Government of Sierra Leone and United Nations to co-host High-level Dialogue on the ‘Integrated National Financing Framework.

Freetown 05 June 2021: The Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), and the United Nations Systems in Sierra Leone, will be convening a High-Level Dialogue on the Sierra Leone Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Freetown, on Tuesday, 8 June 2021 at 9:30 A.M.

The Dialogue aims at discussing the INFF and the way forward for enhanced Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) resource mobilization through various recommendations highlighted in the document.  The half-day event will feature a keynote address by the Vice President of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh. Additionally, statements will be made by Dr Francis Kai-Kai, the Minister of MoPED, Mr Dennis Vandy, the Minister of Finance, UN Resident Coordinator Babatunde Ahonsi and UNDP Resident Representative Pa Lamin Beyai, followed by a high-level panel discussion with Q&A session.

The INFF prescribes instruments and policies the Government may use to promote growth and resource mobilisation towards financing of the MTNDP and Sustainable Development Goals. It builds on a development finance assessment conducted during MTNDP development that scanned the financing landscape for a comprehensive picture of existing and potential sources of public and private finance and development finance, mapped trends, and assessed opportunities. This entailed a nationwide consultative process, bringing together experts in development finance, Government MDAs, Local Councils, NGOs/CSOs, and the private sector.  The INFF presents 18 financing options resulting from the assessment and lists key stakeholders for each option as well as a timeline for implementation. 

At the meeting on 8 June, panel members from a broad spectrum of society, including development partners, MDAs, parliamentarians, and civil society will discuss how to implement, among others, the following INFF financing options:

1. increase government tax revenues,
2. promote investment by the diaspora,
3. encourage public sector banks to increase private-sector lending, and
4. promote the investment of pension assets in infrastructure.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) supported the Government of Sierra Leone for the development of the INFF and is currently working, along with the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), to support several MDAs in implementing INFF recommendations through a program funded by the global Joint SDG Fund.

The hybrid event will be live streamed on Zoom beginning at 10:00 A.M on 

https://undp.zoom.us/j/82278854313?pwd=d1UvTW04NmxMdGJkU0xuanJ4TGJKdz09

Meeting ID: 822 7885 4313

Passcode: 573043

For more information please contact:

1. Mr Mohamed Kanu, Communications Associate, UNDP: 077245031,

Email: mohamed.kanu@undp.org,

2. Mr Alfred Kabia, Press Officer, MoPED, 079174027

Email: akabia@moped.gov.sl

3. Mr James Samba, Technical Assistant to the Minister, MoPED: 076743202,

Email: info@moped.gov.sl,

4. Mr Osman Benk Sankoh, Programme  Communication & Advocacy Officer, RCO,030968909,

Email:  sankoh0@un.org