.18 0.22 0.25 0.26 0.28 0.29 0.30 1.78 Wages and Compensation Commission 0.07 0.09 0.10 0.11 0.11 0.12 0.12 0.72 Enabler 1: Diversifying the Economy and Promoting Growth 6.77 8.21 9.55 10.02 10.52 11.05 11.60 67.73 Transforming the tourism sector 0.94 1.16 1.35 1.41 1.49 1.56 1.64 9.55 Strengthening private sector for trade and sustainable development 1.94 2.39 2.78 2.92 3.06 3.22 3.38 19.68 Value addition and efficient management of natural resources 3.88 4.65 5.42 5.69 5.98 6.28 6.59 38.49 Financial inclusion for strengthened rural and informal economies - - - - - - - - Enabler 2: Governance and Accountability 106.0 127.33 147.92 155.32 163.09 171.24 179.80 1050.75 Political modernization for consolidating peace and national cohesion 106.05 127.33 147.92 155.32 163.09 171.24 179.80 1050.75 Strengthening legislations, policies, and practice in fighting corruption and - - - - - - - - illicit financial flows Public financial management - - - - - - - - Audit services - - - - - - - - Inclusive and accountable justice institutions - - - - - - - - Public trust in state institutions - - - - - - - - Decentralisation, local governance, and rural development - - - - - - - - Security institutions - - - - - - - - 179 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Enabler 3: Advancing Climate Resilience and Environmental Action 4.04 4.72 5.51 5.79 6.08 6.38 6.70 39.22 Building National Environmental Resilience 3.53 4.12 4.81 5.05 5.30 5.57 5.84 34.21 Forestry management and wetland conservation 0.51 0.60 0.70 0.74 0.78 0.81 0.86 5.00 Disaster management and governance - - - - - - - - Enabler 4: Financing, partnership, implementation & risk 29.45 38.82 47.86 50.25 52.76 55.40 58.17 332.71 management Coordinating implementation of the Plan. 0.66 0.81 0.94 0.99 1.04 1.09 1.14 6.66 Resource mobilization and fiscal management 28.46 37.61 46.44 48.77 51.21 53.77 56.45 322.71 Monitoring and evaluation, performance management and service - - - - - - - - delivery Strengthening statistical systems 0.33 0.41 0.47 0.50 0.52 0.55 0.57 3.34 Communication for development - - - - - - - - 180 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 3.4.3: Foreign development estimates of Government of Sierra Leone (US$m) Strategic Programme Areas 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 TOTAL 134 159 200 210 219 226 232 1,381 Feed Salone 70.11 90.02 109.88 115.37 119.99 123.59 126.06 755.01 Accelerating productivity and commercialisation of the agricultural 69.33 89.33 109.33 114.79 119.39 122.97 125.43 750.56 sector Accelerating productivity and sustainable management of fisheries 0.70 0.63 0.50 0.53 0.55 0.56 0.57 4.04 and the marine sector Availability, access and consumption of diverse, safe and nutritious 0.07 0.06 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.06 0.06 0.40 foods Human Capital Development 28.77 35.56 60.85 64.16 66.70 68.64 70.01 394.70 Accelerating and expanding free quality basic and senior 4.88 6.05 7.15 7.51 7.81 8.04 8.20 49.63 secondary education Strengthening Tertiary and higher education 6.31 3.31 17.61 18.49 19.23 19.80 20.20 104.93 Improving health care delivery 12.76 21.83 32.53 34.38 35.73 36.74 37.47 211.44 Ending AIDS and TB by 2030 0.24 0.30 0.31 0.38 0.39 0.40 0.41 2.42 Water, environmental sanitation, waste management and hygiene - Women’s Empowerment - Children, the Aged and Disability Welfare - Social protection 3.93 3.50 2.79 2.93 3.05 3.14 3.20 22.55 Land, Housing and Urbanisation 0.65 0.58 0.46 0.48 0.50 0.52 0.53 3.72 Youth Employment Scheme General employment promotion for youth - - - - - - - - Addressing irregular migration - - - - - - - - Resolving barriers to youth employment - - - - - - - - Employment across the Government’s Big Five Game Changers - - - - - - - - Sports for youth empowerment and socioeconomic development - - - - - - - - Infrastructure, Technology and Innovation 0.95 0.85 0.68 0.71 0.75 0.79 0.83 5.56 Energy 0.67 0.60 0.48 0.51 0.53 0.56 0.59 3.94 Road and Transportation systems 0.28 0.25 0.20 0.21 0.22 0.23 0.24 1.62 Technology and innovation - - - - - - - - Transforming Public Service Architecture - Diversifying the Economy and Promoting Growth 0.70 0.62 0.50 0.52 0.55 0.58 0.61 4.07 Transforming the tourism sector 0.39 0.34 0.27 0.29 0.30 0.32 0.33 2.24 Strengthening private sector for trade and sustainable - - - - - - - - development Value addition and efficient management of natural resources 0.31 0.28 0.23 0.24 0.25 0.26 0.27 1.84 Financial inclusion for strengthened rural and informal economies - - - - - - - - Governance and Accountability - Advancing Climate Resilience and Environmental Action 30.33 29.05 25.71 26.99 28.34 29.76 31.25 201.42 Building National Environmental Resilience - - - - - - - - Forestry management and wetland conservation 30.33 29.05 25.71 26.99 28.34 29.76 31.25 201.42 Disaster management and governance - - - - - - - - Financing, partnership, implementation & risk management 3.47 3.10 2.48 2.61 2.74 2.88 3.02 20.29 Coordinating implementation of the Plan. - Resource mobilization and fiscal management 2.35 2.10 1.69 1.77 1.86 1.96 2.05 13.79 Strengthening statistical systems 1.12 1.00 0.79 0.83 0.88 0.92 0.96 6.51 Monitoring and evaluation, performance management and service - - - - - - - - delivery 181 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 3.4.4: Domestic development estimates of Government of Sierra Leone (US$m) Strategic Programme Areas 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Total 395.07 399.05 371.93 335.09 383.82 382.17 383.86 Feed Salone 162.57 161.60 153.23 151.84 149.10 144.07 139.36 Accelerating productivity and commercialisation of the agricultural sector 158.05 156.69 148.39 147.10 144.93 139.98 135.34 Accelerating productivity and sustainable management of fisheries and the marine sector 4.11 4.39 4.22 4.02 3.50 3.45 3.37 Availability, access and consumption of diverse, safe and nutritious foods 0.41 0.52 0.62 0.71 0.67 0.64 0.65 Human Capital Development 129.74 132.51 119.73 125.59 131.28 134.73 140.25 Accelerating and expanding free quality basic and senior secondary education 23.03 28.56 30.26 29.99 31.47 30.89 32.10 Strengthening Tertiary and higher education 5.49 5.73 5.49 5.99 6.15 6.26 6.38 Improving health care delivery 12.56 12.42 11.92 13.22 13.68 13.94 14.20 Ending AIDS and TB by 2030 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Water, environmental sanitation, waste management and hygiene 86.27 83.28 69.62 73.73 77.31 80.94 84.82 Women’s Empowerment 0.49 0.43 0.35 0.32 0.33 0.33 0.34 Children, the Aged and Disability Welfare 0.83 0.84 0.81 0.82 0.77 0.80 0.81 Social protection 1.06 1.25 1.28 1.52 1.57 1.57 1.60 Land, Housing and Urbanisation 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Youth Employment Scheme 6.67 7.48 8.28 9.82 7.84 7.44 7.27 General employment promotion for youth 0.66 0.68 0.63 0.70 0.73 0.75 0.78 Addressing irregular migration 0.09 0.11 0.14 0.18 0.13 0.10 0.08 Resolving barriers to youth employment 0.15 0.20 0.26 0.30 0.25 0.22 0.19 Employment across the Government’s Big Five Game Changers 2.54 3.25 4.16 5.38 3.41 2.94 2.67 Sports for youth empowerment and socioeconomic development 3.24 3.24 3.08 3.27 3.32 3.43 3.55 Infrastructure, Technology and Innovation 49.53 49.63 45.32 1.75 49.36 49.32 51.08 Energy 20.97 20.90 20.22 0.95 21.44 20.70 21.65 Road and Transportation systems 28.27 28.44 24.82 0.50 27.64 28.37 29.18 Technology and innovation 0.29 0.29 0.28 0.31 0.27 0.25 0.24 Transforming Public Service Architecture 1.15 1.26 1.29 1.44 1.27 1.13 1.03 General Public Service 0.53 0.69 0.82 0.95 0.75 0.59 0.47 Foreign and diplomatic service 0.63 0.57 0.47 0.50 0.52 0.54 0.56 Diversifying the Economy and Promoting Growth 8.73 10.53 10.09 10.33 10.46 10.39 9.69 Transforming the tourism sector 4.75 4.80 4.44 4.48 4.54 4.46 3.77 Strengthening private sector for trade and sustainable development 2.21 3.67 3.70 3.77 3.75 3.72 3.73 Value addition and efficient management of natural resources 0.18 0.55 0.56 0.58 0.61 0.58 0.53 Financial inclusion for strengthened rural and informal economies 1.59 1.51 1.39 1.50 1.56 1.61 1.67 Governance and Accountability 12.46 11.30 10.58 10.75 10.42 10.55 10.75 Political modernization for consolidating peace and national cohesion 0.21 0.25 0.30 0.36 0.20 0.11 0.06 Strengthening legislations, policies, & practice in fighting corruption & illicit financial flows 0.13 0.11 0.09 0.10 0.10 0.11 0.12 Public financial management 1.08 0.99 0.82 0.86 0.91 0.95 1.00 Audit services 1.46 1.34 1.11 1.16 1.22 1.28 1.34 Inclusive and accountable justice institutions 0.20 0.26 0.29 0.27 0.27 0.32 0.38 Public trust in state institutions 0.80 0.18 0.17 0.13 0.13 0.14 0.14 Decentralisation, local governance, and rural development 0.33 0.31 0.25 0.27 0.28 0.29 0.31 Security institutions 8.25 7.85 7.54 7.59 7.31 7.35 7.40 Advancing Climate Resilience and Environmental Action 1.31 2.11 2.18 2.28 2.23 2.16 2.04 Building National Environmental Resilience 0.72 1.46 1.60 1.66 1.59 1.50 1.37 Forestry management and wetland conservation 0.48 0.44 0.36 0.38 0.40 0.42 0.44 Disaster management and governance 0.12 0.21 0.22 0.24 0.24 0.24 0.23 Gender Mainstreaming 1.20 1.42 1.70 1.81 1.80 1.70 0.73 Support the full implementation of the GEWE Policy and programmes 1.00 1.30 1.50 1.70 1.60 1.40 0.60 Strengthening institutional and coordination capacity of the Gender sector 0.20 0.12 0.20 0.11 0.20 0.30 0.13 Financing, partnership, implementation & risk management 21.71 21.21 19.52 19.47 20.07 20.69 21.67 Coordinating implementation of the Plan 1.87 2.78 2.67 2.28 2.03 1.77 1.81 Resource mobilization and fiscal management 3.56 3.34 2.82 3.00 3.15 3.29 3.44 Monitoring and evaluation, performance management and service delivery 0.08 0.08 0.06 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.08 Strengthening statistical systems 15.98 14.82 13.80 13.94 14.64 15.37 16.14 Communication for development 0.21 0.20 0.17 0.18 0.19 0.19 0.21 182 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.2. Financing requirements for specific high-level interventions This section provides forecasts of minimum financial investment requirements for achieving the National Goals of the plan by 2030 in specific broad interventions, including reduction of national income poverty to at most 26.5 percent and achieving zero extreme poverty (total elimination of severe food insecurity) in the country. We will present forecasts of:

