Freetown: The African Development Bank concluded a 10-day appraisal mission Thursday, renewing direct budget support partnership, ending a three-year suspension, and strengthening Sierra Leone's fiscal recovery drive.
According to Sierra Leone News Agency, at a closing meeting, the AfDB mission team met with Financial Secretary Matthew Dingie to review reform progress, prior actions, and structural triggers required for Board consideration. Dingie welcomed the renewed engagement, describing it as critical to stabilizing Sierra Leone's fiscal position and advancing its development agenda.
Chief Economist Alimamy Bangura also endorsed the resumption of direct budget support. He stated that the mission provided a rigorous follow-up assessment of the mandatory prior actions and triggers tied to the proposed 2026 and 2027 programmes. He added that discussions with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies were comprehensive and demonstrated that government institutions are prepared for implementation.
Senior Governance Officer Andara Kamara outlined the reform measures needed to unlock the 2026 disbursement of US$11.5 million, expected between September and November. These measures include improving fiscal efficiency, transparency, and public accountability; advancing inclusive and sustainable reforms in the mining and transport sectors; submitting an updated Public Financial Management Strategy; fully implementing outstanding official audit recommendations; approving and launching the MAPS II implementation plan; introducing the Sierra Leone Critical Minerals Strategy; and securing Cabinet approval for the National Transport Sector Policy, which covers urban mobility, traffic management, and e-mobility frameworks.
Dingie expressed confidence that the 2026 Cabinet-level policy actions would be completed on schedule, noting that executive approvals typically move faster than legislative reforms.
For the 2027 programme, the AfDB and the Government agreed on structural triggers that rely more heavily on legislative changes. These include drafting amendments to the Public Debt Management Act of 2011, deploying the GoAML tracking system within the Financial Intelligence Unit, securing Cabinet approval for a revised Public Procurement Act of 2016, and approving the draft Beneficial Ownership Disclosure Regulation.
The AfDB mission was led by Senior Governance Officer Andara Kamara. The delegation included Ibrahim Bangura, Principal Governance Officer; Prosper Charle, Senior Country Economist; Philip Doghle, Regional Financial Management Coordinator; Kombo Koroma, Financial Management Specialist; Douglas Tsise, Procurement Specialist; Alex Yeanay, Senior Fragility Expert; and Betty Wangozi, Chief Gender Specialist.
The conclusion of the mission signals renewed momentum in fiscal reform, stronger governance, and sustainable development, with expected AfDB financing set to support Sierra Leone's macroeconomic stability.