The Resident Coordinator's remarks at the launch of the Resilience Building for Disaster-Affected Communities Project

Distinguish Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an honour to be invited to deliver remarks on behalf of the United Nations in Sierra Leone on the launching of the Resilience-Building for Disaster-Affected Communities in Freetown Project.

Sierra Leone is ranked as the third most vulnerable country after Bangladesh and Guinea Bissau to the adverse effects of climate change. Ranking 157 out of 181 in the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index, it is also one of the least able countries to adapt to climate change, characterized by high vulnerability and low readiness. This, coupled with environmental degradation and unplanned urban growth, continue to impact already highly vulnerable communities. At the same time, human vulnerability is also at an all-time high due to increasing poverty and inequality, compounded by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has worsened socioeconomic inequalities. We are all familiar with the disasters that have happened in Sierra Leone, from mudslides and flooding to the massive fires at Susan’s Bay and Wellington. These incidents are unpredictable, unprecedented, and unbearable for the people affected. Thus, addressing resilience and vulnerability, particularly in the aftermath of a disaster, becomes even more of an imperative.

The Resilience-Building for Disaster-Affected Communities in Freetown Project is a step in the right direction at an opportune time. I am delighted to witness the ongoing partnership between UNOPS, the Government of Japan and the Freetown City Council to address resilience and vulnerability in the city. This is a clear sign that the UN is a trusted development partner, supporting the implementation of FCC’s Transform Freetown Agenda and the Government’s National Development Plan.

I am pleased that this project will help tackle access to proper sanitation and hygiene, and food waste in Susan’s Bay and Mabella Community by constructing toilets and a biogas system to handle waste in these communities. These will further contribute to mitigating emergency risks through resilience-building, ensuring that no one is left behind. It is our hope that these communities will emerge stronger and more resilient and will have the capacity to recover more quickly.

Overall, this project contributes to the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development, particularly SDG  11—making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable and SDG 13—on climate action. It also contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework Outcome 3, Access to Basic Services, by ensuring that in 2023, the population of Sierra Leone, particularly the most disadvantaged and vulnerable, will benefit from increased and more equitable access to and utilization of quality education, health care, energy and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services, including during emergencies.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,

Together, we must seize this moment to transform how we view and manage disasters. Together, through solidarity and partnerships, we can tackle the common risks that threaten us. Let us all join hands today to work towards a future in which innovation and technology create unprecedented opportunities for reducing the impact of disasters on lives and livelihoods. This will play an active role in building more inclusive societies, efficient services, and sustainable infrastructure to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs in Sierra Leone.

Thank you, and I look forward to visiting these communities again when the infrastructure work is completed. It will be my honour to attend the project handing over in 2023.