1. Minimum yearly financial needs in direct cash transfers required to close absolute income poverty gap and eliminate extreme poverty/food insecurity for the period 2024-2030;

2. Total investment in energy required to increase population access to electricity from 36 to 70 percent by 2030;

3. Projected benefits from mobilising the Blue Economy Potential of Sierra Leone and current minimum financial investment in critical areas required to scale-up the harnessing of benefit from the Blue Economy;

4. Projected climate resilience energy requirement (renewables) for Sierra Leone to meet all 17 SDGs by 2030;

5. Infrastructural demand for effective implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area; projected Sierra Leone’s investment contribution required to maximise benefits from trade in the country and Africa as a whole by 2030. A). Minimum annual financial requirement in direct cash transfers towards reducing absolute (food + non-food) income poverty to at most 26.5 percent from 56.8 percent; and elimination of extreme poverty/severe food insecurity from 12.9 percent by 2030—estimated at NLe8.2 billion (US$344 million) to close absolute poverty gap; NLe258 million (US$11 million) to eliminate severe food insecurity/extreme poverty; total amount for the 7-year period is at least US$2.41 billion., and $77 million, respectively. Cash transfers for closing absolute income poverty gap: The current absolute income poverty headcount (the proportion of people living below the absolute income poverty line) in Sierra Leone remains at 56.8 percent, as estimated based on the last Sierra Leone Integrated Household Survey (SLIHS) 2018. The associated poverty gap for this is 18 percent, given an absolute poverty line at current prices of NLe 10,598.14 per year. 59 Given these estimates, the yearly minimum direct cash transfers to income deprived persons necessary to keep them out of income poverty during 2024-2030 is projected at about NLe8.2 billion (or US$344 million)—the total amount for the 7-year period is at least US$2.41 billion. Cash transfers for closing extreme income poverty gap/eliminating severe food insecurity: The current extreme income poverty headcount (the proportion of people living below the food income poverty line) in Sierra Leone remains at 12.9 percent, as estimated based on the last SLIHS2018. The associated poverty gap for this is 2.5 percent, given a food poverty line at current prices of NLe 6,321.88 per year.60 Given these estimates, the yearly minimum direct cash transfers to give to food deprived persons necessary to keep them out of extreme poverty/food insecurity during 2024-2030 is projected at about NLe258 million (US$11 million)—the total amount for the 7-year period is at least US$77 million. --------------------------------------------------------------- 58 At time of calculating the last poverty indices (from SLIHS2018), income poverty line per day in US$ was 1.22; which would go up to US$ 445.3 per year. The current market exchange rate at the time of these calibration on 15/11/23 was Le 23,800/US$. Thus, in absolute terms, the poverty line per year at current market exchange rate is Le 23,800*445.3 = Le 10,595,140. 60 Calibrations are similar to the ones in the last footnote, using the same data from SLIHS2018. 183 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation These financial projections assume that there would be effective targeting of the income and food deprived households for these transfers to yield desired results— noting that, these expenditures do not include general transaction costs/investments, including administrative and logistical spending requirements. B). Additional investment in energy (installed capacity) required to increase population access to electricity from 32 to 60 percent by 2030 is estimated at 235.4 MW, amounting to NLe25 billion (US$ 1.042 billion)61 Based on energy needs modelling done by the Planning Unit of the Ministry of Energy in Sierra Leone, to increase population access to electricity from 32 percent in 2021 to 60 percent by 2030 will require an installed capacity increase from (150-350) MW to about (385-585) MW, adding a total amount of energy of 235.4 MW to the current capacity. Accordingly, the projected investment required to add the 235.4 MW necessary to shore up access to 60 percent by 2030 is NLe25 billion (US$ 1.042 billion). C) Projected benefits from mobilising the Blue Economy potential of Sierra Leone and the current minimum financial investment required in critical areas to maximise benefit from the Blue Economy up to 2030: US$193 Blue Economy is about “increasing human well-being through the sustainable development of ocean resources, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.” It has diverse beneficial components, including traditional industries (fisheries tourism, and maritime transport), and new and emerging activities (offshore renewable energy, aquaculture, seabed extractive activities, and marine biotechnology and bioprospecting). Africa Blue Economy and its components are estimated to have generated US$ 296 billion in income to date, with 49 million jobs, reference to the 2012 Rio + 20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development, when the idea of the Blue Economy first came up. This is projected to go up to US$405 billion and 57 million jobs by 2030. Therefore, all nations with great Blue Economy potential, like Sierra Leone (with more than 500 km coastline), among coastal and island states, are advised to develop a national framework for implementation of initiatives in this direction. Accordingly, Sierra Leone has put together a Blue Economy Strategy with an Action Plan with a minimum investment cost of US$ 193 million during 2024-2030 for undertaking basic operations towards harnessing the bountiful growth, revenue and job potential for meeting the National Goals of GoSL’s Big 5 Agenda by 2030. The current investment areas covering these basic operations relate to the following: i. Promoting food security and economic diversification ii. Strengthening marine transportation, port, and shipping iii. Ensuring healthy, productive and sustainable aquatic environment iv. Advancing maritime surveillance, security and enforcement v. Exploring blue energy, mineral resources and innovative financing vi. Supporting blue governance, science, technology and research --------------------------------------------------------------- 61 The target level of access of 70 percent by 2030 is set by the Ministry of Energy. 184 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation D) Climate resilience energy requirement (renewables) for Africa to meet all 17 SDGs by 2030 is estimated at 250 GW (250,000 MW); the Sierra Leone requirement based on these estimates is about 1.3 GW (1,292 MW; 1,292,000 kW)—minimum financial requirement of US$ 3.9 billion At African level, to achieve all 17 SDGs by 2030, an estimated quantity of 250 GW (an equivalent of 250,000 MW) is required by the continent. Given a total African population of about 1.46 billion, currently, the per capita renewable energy requirement in the continent can be estimated at 0.00017 MW. Based on this estimate, the total quaintly required for Sierra Leone to to meet the SDGs by 2030 can be projected at 1,292 MW, based on a national population estimate of 7,548,702 from the 2021 country Mid-Term Census. At an estimated unit investment cost of US$2,985 per kW (US$ 2,984,880 per MW), the projected investment for meeting standard renewable needs of the country to meets the SDGs and hence the National Goals of the new National Development Plan by 2030 can be estimated at US$3.9 billion—these projections draw from unit cost estimates at African level for Wind Onshore, Solar PV, Hydro Large, Hydro Small and Geothermal/Conventional technologies.62 E) Infrastructural demand for effective implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); projected Sierra Leone’s investment contribution to maximise benefits from trade in the country and Africa as a whole is estimated at US$(670-880) million annually, US$(5-6) billion for the seven-year period 2024-2030 Expected to create a continental market of about 1.4 billion people, the AfCFTA is expected to generate a combined GDP of about US$3.4 trillion in full gear, “making it the largest free trade area in the world since the establishment of the World Trade Organization.” By 2035, it is expected to increase Africa’s income by US$450 billion, and Sierra Leone should not be left out in all of these benefits. However, the infrastructural demand for the free trade area to yield expected benefits for all countries is huge, in road, rail, maritime, air and in all modes of transport. It is projected at continental level that between US$ (130&170) billion is required in infrastructural financing annually to maximise benefits from AfCFTA, while the current financing only hovers around US$ (68-108) billion. The projected per capita investment cost is US$(90-117) annually. Based on Sierra Leone’s current population of 7,548,702, therefore, the projected investment required by the country can be estimated at about US$(670-880) million annually for it to contribute to the maximisation of AfCFTA for itself and Africa as a whole; US$(5-6) billion for the 7-year period 2024-2030. --------------------------------------------------------------- 62 Calibrations were done based on a presentation by Mekalia Paulos Aklilu on Energy Transition in the face of Climate Change in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges; Meeting of Intergovernmental Committee of Senior Officials and Experts in West and North Africa organised by the UNECA’s Sub-Regional Offices for West and North Africa; Accra, Ghana, 1 November 2023; Page 13. 185 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.3. Integrated financing strategy Public Investment Programme, Development Assistance and NGO Operations Traditionally, the Government of Sierra Leone has domestically financed its development programmes through its Public Investment Programme (PIP) consisting of Domestic Capital Expenditure estimates annexed to the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), processed under the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development through its Public Investment Management Directorate. The Directorate puts together costs for all domestic public capital expenditure committed to project implementation within the MTEF. It coordinates government spending on economic infrastructure such as airports, roads, railways, water and sewerage systems, public electric and gas utilities, telecommunications, and social infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, and prisons. It also facilitates spending on human capital such as education and health, or financial investments by government institutions, such as sovereign wealth funds. The PIP framework is the vehicle through which capital projects outlined in the National Development Plan are funded. Over the implementation of the previous MTNDP (2019-2023), a significant amount of Domestic Public Finance, defined as government/government counterpart funding to donor-assisted projects, was committed to realising the goals of the previous plan. Government’s envelope has been informed by macroeconomic conditions and forecasts; constituting a substantial share of government discretionary financing, depending on which projects are priorities amidst global conditions. Table 3.4.5 presents a summary of domestic capital spending for the period 2018-2022, reflecting government and government-counterpart funding. Table 3.4.5: Summary Analysis of the PIP (2018 -2022) Year 2018 (Nle'000) 2019 (Nle'000) 2020 (Nle'000) 2021 (Nle'000) 2022 (Nle'000) Domestic Budget 1,046,000 901,186 1,060,031 1,201,369 1,390,251 Actual Disbursements 663,937 747,133 1,317,166 1,509,059 1,494,505 Total # of Planned Projects 221 303 236 213 204 % of Projects Funded 25% 34% 36% 63% 40% Source: Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, Freetown During 2019-2023, critical milestones were achieved on the PIP front, starting with MoPED working in collaboration with development partners such as the World Bank and IMF to conduct a comprehensive Public Investment Management Assessment to determine the status of efficiency and effectiveness of the country’s Public Investment Management System. Subsequently, a National Public Investment Management Policy was developed to guide the operations of this system, involving the conduct of MDAs, State Own Enterprises (SOEs) and Local Councils (LCs) in the conceptualisation and formulation of capital projects and their financings and implementation management. Subsequently, MoPED developed a Pre-Investment National Public Investment Management Operational Manual, now at an advanced stage of becoming a more comprehensive manual. In 2023, the PIP was cascaded to the Local Councils, for the first time, realising the amount of project investment made by GoSL and partners at subnational level. Generally, GoSL’s development financing has been far from adequate to meet planned capital development expenditure and results. Widespread global challenges, especially following the eruption of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019/20 worsened the domestic financing situation for LDCs like Sierra Leone that have always required international public finance to fill funding gaps. This made external development assistance and its effective coordination remain more critical during the previous plan implementation. 186 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Accordingly, MoPED ensured that its Development Assistance Coordinating Office was strengthened during the previous plan implementation, and it will be scaled up going forward with the new plan for 2024-2030. During 2019-2023, the Development Partners Committee (DEPAC) dialogue platform on national development issues was strengthened. Quarterly meetings of government and partners were regularised and organised at national and MDA level to discuss and respond to development challenges, including financing. Presidential DEPAC meetings were also held, which became very effective during the COVID-19 pandemic, when DEPAC was used for coordinating preparedness and response to the pandemic. This development coordination platform was generally instrumental in discussing progress in the implementation of sectoral projects and funding in a range of sectors, including health, education, energy, trade, agriculture, environment, trade and private sector. In all, during 2019- 2023 a total of 12 DEPAC meetings were held, with each meeting proffering recommendations and actions to improve national development plan implementation. A stocktake exercise suggests that 70 percent of the DEPAC recommendations were implemented during 2019-2023. And monitoring of aid flows was sustained during the period, ensuring continued annual publication of the Development Assistance Report, which showed steady increases in aid flows as reflected in Figure 3.3. 1054.3 916.91 899.85 877.53 516.22 479.43 448.45 453.56 425.27 422.96 397.54 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Figure 3.3 External aid flows to Sierra Leone 2012-2022 (US$ ‘mn) Source: Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, Freetown To scale up coherence and alignment of partner programmes with the National Development Plan, a comprehensive Development Cooperation Framework was produced to strengthen guidance of the operations of development partners in the country. The NGOs through which a great share of external assistance has been channelled to the country was covered in the national Development Cooperation Framework, with MoPED also situating a Directorate for coordinating national NGOs affairs. The NGO Directorate, which coordinates the registration and certification of NGOs under MoPED, ensured the alignment of NGO activities to the previous MTNDP; and this will be scaled up going into the implementation of the new plan. These efforts have been critical in strengthening public financial planning and management, involving among others, the submission of annual reports on NGO programme implementation, giving GoSL an opportunity to determine performing and non-performing NGOs. The management of this sector was scaled up with efforts towards the development of a web-based database of NGO operations by sector, region and district/communities. A partnership mapping system was put in place in this direction, and key NGO platforms such as for WASH, health and education sectors were well-coordinated with regular meetings. And the NGO Regulatory Framework was revised for the period 2023-2028, while ensuring annual publication of the Gazette of registered NGOs, to distinguish those eligible to operate in the country from others. In all, a total of 1,261 NGOs were registered in both the new and renewal categories during 2018-2023, as shown in Table 3.4.6. 187 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Table 3.4.6: NGO Registration in Sierra Leone Year Category NNGO INGO Total 2018/2019 New 69 7 76 Renewal 165 73 238 Total 234 80 314 2020/2021 New 149 11 160 Renewal 194 80 274 Total 343 91 434 2022/2023 New 167 20 187 Renewal 238 88 326 Total 405 108 513 The strategic objective for management scale-up of the PIP is to rationalise projects in the PIP system and the flagship programme of government within its Big Five Game Changers and their enablers as outlined in this plan; ensure that all project and programme outcomes and outputs positively impact growth, development, and job creation, and ensure that the PIP is implemented in line with the National Public Investment Management Policy. This will require but not limited to the following: establishment of a sustainable Project Preparation Facility, development of off-the-shelf Bankable Projects in line with the Big Five Game Changer Agenda; and establishment of a workable and adaptable Public Investment Management Information System (an Integrated Bank of Projects Web-based platform). For development assistance, a strategic objective is to encourage joint programming and division of labour among donor agencies to reduce fragmentation and duplication of activities. To this end, the DEPAC and sector working group meetings will be strengthened for effective sector coordination, monitoring, and reporting of donor agency operations. Consultative Group meetings will be organised to mobilise resources for the implementation of the new MTNDP. With respect to NGO operations, the strategic objective will be to scale-up the coordination of operations of these organisations through increased information management on their activities; holding regular coordination meetings at national, sectoral and district levels; building operational capacity including training of NGO Desk Officers across sectors and district; and reactivating of agriculture, youth, education, platforms. The alignment of development assistance and NGO operations to the National Development Plan will be strengthened over the plan implementation period. Strengthening implementation of Sierra Leone’s INFF The ongoing global multiple crises have made it difficult for Sierra Leone like other LDCs to mobilise resources to finance basic service delivery. This had derailed development during 2019-2023, undermining progress towards the achievement of national goals. As the traditional sources of financing are far from sufficient in delivering the needed financing, Sierra Leone's government has prioritised domestic revenue mobilisation through key policy reforms, including measures to strengthen the country’s tax administration and revenue collection. Going into the implementation of the new National Development Plan for the next seven years, the Government will pursue the implementation of an integrated national financing framework (INFF)-related initiatives. It will strengthen the requisite institutional mechanism for these by enhancing the national INFF oversight committee to steer strategic decisions, oversee implementation and maximise the flow of resources towards sustainable financing of development programmes effectively and coherently. The MoPED had worked with the UN RCO and UNDP to implement an INFF-related project, Strengthening Domestic Resource Mobilisation for the Implementation of the SDGs in Sierra Leone. This project, financed through the UN Joint SDG Fund window, supported the promotion of financial literacy and digitalisation, the operations of the National Revenue Authority, the expansion of the social security coverage of the informal sector by the National Social 188 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Security and Insurance Trust and boosting capacity of local councils in the monitoring of revenue flows and expenditure management. However, this has just been a small aspect in the range of financing options contained in the country’s INFF. Therefore, more project resources will be required to implement these options as new ones will be explored. Recently, GoSL in collaboration with the UNDP concluded the following studies and assessments within the country’s INFF: a) a study on barriers and enablers of women participation in the domestic resource mobilisation in Sierra Leone; b) a study on diaspora investment potential in Sierra Leone; and c) an SDG Investor Mapping to identify and propagate market incentives and signals for private investment. Once these studies have been launched, it will be critical to develop and implement projects to scale-up financing for the SDGs in the country. Given the projected fiscal and financial constraints faced by Sierra Leone, the strategic objective going forward with the implementation of the new plan here is to maximise the mix of financing options, paying special attention to innovative solutions. The possible financing options for the investments derived from the identified SDG interlinkages are: tax and revenue reforms, debt for SDGs, climate finance, blended and public-private finance, SDG aligned business environment and investment, accessing financial markets and insurance, remittances, philanthropy and faith- based financing. Looking ahead to the future and in response to emerging challenges that are impacting the sustainable development gains, the Government of Sierra Leone and its partners will need to continue their fruitful cooperation and joint efforts to bring innovative financial mechanisms to scale to enhance sustainable and inclusive economic growth and development, focusing on women, youth and rural communities at risk. The Government will continue to explore optimal financing instruments to leverage and channel private and Diaspora investments into national and local SDG aligned priorities. Specific policy actions in the regard will include but not limited to the following:

