SIERRA LEONE: Government of Sierra Leone and UNDP hold Review and Planning Meeting in Sierra Leone

The Government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) held a meeting at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, in Freetown on Tuesday 8th February 2011to review results achieved in 2010 by UNDP and national counterparts and to agree on strategic priories for 2011-2012.

The Minister of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED), Dr Samura Kamara who co-chaired the meeting with UNDP Country Director, Ms Mia Seppo, said that the Government of Sierra Leone has benefited immensely from the UN's alignment of its programmes and support to the Government's Agenda for Change through the UN Joint Vision.

Dr Kamara said that “All UN agencies are working under the UN Joint Vision programme which has greatly facilitated coordination between the Government and UN agencies”.

UNDP Country Director, Ms Mia Seppo, said that the work of UNDP Sierra Leone and all UN agencies under the Joint Vision is to support the Government of Sierra Leone in its efforts to achieve the MDGs. UNDP programmes in 2011 and 2012 aim to be more focused to ensure greater impact, with limited resources available. UNDP aims to further enhance partnerships and coordination with all relevant partners. Ms Seppo emphasized the importance of continued close partnerships with implementing partners and the role of civic society.

The Government's presentation was led by Development Secretary Ambassador Umaru Wurie who outlined the results achieved by national institutions in 2010 with UNDP support in the area of public sector reform, strengthening democratic institutions, justice sector reform, HIV/AIDS and gender, decentralized governance, youth empowerment and disaster management. Under Economic Development, major achievements were made in the area of aid effectiveness and management, private sector development and trade, mining sector support and the development of an inclusive local market.

UNDP is leading on six UN Joint Vision Programmes (JVPs) including: Democratic Elections and Political dialogue (JVP1), Access to Justice and Human Rights (JVP2), Finance for Development (JVP3), Public Sector Reform (JVP11), Support to Democratic Institutions (JVP15), Local Government and Decentralisation (JVP16). UNDP is also co-leading on two JVPs including, Rural Community Empowerment (JVP 18) and Youth Development and Employment (JVP 19) co-leading with FAO and ILO respectively.

UNDP considers gender as a cross-cutting issue across all its programmes. In addition, UNDP supports specific intervention including through the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children's Affairs in advancing the minimum 30% quota for women in decision making positions.

Other UNDP partners that attended the meeting include: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Ministry of Youth Employment and Sports, Department for International Development (DFID) and various government departments and agencies including the National Aids Secretariat, Strategic Planning Unit, Decentralisation Secretariat, Sierra Leone Environment Protection Agency (SLEPA), Statistics Sierra Leone, Human Resources Management Office, Anti-Corruption Commission, Justice Sector Coordination Office, Environmental Protection Agency, Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, Public Sector Reform Unit, Human Rights Commission, National Elections Watch and Civil Society Consultative Forum.

It is expected that the annual review process will help to strengthen the capacity of the government to monitor progress of development programmes towards the achievement of set targets and enhance national ownership of the development programme supported by the UN system.