As the Government of Sierra Leone, the UN Country Team, and Development partners commenced implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF or CF) for the next six years starting January this year, the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) Meeting, co-chaired by the UN Resident Coordinator and the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, met last week to review and approve the committee’s TOR and the 2025 Joint Work Plan.
The purpose of the JSC is to provide strategic oversight and direction to the CF process and ensure its alignment to evolving country contexts, national, regional and international development processes, mechanisms and goals, and links with other processes such as the Voluntary National Review (VNRs). It will also support resource mobilisation as well as development financing opportunities, monitor progress, challenges, and opportunities and steer its implementation, including guidance on resource management.
The CF is aligned with the Government of Sierra Leone’s development priorities, reflecting efforts to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
In her opening remarks, RC Seraphine Wakana emphasised that the global context has changed due to funding issues during the first year of implementation and that the focus should be on new ways of working to see “how we can remain efficient and effective.” She also reiterated the importance of strengthening reporting mechanisms for transparency.
Minister Kenyeh Barlay noted that the process of developing the CF was participatory and expects that the collaboration will continue in that same manner. She recognised the 43% funding gap during year one of implementation and the need to step up resource mobilisation. “We should focus on innovative resource mobilisation strategies,” she said. In her opening remarks, RC Seraphine Wakana emphasised that the global context has changed due to funding issues during the first year of implementation and that the focus should be on new ways of working to see “how we can remain efficient and effective.” She also reiterated the importance of strengthening reporting mechanisms for transparency. Presentations were made on the TOR, and the Joint Work Plan and linkages to the Medium, Term, National Development Plan, the SDGs and other global agendas. The strategic discussions that followed these presentations centered on data, strengthening joint programmes, as well as continued resources mobilisation, especially in the context of changing global priorities.