1. Marketing Sierra Leone MNTDP in relevant international donor and investment fora

2. Increasing rebranding of Sierra Leone as a destination for investment

3. Implementing the Blue Economy Action Plan and climate finance strategies

4. Supporting the implementation of the AfCFTA

5. Implementing financing options identified in the INFF

6. Implementing the recommendations from INFF-related studies

7. Undertaking more studies on INFF related potentials for increase financing for the MTNDP

8. Launching and operationalising the national oversight and steering committee on the INFF

9. Increasing coordination among sectors. 5.4. Strengthening external relations and economic diplomacy The Government of Sierra Leone has a renewed determination to ensure increased investment in its foreign relations and international cooperation as a critical dimension to mobilising sustainable financing for national socioeconomic development. While its renewed focus will include the promotion and defence of national sovereignty, international image, the well-being of citizens at home and abroad and the integrity of national institutions within the traditional foreign relation and cooperation context, priority will be given to economic diplomacy during 2024-2030. In the previous MTNDP 2019-2023, the following were achieved in promoting international relations for national development: building, commissioning, and equipping an ultra-modern Foreign Service Academy; opening additional Embassies in more countries including Morocco, Egypt, Turkey and the United Arab Emirate (UAE) and 189 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation secured Visa Free Travel for holders of Diplomats and Service Passport Holders to Russia, Turkey, Morocco, and UAE; securing a seat for Sierra Leone in the non-permanent category in the UN Security Council endorsed by ECOWAS and the AU; undertaking community level sensitisation on ECOWAS interventions in Sierra Leone, deployment of ECOWAS Volunteers in various communities in the country, construction of ECOWAS Peace Support Logistics Depot, supporting efforts to scale up nutrition and food security, and reduction of maternal mortality; promoting Adult Education in Technical and Vocational Education and strengthening general data System in the country; and strengthening coordination of and follow-ups on the operations of the Mano River Union (MRU).63 Despite these achievements, the country encountered some challenges in its strife to maximise external relations and economic diplomacy. Some of these challenges include: limited capacity to fully face the emerging governance realities in the ECOWAS region as well as quickly respond to the rapidly evolving capacity needs especially skills related to Information, Communication, Technology (ICT) and foreign language in responding to changing global context; complexities and dynamics facing the international environment especially security threats issues, have to some extent negatively affected the operations of the sector. Furthermore, the late disbursement of funds and inadequate logistical support posed a serious challenge to the implementation of ECOWAS activities and other foreign operations. A key lesson during 2019-2023 is that the extensive international engagements by Sierra Leone in different international forums increased the country’s experience in multiple international diplomatic discourses that led to it securing a seat in the non-permanent category of the United Nations Security Council for 2024-2025. A strategic objective on the general foreign relations going forward is therefore to promote Sierra Leone’s socio- political, economic, and strategic interests to ensure quality representation in foreign missions as well as increasing foreign direct investments and partnership opportunities for Sierra Leone. The specific aims include but not limited to the following:

1. Increasing international trade and business investments in food security, energy, tourism, mining, education, technology, and infrastructure through mobilising global partnership opportunities; 2. logistically expand Sierra Leone’s diplomatic missions abroad by 20 percent to support the country’s national development agenda; 3. digitalising at least 60 percent of the ministry of foreign affairs’ operations; 4. operationalising the diplomatic academy and increasing the number of trained/career diplomats serving the country by 20 percent; 5. ensuring that the foreign service bill is enacted into law;

6. And meeting all Sierra Leone’s financial obligations in all multilateral institutions where Sierra Leone is a statutory member Strategic objective for strengthening relations within ECOWAS and the Mano River Union With regard to ECOWAS and MRU, the strategic objective is to increase the visibility of the two sub-regional blocs in Sierra Leone and their contribution in the country’s socioeconomic development, while facilitating Sierra Leone’s participation in addressing sub-regional stability and sustainable development. Among the specific focus areas of operations are:

1. Establishing ECOWAS Radio and Television Station in Sierra Leone to promulgate interventions and activities of the Community in the country;

2. Supporting the development of institutional capacity for the effective operations of ECOWAS in Sierra Leone

3. Facilitating the mobilisation of more resources from the Community for Sierra Leone’s socioeconomic development, and increasing the representation of the country in ECOWAS

4. Developing and implement an international campaign strategy for Sierra Leone’s candidacy as Chair of the ECOWAS Commission of Heads of State.

5. Strengthening the strategic direction of the MRU

6. Constructing multipurpose MRU Headquarters in Freetown --------------------------------------------------------------- 62 Further details can be obtained from the Sector Paper on External Relations and Economic Diplomacy submitted to MoPED for the preparation of the new MTNDP. 190 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.5. Implementation arrangement Implementation of programmes in the medium-term national development plan is coordinated at national, regional, district and community levels. Consequently, there will be decentralised arrangement for the effective coordination of implementation, as it was in the previous plan. The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development will continue to provide general operational leadership in the coordination of implementation across the different layers at national, sectoral, regional/district and community levels, as depicted in Figure 3.4. The ministry will in turn be providing update to ministerial cabinet and parliament on the implementation status on a regular basis. Office of the President Ministerial Cabinet Most Strategic Policy Level Coordination Parliament Level Central Central MDAn MDA1 Ministry of Planning & Development Economic Central & Operational Partners, Development Level Coordination CSOs, NGOs, Central Central Private MDA3 MDA2 Sector, Academia, Research Institutions, Diaspora, Local Local other Non- MDAn MDA1 State Actors Local Councils and DDCCs Regional/District/ Local Chiefdom Level Local Coordination MDA3 MDA2 Village/Chiefdom Level Coordination Figure 3.4 Flow of implementation responsibility 191 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Ministerial cabinet level responsibilities a. Will provide general guidance to the implementation of the national plan b. Ensure that all projects and programmes implemented are aligned to the priorities identified in the MTNDP c. Facilitate round table discussions to address general challenges to implementation d. Play central role in resource mobilisation e. Review implementation and M&E reports and provide recommendations to strengthen implementation f. Promote complementary and synergies in implementation across sectors. Central MDA responsibilities

1. Establish and ensure effective Sector Working Groups on plan implementation

2. Ensure alignment of sectoral plans to the national development plan

3. Ensure effective implementation of public projects captured in the National Development Plan.

4. Ensure effective programme coordination at the sectoral level and intersectoral collaboration

5. In collaboration with MoPED, monitor, evaluate, and report on the activities implemented across the sectors

6. Participate in mid-term and other reviews of the implementation of the plan. District Development Coordination Committees (DDCCs) The government will increase the functionality of the DDCCs as platforms not only to facilitate planning at the local level, but also to effectively coordinate and report on progress in the implementation of the national development plan at district and community levels. They will perform the following functions:

1. Facilitate the alignment of district development plans with the national development plan

2. Meeting regularly to discuss and report on general development progress as relates to the implementation of the national development plan operationalised through district plans;

3. Provide regular updates to the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development on the implementation of the national plan

4. Provide regular updates to line MDAs at central level on status of various district sectoral development projects and programmes;

5. Serve as platforms for discussing, following up and reporting on emerging issues, including response to emergencies at district and community level, as may affect the implementation of the national development plan;

6. Generate information for preparation of annual plans and budgets, partner mapping and ongoing evaluation of sector programmes at district level;

7. Enhance general development communication at community level; and

8. Support coordination of development partners, including CSOs/NGOs at district level. Government–Development Partner Dialogue Through the Development Partners Committee framework, the following functions will be performed:

1. The government and development partners will regularly convene dialogue meetings at national level to discuss progress in the implementation of the national plan and provide recommendations for increased implementation effectiveness

2. Will constantly discuss and facilitate financing of the national development plan

3. They will joint support the building of capacity for effective implementation across sectors and at district level

4. Will ensure effective coordination of external assistance, aligning it to the national development plan Role of the civil society and the private sector

1. Support the mobilisation of resource for plan implementation

2. Support the monitoring of the implementation of the plan

3. Advocate for equitable distribution of the programme resources across the country

4. Strengthen public private partnership/dialogue in the implementation process

5. Support public information dissemination on the plan and plan implementation 192 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 5.6. Monitoring and evaluation, performance management and service delivery The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Framework (RF) of the MTNDP 2024-2030 is to monitor, track and report progress on the implementation of development interventions and targets defined in the RF and identify bottlenecks for early resolution. The RF is also a guide for oversight, coordination and implementation of the plan as well as ensuring that information, data and analysis are of the best quality. The M&E framework is critical for an evidence-based assessment of the plan’s performance and to ensure that Sierra Leone can meet its goals. The focus of the M&E for this Plan is to advance results-based planning and performance monitoring, reporting and use of evidence for responsive decision-making to drive M&E activities. The goal is to improve the current and future management of activities, outputs, outcomes and impacts to provide a foundation for the strongest possible implementation of the plan. For effective reporting on the implementation of the plan, district development plan indicators, and indicators for MDA strategic plans, programmes and projects will be aligned to the outcomes and impact indicators set in the national plan results framework. The tracking of these indicators will be done at all levels. The performance of the outputs related to the MTNDP 2024-2030 will be monitored through the tracking of programmes and project outputs by local councils at district and community level, and MDAs at the national level. The findings of the tracking will feed into annual and mid-term MTNDP 2024-2030 progress reports. In addition, routine monitoring in the form of proactive and reactive response will be continuously conducted, and reports produced on projects/programmes implementation for the consumption and information of stakeholders, including policymakers. Four key principles to guide M&E for the Plan These are:

1. Consistency and harmonisation between national and subnational development—towards setting outcomes, indicators, baselines, and targets across MDAs and LC development strategies.

2. Comprehensiveness: This M&E framework covers arrangements for M&E of development policies, programmes and projects covered by MTNDP.

3. Leverage of ICT: MTNDP M&E activities will build on the NaMEMIS and existing ICT based monitoring systems (such as IFMIS, MDA Pro and specific MDA systems, including the soon-to-launch online SDG Monitoring Framework).

4. Inclusiveness: The M&E Framework is designed to facilitate reporting and data collection from all MDAs and LCs on MTNDP priorities and related outcomes. Envisaged stages of M&E for the new Plan General monitoring: This will be carried out for the MTNDP 2024-2030 entirely in line with the Results Framework, the National M&E Policy and the National Monitoring and Evaluation Management Information System (NaMEMIS). Proactive monitoring: NaMED, MDAs and LCs will conduct routine monitoring of programmes, projects and policies associated with the Plan. Reports from project site visits will focus on tracking programme and project outputs and measuring performance against set development outcomes in the national plan; and reports will include lessons learnt to improve programme implementation. Reactive monitoring: Projects and programmes that are annually captured in the national budget will require M&E reports on planned outputs to trigger disbursement of funds to MDAs, LCs and contractors by the Ministry of Finance. Accordingly, all MDAs will therefore be required to request NaMED to undertake such monitoring as they request for funds from the MoF. 193 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Evaluation: This will focus on reviewing and assessing the performance of outcomes and impact indicators and targets in the RF of the Plan. Special studies of policy and programme initiatives in the plan will be evaluated to generate information on the best approaches used in the implementation of such policies and programmes. Most importantly, the independent mid-term and final evaluations of the Plan will be conducted aimed at generating policy recommendations for the current plan and improvement of next generation national development plans. Assessment of planned, ongoing, or completed interventions to determine relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability will be integral to the evaluation plan for the new MTNDP. Mid-term review: As a seven-year plan, a Mid-Term Review/Evaluation (MTR) will be undertaken to assess progress made in achieving the outcome of the MNDTP 2024-2030 to inform improved service/product delivery in the remaining years of the plan. Final evaluation: This will be undertaken to assess progress made in implementing the plan and ascertain lessons learnt from its implementation. This will be done within a timeframe necessary to inform the formulation of the successor to the MTNDP 2024-2030. Reporting: This will be key to inform stakeholders and the public about progress in implementing the MTNDP and achievement of targets as delineated in the results framework of the plan. Reports will provide analysis of the performance of MDAs against the national budgetary resource allocations; largely focused on assessing progress on interventions that are aimed at achieving planned MTNDP programme results. The NaMEMIS will be utilized to fast tracking the preparation of M&E reports at the National and District levels. Annual progress report: This will be produced from field level data and by self-reporting of MDAs and LCs implementing projects and programmes associated with the outcomes, targets and indicators of the MTNDP 2024-

2030. Data generated in NaMEMIS will inform the reports, which will be submitted to cabinet and parliament each year. Quarterly sector performance reports: This will be produced by MDAs and LCs to provide information on the utilization of funds for the preceding quarter. Reports will be used to support the work-plans and justification for release of sequent funds for project/programme implementation. Data management: A data repository/bank, that stores all the key information pertaining to the indicators that are included in the MTNDP 2024-2030, will be developed and published. The repository will provide easy access to information relating to definitions, structure, source of information, collection method, quality and use of the data in the MTNDP 2024-2030. The bank will be open source accessible to users, practitioners and researchers. The host of the bank will be determined among key stakeholders, including MoPED, NaMED, and Statistics Sierra Leone, supported by other data generating MDAs and partners. The bank is expected to be linked to the online SDGs Monitoring Framework expected to be launched soon. The MDAs and LCs would be required to provide administrative data on their operations for use in the MTNDP 2024-2030 monitoring and evaluation process. Capacity building: The M&E capacity of relevant institutions will be strengthened for both public and private actors at all levels. As part of this strategy, NaMED will prepare a detailed training plan for all key stakeholders. The training plan will aim at building a critical mass of civil servants to undertake M&E along the Public Investment Management (PIM) cycle. In addition, MDAs and local governments will be required to allocate more funds to M&E departments to enable them to deploy adequate human, material and financial resources for quality and useful M&E. MDAs and LCs will be the key institutions targeted for M&E capacity building. Capacity building for entering information into NaMEMIS and other existing systems will be enhanced. Mobile based data collection applications such as KoboToolbox using Tablets will be encouraged to enhance collection of primary data. 194 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Performance management and service delivery At the onset of President Bio’s first term administration in 2018, one of the first novel outfits established to strengthen governance and service delivery was the Office of the Chief Minister. With reference to the Government’s scaled up fight against corruption, indiscipline and poverty, the performance management system for the public service was strengthened, including increased policy attention to the Directorate of Service Delivery and Performance Management in the Office of the President. Going forward with the implementation of the MTNDP 2024-2030, policy efforts in this direction, alongside broad M&E for the plan, will be strengthened. Accordingly, the strategic objective for performance management is to promote effective service delivery, ensuring that output performance of the public sector is increased through strengthened leadership and management capability of MDAs and Local Councils for delivery of development results. 5.7. Strengthening statistical systems Effective and sustainable development requires the availability of accurate, clear, and timely data from Censuses, Sample Surveys, and administrative records on social, health, demographic, economic, and financial activities of the state. Therefore, the Government of Sierra Leone recognizes the importance of data as a powerful resource that drives change and catalyses action in development processes – policy design, planning, monitoring, and evaluation. Sierra Leone’s National Statistical System (NSS) is coordinated by Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats. SL) for the compilation and publication of official statistics and for providing credible data for national development. From 2018 to 2023, Stats SL sector strategy focuses on the modernization of the National Statistical System. Stats SL produces various report from 2018 to 2023 which includes; the 2021 Mid-Term Population and Housing Censuses, the 2019 Demographic and Health Statistics, the 2020 Multi-Indicator Cluster Survey, the 2019 Child Multidimensional Poverty Index, the 2023 National Multidimensional Poverty Index, Census of Business Establishment 2022, National Time-use Survey (Annual, done in 2023), Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Annual Agricultural Survey, Compilation of SDG data and update of SDG results framework (Quarterly) August 2023, Quarterly Manufacturing Producers’ Price Survey, and Compilation and publication of inflation figures (Monthly) August 2023. Statistic Sierra Leone aims to contribute towards achieving the Government's Big 5 Changers through the production, analysis, interpretation, and application of data to decisions in the agricultural sector that support rural development and food security, as well as embarking on statistical capacity building both at Stats SL and in MDAs. Furthermore, providing the necessary technology and tools to staff and data collectors and designing policies and interventions to positively impact Job creation in Sierra Leone. Finally, to impart new knowledge, skills and competencies in non-traditional areas such as data science and data analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), data visualization, governance and human rights, etc. Towards acquiring accurate, clear, and timely data, the Government is mindful of the wide range of challenges which includes; the lack of a legal statistical framework, Statistical Capacity and Innovation, as well as Limited Adaptation of international standards, and methodologies to coordinate the entire NSS. Furthermore, lack of data certification and data access policy, Data Management, Data gaps, and limited range, coverage, and frequency of high-quality statistics and statistical activities affected the use of official statistics and wide range of statistical product and services. Despite these challenges, there exist some opportunities/potential in the NSS. Stat SL Sector Statistics Plan also serves as a vessel for domesticating Sierra Leone’s commitment to the international development agenda. The Data collection plans for the compilation of the multi-dimensional poverty index at the localized level are ongoing and this looks at poverty dimensions beyond income. Also, provision is made for E-NSDSII implementation, 195 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation monitoring, and evaluation which include creating E-NSDSII awareness; establishing implementation structures; mobilization of drivers of strategic success, viz., institutional and organizational enhancement, people development; process improvement through innovation; and harnessing technology. In addition, “quick wins”; risks, mitigation measures; success factors; and pathways to sustainability of the NSS are identified. A monitoring, evaluation, and reporting framework is presented. ➢ Strategic objective The overall objective of the National Statistical System is to develop an efficient and effective data system, by entrenching the culture of evidence-based policy, planning, and decision-making and providing the enabling environment for statistical production and development at all levels. ➢ Key targets

1. By 2030, the uptake and use of official statistics is significantly increased

2. By 2026, The National Statistical System is significantly harmonised and made coherent ➢ Key policy actions

1. Strengthen the policy and legislative environment of the statistical sector

2. Strengthen statistical systems in the Government ministries, department and agencies

3. Improve logistical and operational environment of the statistical offices in the country

4. Scale up the technical, financial and administrative capacity of the statistical offices

5. Improve the automation and digital applications in the national statistical operations in the country

6. Promote statistical advocacy and communication of development statistics to the public 5.8. Communication for development The government considers public awareness, knowledge, and Civic Education as integral to the successful implementation of the new MTNDP 2024-2030. To this end, the Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE) has designed an inclusive communication strategy to support the implementation of the Plan, tailored to different segments of society, employing local dialects and braille techniques, among others. This aims to build consensus and facilitate knowledge sharing, driving positive change through information dissemination, civic engagement, empirical research, and two-way communication among stakeholders. Furthermore, the MoICE has produced a development communication civic education roadmap, incorporating key policy actions for dissemination. The roadmap will also promote awareness about the MTNDP and the SDGs, fostering resilience through ongoing dialogue and feedback. Additionally, it will strengthen resilience-focused development communication and civic education across the public sector and policy space, involving various stakeholder institutions, such as MDAs, local councils, parliament, the private sector, development partners, and civil society. Generally, these efforts will be linked to the overall national M&E system and performance management in light of enabling increased participation of the public production of the results, reporting, performance information and civic education utilization processes. Challenges do remain going forward that are worth considering in the new MTNDP 2024-2030, including limitation of resources and capacity gap of staff to deliver effective development communication to the public; the overlaps in donor interventions in the sector, and a lack of effective coordination among the donors and MDAs, as well as CSOs. Additionally, due to the diverse target audiences for public information, especially the marginalised groups and those in remote areas, it is important to understand the cultural difference in communication as a key challenge. There are also the capacity challenges for national monitoring and evaluation systems, including mobility constraints for monitoring interventions country-wide. 196 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation A key lesson drawn from the implementation of the MTNDP 2019-2023 was the role of private-public partnership in financing development communications, which should be strengthened going forward. It was also noted that adapting messages to the cultural and linguistic diversity of the population can improve the effectiveness of public information and civic education campaigns on the national development plan, for which the implementation of strong data privacy measures and adherence to legal regulations was noted to be critical in protecting citizens' information and building trust in public institutions. That is, being flexible and responsive to changing societal needs and expectations is essential to the success of civic education and public information initiatives; that the implementation of a wider and robust monitoring and evaluation framework will be crucially important in driving effectiveness in the delivery of projects/programme results. ➢ Strategic objective The strategic objective is to transform the public information and civic education infrastructure, fostering a robust development communication framework. ➢ Key targets

1. Annual Media engagement on the implementation of the Plan undertaken

2. By 2028, over 90 percent of Sierra Leoneans are fully aware and engaged in the implementation of the plan

3. By 2025, plan implementation Ambassadors/Champions identified and fully engaged in all chiefdoms across the country ➢ Key policy actions

1. Scale-up national communication strategy for effective public engagement on the MTNDP implementation

2. Strengthen cooperation between public interest media institutions in the implementation of the Plan

3. Support the integration of civic education in the curricula of schools and higher learning institutions and promote community-led initiatives and civic awareness on national development programmes

4. Strengthen the policy and regulatory framework for development communication

5. Promote data-sharing and information protocols among MDAs 5.9. Risks and mitigating strategies As the entire globe has been characterised by multiple and lingering risks, Sierra Leone is expected to continue to encounter plan implementation problems stemming from these risks from the ongoing crises in the world. These range from the lingering effects of COVID-19 to the continued war in Ukraine, rising conflicts in other parts of the world, and the constant effects of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. These crises are expected to negatively impact on growth, revenue and general socioeconomic performance of Sierra Leone. As noted under the macroeconomic outlook section in the introduction to the new plan, despite the relatively benign medium-term outlook of the economy of Sierra Leone and the gradual normalisation of global supply chains, growth outturns remained highly uncertain and particularly susceptible to both external and domestic shocks. These include the continued war in Ukraine and the projected slowdown in the Chinese economy, persistently high inflation and pressures on the exchange rate. Medium-term growth is also vulnerable to commodity price shocks, spillovers from a possible escalation of the war in Ukraine, geo-economic fragmentation, policy slippages and increased debt sustainability risks, which could further undermine growth, other global health pandemic and lingering concerns about the health of the global economy. 197 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation Accordingly, we will be monitoring the global situation and its implications for the Sierra Leone economy as we implement this plan, given special priority to strengthening development cooperation and coordination among all actors and sectors, as well as scaling-up domestic resource mobilisation. Implementation of the country’s integrated national financing framework will be especially critical in responding to financing risks going forward. The effective implementation of the general macroeconomic policies during 2024-2028 suggested above will be critical to the mitigation of future emergencies. Conclusion The previous national development plan (MTNDP 2019-2023) was full of service delivery hopes for the people of Sierra Leone, but it was badly shocked by the multiple and overlapping crises drawn from the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the continued fallouts from climate change and other devastating challenges. Nonetheless, the country stayed the course of implementing the previous plan and achieved remarkable results from programme implementation, while managing these crises. The new plan (MTNDP 2024-2030) will build on gains made in its predecessor, while addressing unfinished business and emerging challenges towards achieving our planned national goals and SDGs by 2030, on the road to Sierra Leone’s aspiration of becoming a green and inclusive middle-income country by 2039. To maximise our chances of achieving planned results for 2030, we have been mindful of the need to draw from the following principles during programme/project implementation. We will ensure continued implementation of unfinished relevant projects in the previous plan that are among highly prioritised and sequenced programmes. We will ensure full alignment of the national plan with the global, regional and sub-regional development frameworks, while strengthening coordination within the public sector and among development partners. Ensuring that the public sector is transformed and becomes more professional and merit-based will be critical to the optimal delivery of the planned results for 2030, as we scale-up implementation of integrated national financing strategies. Mobilisation of the country’s demographic dividend, the blue economy and the African Continental Free Trade Area potentials will be a bastion for the new national development plan, putting in readiness off-the-shelf bankable projects. We will scale-up our sensitivity to climate resilience, renewable energy, gender and youth development, while increasing the placement of the communities and the people at the centre of implementation. We will ensure the integration of village and chiefdom level planning with district and national planning and implementation processes. There is a Results Framework to guide the monitoring and evaluation of the new plan, while a mid-term review will be expected to capture new issues that may emerge in the first half of the plan implementation. It is critical that lessons learned in the first phase of implementation and emerging needs are identified and incorporated into the process. To this end, we envisage a mid-term review of this plan in 2027, while there will be annual progress reports. 198 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation

Annex 1: List of project areas in the New MTNDP 2024-2030 No Broad Results Areas/Projects Feed Salone 1 Development and Promotion of Agro-ecological Zones (New) 2 Advancing Mechanisation and Irrigation System (New) 3 Agricultural Technology and Climate Smart Agriculture (New) 4 Empowering Women and Youth (New) 5 National Agricultural Census (New) 6 Input System: E-Vouchers for Rice Production (Seeds, Fertilizers and Tractor Services)-(Ongoing) 7 Palm Oil Production Project in Sierra Leone in the Framework of Capacity Building (POPSLCB)-(Ongoing) 8 Support to Chiefdom Youth Farms (Ongoing) 9 Capacity Building and Support to Agricultural Development (Ongoing) 10 Strengthen Seed and Input Systems to Optimise Yields for Key Value Chains. 11 Support the Development of Aggregation, Processing & Market Linkages 12 Strengthening Agricultural Finance 13 Rehabilitation of Feeder Roads and Construction of Bridges in Targeted Food Cluster Areas 14 Support Monitoring, Evaluation and Statistics 15 West Africa Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP) Phase 2 AF (World Bank-Grant) Ongoing 16 Smallholder Commercialization and Agribusiness Development Project (SCADEP-Grant) (WB/GoSL) Ongoing 17 Rice Agro Industrial Cluster (SL RAIC) Additional Finance (AfDB-Grant) Ongoing 18 Sierra Leone Agribusiness and Rice Value Chain Support Project (SLARiS-Grant) (AfDB) Ongoing) 19 Sierra Leone Regional Rice Value Chain Development Project (B/BADEA/GoSl-Loan) Ongoing 20 Palm Oil Production (IsDB-Loan) Ongoing 21 Rural Finance & Community Improvement II (IFAD-Loan) Ongoing 22 Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (AVDP) (IFAD/OFID/GoSL-Loan) Ongoing 23 Land and Infrastructure Development (India Exim Bank-Loan) Ongoing 24 Global Agricultural Food Security (WB-Grant) New 25 Empowerment of West Africa Women SMEs in Rice Value Chain (ESASME) (IsDB-Grant) New 26 Rehabilitation and Development of Fishing Infrastructure (Ongoing) 27 Construction of One Industrial Harbour Complex at Black Johnson 28 Developing Marine Artisanal Fisheries (Ongoing) 29 Women Empowerment in the Fishery Sector (Ongoing) 30 Strengthening Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Production (Ongoing) 31 Digitalize National Frame Survey and Fish Stock Assessment (Ongoing) 32 Enhancing Monitoring Control and Surveillance Systems (Ongoing) 33 Strengthening Competent Authority for Effective Fish Quality Control and Export Promotion (New) 34 Support to Artisanal Fisheries (Ongoing) 35 Promoting an Inclusive Blue Value Chain 36 Advancing Sustainable Fisheries and Support Artisanal Fishing Operations 37 Conduct Extensive Research on Biotechnology and the Full Utilisation of Fishery Resources 38 Support Public Private Partnership in Commercial Fish Farming Investment for Tilapia 39 Protection of Spawned Fish Stock Biomass and Juvenile Fish Stocks in the EEZ of Sierra Leone 40 Pilot School Fish Farming in Each District 41 Strength the Coordination and Functionality of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Programmes 42 Construction of Fishery Bonded Industrial Park/Fish Harbor (China/GoSL-Loan) (Bilateral) 43 Support the Presidential Initiative for accelerating food security 44 Establish and operationalise Food and Nutrition Security Network Formulation of policy and regulatory framework for food system programmes, safe and efficient food processing facilities and 45 commercialization 46 Advocacy for Local Actions to promote food and nutrition security and a framework to increase profitability of smallholder farmers Human Capital Development 47 Free Quality Education School Programme 199 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation No Broad Results Areas/Projects 48 Focused Resources on Equity and Excellence (Ongoing) 49 Education Sector Project (Four Government Schools) - (Ongoing) 50 Capacity Building for Junior and Senior Secondary Schools (Ongoing) 51 Welfare and Hygiene Packages for School Going Girls (Ongoing) 52 SL Free Education Project - School Feeding (WB-Grant) Ongoing 53 Digital Connectivity in Schools to Accelerate COVID 19 Education Response (IsDB-Loan) New 54 Rehabilitation and Refurbishment of Teacher Training Colleges (New) 55 Construction and Equipping of a National Archive and Record Centre (New) 56 Clearance of Grants-In-Aid Arrears to Tertiary Institutions (Ongoing) 57 Educational Access and Enrolment Programme for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)-Loan Scheme and Phasing out of Grant-in-Aid 58 Improve Infrastructure and Academic Facilities for TVET and Higher Education Institutions 59 Improve Legal and Regulatory Frameworks for Technical and Higher Education 60 Strengthening the Workforce and the Conditions of Service for Tertiary Education Institutions 61 Revitalise Technical, Vocational, and Educational Training (TVET) Programme for the Labour Market 62 Strengthening Higher Education Institutions and Promoting Research, Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship in HEIs 63 Support Education Data Management 64 Support Digital Transformation and Strengthen Quality Assurance in TVET Education Education Sector Support Project (Ongoing 65 BADEA/SDF/OFID/GoSL) Loan 66 Partial Financing of the Construction of the University of Science and Technology (Ongoing EBID/GoSL) Loan 67 Construction of Pharma Grade Warehouse and Ancillary Structures (New) 68 Construction of Port Loko Hospital (New) 69 Sector Wide Health Systems Strengthening Project (Ongoing) 70 Construction of National Warehouse at Kerry Town (Ongoing) 71 Construction of Cancer and Diagnostic Medical Centre (Ongoing) 72 Rehabilitation, Expansion and Equipment of District Hospitals Equipped Blood Transfusion Units (Ongoing) 73 Establishment of National Public Health Agency (Ongoing) 74 Procurement of Reproductive Health Commodities (Ongoing) 75 Establish a Health Village in Kerry Town in the Waterloo Community 76 Construction of Five Regional Hospitals Equipped with Intensive Care Units and Accident/Emergency Response Facilities 77 Strengthen Health Data Management Systems and Monitoring and Evaluation 78 Increase Community Participation in Health Programmes and Initiatives 79 Expand and Improve on the Management of Free Healthcare 80 Develop and Implement a National RMNCAH Roadmap for the Reduction of Preventable Maternal Mortality 81 Integration of Sexual and Productive Health, Including Family Planning, into Universal Health Coverage and Primary Health Care 82 Operationalise Digital Health Roadmap to Ensure Effective and Efficient ICT-Enabled Health Service Delivery 83 Invest in Capacity Building for the Health Sector and Provide other Incentives to Motivate the Healthcare Workforce 84 SLE-Z-MOHS: HSS, Malaria, TB (NFM3) -(GF/GoSL) 85 SL-COVID-19 Emergency Response Project (GF/GoSL) 86 Protecting Public Health Globally (CDC-USA) 87 Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (STBF) 88 Maternal Centre of Excellence (MCOE) - Kono (PIHGoSL) 89 Support the Diaspora Engagement Transfer of Skills to Support Programmes to Health Facilities -(IOM) 90 Support to National Emergency Medical Services (NEMS) - Ambulance Services (Ongoing) 91 GAVI Health System Strengthening Support Project (Ongoing) 92 Global fund ATM (HIV/AIDS/Tuberculosis/Malaria) ongoing 93 SL Quality Essential Health Services and Systems Support Project (WB -Grant) Ongoing 94 Developing Three Tertiary Hospitals (KFAED-Loan) Ongoing 95 Primary Healthcare Support Project (Ongoing BADEA/GoSL)- Loan Health Systems Strengthening (Ongoing)-Loan 96 IsDB/GoSL) 97 Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Strengthening 98 Construction of Water Quality Laboratories (New) 200 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation No Broad Results Areas/Projects 99 Lungi Water Supply Project (Ongoing) 100 Develop/Support the Construction of 2 Dam Water Supply Systems in Western Area Peninsular 101 Develop/Support the Construction of Water Supply Systems in Six Towns (Njala-Taiama, Mattru Jong, Daru, Mongor, Koidu and Lungi) 102 Support the Construction of 300 Solar Powered Boreholes in Rural Communities 103 Complete the Construction of Pipe-borne Water Supply Facilities in Freetown and all District Capitals 104 Institutional Support for SALWACO and Regulatory Reforms for Improved and Sustainable Water Supply 105 Allen Town Water Supply System 106 Rehabilitation of Pumping stations at Governor's Lodge and Hooke Street 107 Kaningo Water Supply Project 108 Grafton Water Supply Project 109 Boama Water Supply Project 110 York Water Supply System 111 Kent Water Supply System 112 River No. 2 Water Supply System 113 John Obey Water Supply Project 114 Kongo and Toothik Dam and Treatment Plants and Transmission System 115 Hamilton Dam, Treatment Plant and Transmission system 116 Construction of Kamakwei Water Supply Project 117 Construction of Mambolo Water Supply Project 118 Completion of Blama Bandawor and Six Villages Water Supply Project 119 Construction of Balancing Reservoir 120 Construction of Rokupr Water Supply System 121 Solar Powered Mini Grid for Kabala, Bo, Kenema, and Makeni Water Supply Systems 122 Completion of Construction of Water Supply Facilities in Six (6) District Capitals 123 Construction of Water Supply System in Bonthe Municipal (Ongoing) 124 Three (3) Towns - Bo, Kenema and Makeni - Water Supply System Project Phase II (Ongoing) 125 Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project (Ongoing) 126 Construction of 100 Solar Powered Boreholes (Ongoing) 127 Four (4) Towns Water Supply Project (Mongor, Mattru, Njala and Daru) (Ongoing) 128 Construction of 45 Industrial Boreholes (Urban Wash Supply) - (Ongoing) 129 Completion of Construction of Water Supply Facilities in Six (6) District Capitals (Ongoing) 130 Construction of 45 Boreholes 131 Emergency Water Supply Project in Western Area 132 Restoring Water Supply at IMAT and Hill Station Communities 133 Freetown WASH and Aquatic Revamping Project 134 Freetown Emergency Recovery Project 135 Freetown Water Supply and Sanitation Master Plan 136 Development Fund for Female Entrepreneurs 137 National Reintegration of Street Children (New) 138 Review and Amend the Matrimonial Causes Act 1960 and Support its Implementation 139 Strengthen/Support the Implementation of Gender-Disaggregated Data in the National and Sectoral Statistical Systems Develop and implement a framework for strengthening linkages and collaborative work between MoGCA and the existing Gender 140 Desks at the Local Councils Develop and Support the Implementation of Guidelines that will Increase Women's Active and Effective Participation in Environmental 141 and Disaster Management Initiatives 142 Implement Measures to Narrow Gender Gaps in Accessing Health Services and Providing Welfare for Persons with Disability 143 Provide Leadership Training Support for Women and Scale up the Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiatives 144 Roll out the GBVIMS+ to all Districts and Scale up Multistakeholder Partnership in Combating SGBV 145 Support the Domestication of International and Regional Frameworks and Protocols on Women, Peace and Security 146 Support the Full Implementation of the GEWE Policy 2020 and Gender and Women Empowerment Act 2022 Provide Institutional Support for Strengthening the Implementation and Monitoring of Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women 147 Across all Sectors 148 Hold Monthly Gender-based Violence Coordination Meetings at National, Regional, and District Levels that are Fully Operational 149 National Children's Commission 201 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation No Broad Results Areas/Projects 150 Devolved Function - Children's Affairs Services 151 Conduct National Census of Residential Childcare Facilities 152 Establish Children’s Parliament and Provide Leadership Training for Young Leaders 153 Provide Capacity Support for the Sierra Leone Judiciary and Train Police Officers for Providing Justice for Child Victims 154 Implement Diversion Policy for Children in Conflict with the Law 155 Livelihood Support for Persons Living with Disability (New) 156 Establish Rehabilitation Centre for Drugs Addicts (New) 157 Rehabilitation of Approved Schools and Remand Homes (New) 158 Pro-Poor Growth for Peace and Consolidation (GPC IV) (KfW/GoSL) New 159 Enhancing Management of Rural Renewable Energy for Productive Use (EMRREP) - (Ongoing) 160 Community Driven Development project (Ongoing) 161 Rapid Community Development Initiative (Ongoing) 162 Sierra Leone Disability Project (New) 163 Sierra Leone Community Driven Development Project (SLCDD) 2 (Ongoing) 164 Sierra Leone Social Safety Net Project (Ongoing) 165 Rehabilitation/Construction of Community Facilities (incl. Court Barrays) - (Ongoing) 166 Sierra Leone Lands Administration Project Youth Empowerment Scheme 167 Youth in Agriculture (Ongoing) 168 Youth in Fisheries Project (Ongoing) 169 Youth Empowerment in Car Wash Project (Ongoing) 170 Promoting Adolescence Sexual Reproductive Health Programme for Youth (Ongoing) 171 Increasing partnership and advocacy against the proliferation of drugs and substance abuse 172 Review and strengthen TVET education to ensure the demands of relevant skills in the contemporary labour market 173 Strengthen institutional/sectoral collaboration in the delivery of requisite training for the youth 174 Youth Entrepreneurship and Employment Project (Ongoing) 175 Cracking Down Youth in Drugs Abuse (New) 176 Setting up special funds and partnerships with the private sector for the costs of hiring, training, and upskilling youths 177 Providing targeted incentives (tax and non-tax incentives) for the private sector to hire youths 178 Providing special incentives for youths in the ICT and creative industry 179 Combating human trafficking 180 Implementation of the 23 objectives of the Global Compact on Safe, Regular and Orderly Migration Championship Country 181 Reinforce voluntary return and reintegration programming for stranded, vulnerable Sierra Leoneans in collaboration with IOM 182 Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children 183 Graduate Service Programme (Ongoing) 184 Establishing a Youth Opportunity Centre in every district headquarters town 185 Youth development fund for start-up ventures 186 Designing a special programme to create job opportunities for out of school young girls 187 Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of the Craig Belamy Football Academy 188 Construction of Multipurpose Complex Stadium in 8 Districts Across Sierra Leone 189 Establishment of Sports Physiotherapy and Fitness Centres in the Five Regional Headquarter Towns 190 Support to Girls in Sports (across 16 districts) 191 Launch a Physical Literacy Campaign 192 Develop a sports museum/hall of fame as a resource centre for tourism marketing and promotion 193 Develop a diversified resource mobilisation strategy for sports 194 Develop a comprehensive strategy and legal framework for sports development Infrastructure, Technology, and Innovation 195 Electrification of 7 (Seven) District Towns (Ongoing) 196 Construction of Guma-Dodo Hydro Dam (Ongoing) 197 Installation of 20 Mini Grid (New) 198 Extension of Transmission and Distribution Lines to Mining Companies (New) 199 Installation of Solar Street Lights (Ongoing) 200 West African Power Pool Project (WAPP) - (Ongoing) 202 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation No Broad Results Areas/Projects 201 Rural Electrification Project - CLSG (Serving Communities along the Transmission Line) -(Ongoing) 202 Rehabilitation and Extension of Bo-Kenema Distribution System (Ongoing) Construction of the Extension of Bumbuna II Hydro Electric Plant 203 Financial close for the Bekongor Hydro power dam (120MW) 204 Western Area Power Generation Project - 103.5 MW 205 Enhancing Sierra Leone Energy Access Project 206 Development of 4 new policies (LPG Policy and strategic plan, clean cooking policy, Mini grid policy, Street Light Policies,) 207 Extension of the Serengeti-Baoma Solar Project (20 MW) 208 Construction of the BETMAI Hydro Electric Power Project (27 MW) 209 India -Exim Transmission Line Project (Bumbuna/Yieben to Freetown) 210 Transformational Energy Access for Sierra Leone 211 Completion of Bo - Tikonko Road 212 Construction of Targrin - Lungi - ConaKry Dee Road 213 Construction of Bandajuma-Pujehun-Gbondappi 214 Reconstruction of Kpetema - Mattru Jong 215 Reconstruction of Tikonko-Kpetema 216 Spots Improvement and Re-gravelling of Trunk Roads 217 Reconstruction of Major Culverts (Mile 1 in Kabala, Kabala Krubula Road and Baiima Songa Culvert) 218 Construction of Taiama – Njala Road 219 Major and Minor Re-gravelling Works on Selected Trunk Roads (40 Lots) 220 Completion of Township Roads 221 Reconstruction of Kabala -Falaba-Krubola Road (73Km) 222 Construction of Culverts within Bumpeh Tabeh Chiefdom 223 Rehabilitation of Jojoma Bridge (2no) and Geoma Bridge (1No) 224 Reconstruction of Yifin Bridge 225 Section Overlay/Rehabilitation of Major Highways Construction of 400m Embarkment and 40m bridge and 2 No Relief Box Culverts along Molakika- Gbongboma Stretch in Bonthe 226 Island 227 Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Kenema - Zemmi Road 228 Moyamba - Sebehun - Shenge Road 229 Kambia - Madina - Kunkuna - Konta - Guinea Border Roads 230 Magbele Magbang- Moyamba Junction 231 Procurement of Vehicles for Chiefdom Functionaries and the Judiciary (New) 232 Integrated and Resilient Urban Mobility Project (IRUMP) (Ongoing) 233 Procurement of Vehicles for Other Government Functionaries: (Judiciary, ECSL, PPRC, Ministers and Deputies etc.)-(Ongoing) 234 Installation of Buoys in Danger Zones in the Sierra Leone’s Water 235 Conversion of the Nitti Seaport into Commercial Port. 236 Procurement and Installation of Oil Spill Emergency Preparedness Equipment 237 Establishment of an Operational Maritime Rescue Sub-centres. 238 Rehabilitation of Existing Presidential Lodge (Ongoing) 239 Rehabilitation and Upgrading of State House (Ongoing) 240 Rehabilitation and Improvement of Miatta Conference Hall (Ongoing) 241 Demolition and Construction of Ministry of Labor Administrative Building (Ongoing) 242 Rehabilitation of Seven Lift Elevator at Youyi Building (Ongoing) 243 Establishment of Public Assets Digital Centre (New) 244 Rehabilitation of a Materials Testing Laboratory (New) 245 Construction/Rehabilitation of Provincial/District/Administrative Buildings (New) 246 Rehabilitation of Government Residential Quarters (Ongoing) 247 Demolition of Multi-Storey Building (former UN Building) at Siaka Steven Street (Ongoing) 248 Construction and Rehabilitation of Judicial Service Infrastructures (Ongoing) 249 Demolition, Rehabilitation, Construction and Upgrade of Public Assets (New) 250 Rehabilitation of Government Administrative Buildings (Ongoing) 251 Construction of Districts Magistrates and High Courts Buildings (Ongoing) 203 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation No Broad Results Areas/Projects 252 Strengthening Maritime Transport and Safety 253 Strengthen Ports and Shipping 254 Operationalization and Expansion of e-Government Platform (New) 255 Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project (SLDTP) 256 Establishment of a Smart City (new) Transforming Public Service Architecture 257 Construction of PSC Headquarter Building (Ongoing) 258 Undertake structural alignment and rationalization of mandates within the public service 259 Transform the Civil Service Training College into a Public Service Academy 260 Public sector coordination and management and digitalise the human resource management of the Civil/Public Service 261 Establish Public Service Innovation Centre 262 Construction of the VIP Suite (Ethiopia) 263 Renovation of Chancery Building, Ambassador’s residence and Deputy Chief of Mission’s residence (Washington DC) 264 Renovation of Chancery Building (Brussels) 265 Renovation of Chancery and Ambassador’s Residence (Berlin) 266 Demolition of old Chancery Building (Banjul) 267 Renovation of Chancery (Monrovia) 268 Construction of Sierra Leone Annex Building in Accra-Ghana 269 Renovation of the High Commissioner’s Residence in UK 270 Training of Heads of Chancery and Ambassadors/High Commissioners 271 Improving diplomacy through enhanced technology Diversifying the Economy and Promoting Growth 272 Establishment of Tech-Voc Semi-Formal Arts and Crafts Training Centre at the Mabala Cultural Village 273 Construction of National Arta Gallery 274 Developing Coastal, Aquatic, and Eco-tourism Opportunities Domesticate and Popularise UNESCO’S Conventions and Support Nomination Dossier for Inscription to the UNESCO’s World Heritage 275 Site 276 Construction of Basic and Requisite Tourism and Cultural Infrastructure for a Competitive and Attractive Destination 277 Provide Human Resources and Capacity Support to Upgraded Schools of Hotel and Hospitality Management 278 Construction of Two Tourism Information Offices (New) 279 Sustainable Ecotourism Development Project (New) 280 Sustainable Tourism Development and Promotion Project (STDPP)- (Ongoing) 281 Develop and Upgrade at Least Eight Strategic Historical, Cultural, and Tourism Sites 282 Support the Rebranding of Sierra Leone and Increase the Digital Marketing of the Country's Tourism Products 283 Rehabilitate and develop up to 10 Natural, Cultural or Historical Heritage Sites 284 Development of the Physical Infrastructure of the Cultural Heritage Sector (New) 285 Comprehensive Preservation and Development of Bunce Island (Ongoing) 286 Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs (SL Economic Diversification Project) 287 Support to Micro-Small and Medium Enterprises (Munafa Fund) - (Ongoing) 288 Advancing the Exploration and Extraction of Marine Resources and Generation of New Resources 289 Supporting Livelihood and Economic Empowerment of the Inland Water, Ocean and Coastal Communities 290 The Second Sierra Leone Financial Inclusion Project 291 Implementation of the Geospatial Project on Financial Services Access Points 292 Support the Implementation of the Manual on Market Conduct Supervision 293 Create Awareness/Sensitization on Financial Services 294 Implement the National Payment Switch Project/Phases 2 and 3 295 Conduct Annual Provider Survey on the State of Digital Financial Services in Sierra Leone 296 Local Content Agency 297 Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDA) Governance and Accountability 298 Establish a peacebuilding and conflict resolution knowledge management system 299 Institutional capacity programmes for ICPNC, PPRC and political parties 300 Establish and operationalise a peacebuilding and conflict resolution knowledge management system 204 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation No Broad Results Areas/Projects 301 Completion of Anti-Corruption Building 302 Establishment of Presidential Community Development Fund 303 Construction of SLICOM Building 304 Construction of ASSL Headquarters 305 Legal and policy reviews for a central and enhanced coordination within the justice sector 306 Strengthening justice sector coordination and communication 307 Supporting the judiciary and the local operation of the justice sector 308 Construction of District Offices 309 Support to Sierra Leone Government Printing 310 Development of Record Management System Enact the National Immigration Service Bill, digitalize all core activities of SLID, and Establish an Integrated Immigration and Security 311 System Linking Class A Border Crossing Points and SLID HQ. 312 Integrated Civil Registration and Vital Statistics and ID Management System (Ongoing) 313 Rehabilitation of District Offices 314 Rehabilitation of National Civil Registration Commission (NCRA) New Complex Review and develop policy and regulatory frameworks and provide institutional capacity support for the National Civil Registration 315 Commission 316 Social Capital Approaches Project (SCARDSiL 317 Construction of Community Court Barrays 318 Rehabilitation and Construction of Police Stations and Facilities Construct HQ for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to include a Forensic laboratory and Mortuary, establish regional offices of 319 the OCME, and develop regulations from the OCME Act. 320 Construction of New Police Stations 321 Rehabilitation of Military Barracks and Facilities 322 Procurement of Military Hardware and Communication Sets (Ongoing) 323 Construction of Military Barracks, Kambia (Ongoing) 324 Procurement of Major and Self Sustenance Equipment for Peace Support Operations 325 Rehabilitation of CDS Living Quarter 326 Construction of Infantry Size Battalion Barracks in Kambia 327 Procurement of Specialized Surveillance Equipment 328 Rehabilitation of Correctional Centres and Facilities Establish Regional Offices in Kenema and Port Loko to License all Civilian Weapon Holders and Local Gun Manufacturers in Sierra 329 Leone, Mark and Record into an Arms Register all Weapons owned by the Military, Police, and those Licensed for Civilian use, and Handover to SLeCAA for Destruction of all Unserviceable Weapons Owned by the Military, Police and those Seized from Criminals. Amend the Drug Control Act 2008 and Develop Associated Regulations, establish 7 Offices in Bo, Kono, Makeni, Kenema, Port Loko, 330 Gbalamuya and Gendema, and increase Education and Awareness Raising on the Dangers of Drug Abuse and Trafficking by 30%. 331 Construction of 10 Additional Fire Stations Nationwide and Procure of Fire Engines 332 Strengthening Marine Surveillance and Security 333 Formulating Operational Manual for Disaster Risk Assessment (DRM) Operationalize and Strengthen Structure and Mechanism for Coordination of Regional and District DRM including Transboundary 334 Cooperation 335 Build Back Better- Principle to Reconstruct Infrastructure and Public Facilities Destroyed by Hazards or Disasters Advancing Climate Resilience and Environmental Action 336 Institutional Strengthening of Radiation Authority (New) 337 Support the Review and Popularization of MoECC Policies and Legislations Across the 16 Districts of Sierra Leone 338 Strengthening Marine and Coastal Protected Area Management and Conservation 339 Advancing Marine Spatial planning (MSP) and Instituting an Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management 340 National Tree Planting-Forestry Division (Ongoing) 341 Enhancing Metal Scaffolding System to Reduce Deforestation in Sierra Leone (New) 342 Addressing Oil Spills and other Environmental Risks 343 The Protected Area Management and Livelihood Project 344 The Loma Mountain Conservation Project had (USFWS) 345 The Yawri Bay Conservation Project (Wetlands International) 346 Support for the Presidential Initiative for accelerating climate change resilience Gender Mainstreaming 205 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation No Broad Results Areas/Projects 347 Support the full implementation of the GEWE Policy and programmes 348 Strengthening institutional and coordination capacity of the Gender sector Financing, partnership, implementation & risk management 349 Project Preparatory Facility (New) 350 Strengthening District Development Coordination 351 Popularizing and Decentralizing the Medium-Term National Development Across Sierra Leone 352 Coordinate the Implementation of the Medium-Term National Development Plan 2024-2030 Support the formulation of Standardized Local Council Development Plans Consistent with National Development Plan including the 353 17 SDGs & the AU 2063 354 Conduct Mid-Term Review and End of Term Evaluation of the New MTNDP 2024-2030 355 Development of Public Investment Management Information System (PIMIS) 356 Establishment of Induced Resettlement Secretariat 357 Roll Out of Web-based Project Mapping and Information System for NGO Activities 358 Hosting of G7+ Technical and Ministerial International Dialogue 359 Piloting and Integrating the WAN Fambul National Framework in the Implementation of the MTNDP 360 Promoting Blue Carbon and Climate Finance 361 Exploring Sustainable Funding Options for the Blue Economy 362 Establish the Blue Economy Secretariat and Advance Knowledge about the Blue Economy Potential and Sustainable Utilisation 363 Construct and Equip an ECOWAS National Office in Sierra Leone 364 Capacity and institutional support for the ECOWAS National office 365 Construction of a multi-purpose Mano River Union Headquarters in Freetown Develop and support the implementation of a Communication Strategy and Media Partnership Mapping Tool Aligned with the Big Five 366 Game Changer Agenda 367 Establish a Regular National and District Television/Radio 'Development Hour' Programme 368 Government Outreach Programme (Ongoing) Support the Establishment and Promotion of Democracy through a Permanent, Participatory, Inclusive, and Collaborative Citizen 369 Dialogue Initiative 370 Regularly Review and Update of Civic Education Content to Reflect the Evolving Political and Societal Landscape. 371 Build Partnerships with Public Interest Media Institutions for a Wider Dissemination and Engagement of Information 372 Create a Diverse Range of Communication Materials Catering to Different Age Groups and Literacy Levels 373 Support to the National public service broadcaster, Community Radio Stations, and other public interest media institutions Develop and implement Digital Policy, Data Protection Laws, and other related regulations, including the Cybersecurity Act, with a 374 Public Roll-Out 375 Development and Implementation of a New Government Records Policy 376 Support the Development, Launch and Implementation of National Civic Education Strategy 377 Support to Public Financial Management Unit (PFMU) 378 Sierra Leone Economic Diversification Project 379 Support to Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) 380 Local Government Development Grants 381 Examination Fees for NPSE 382 Examination Fees for BECE 383 SL Second Financial Inclusion Project (WB-Grant) 384 Accountable Governance for Basic Service Delivery (WB-Grant) 385 Enhancing Efficiency in Public Debt Management and Institutional Support New (AfDB-Grant) 386 Support to Project Fiduciary Management Unit (PFMU) (WB/AfDB-Grant) 387 Resilient Urban Sierra Leone Project (WB-Grant) 388 Integrated Local Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index (UNDP). Construct a Six-Storey Statistics Sierra Leone Headquarter Building Plus District Offices to Enhance Statistical Coordination at the 389 Local Council Level in the Regions Strengthen MDAs and Local Councils to Establish Viable Statistical Units and Develop Statistical Plans to Guide the Compilation of 390 Administrative Statistics 391 Develop and implement the Third National Strategy for the Development of Statistics through a Bottom-up Approach Strengthen the Staffing, Skills Capacity, and Emoluments of Personnel at Statistics Sierra Leone, MDAs, and Local Councils to Collect, 392 Analyse, and Disseminate High-Quality Data Required for the Monitoring of the MTNDP 393 Use Geographic Information System and Spatial Technology for Data Collection and Dissemination 206 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation No Broad Results Areas/Projects 394 Migrate Data Collection Methods and Procedures from Paper-Based Systems to ICT-Based Systems 395 Develop a National Database that Integrates all MDA/local Council Databases 396 Review the Statistics Act 2002 to Strengthen the Mandate of Statistics Sierra Leone to Coordinate the Entire NSS 397 Harmonizing and Improving Statistics in West Africa 398 Monitoring the New National Development Plan 207 SIERRA LEONE’S MEDIUM TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2024 – 2030) A Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development & Job Creation 208