By Josephine Sesay
The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has conducted a Mid-Year Review of the 2026 Annual Workplan, with a focus on assessing progress, addressing implementation gaps and accelerating development activities for the remainder of the year.
The review, held on Thursday, September 3, 2026, brought together representatives from participating Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and development partners to assess achievements, challenges, outstanding activities and priorities for 2027.
Deputy Development Secretary I, Usman Cherry Conteh, urged participating institutions to move beyond planning and focus on accelerated implementation, stressing the importance of completing activities within agreed timelines.
Conteh identified procurement delays among the key bottlenecks affecting implementation and called on institutions to take practical steps to resolve such challenges.
He further emphasised the need for government institutions to make effective use of available resources, noting that improved implementation would strengthen confidence in Sierra Leone’s capacity to deliver development programmes and help attract continued support from development partners.
Speaking at the review, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Kevin Petrini called for a more strategic approach to development financing.
He encouraged MDAs to design initiatives capable of generating wider development impact, leveraging additional investments and attracting partnerships.
Petrini described the approach as a “co-creation” model, involving Government and development partners in identifying priorities, making strategic contributions and mobilising additional resources to support national development objectives.
The review also highlighted progress made on ten bankable Blue Economy and investment-related projects covering key sectors, including industry, tourism and transport.
Participants also identified areas requiring further attention, including stronger gender mainstreaming across development programmes and improved management of government contracts and concessions.
The meeting further underscored the need to strengthen public-private partnership databases and improve financial analysis before major government agreements are concluded.
These measures, participants noted, would contribute to better decision-making, enhance transparency and help ensure that public resources and partnerships deliver maximum value to the country.
The Mid-Year Review provided an opportunity for participating institutions to take stock of implementation during the first half of 2026 and agree on practical measures to address outstanding challenges.
As Sierra Leone advances into the final months of the year, MoPED and UNDP are expected to continue working with MDAs to accelerate implementation, address bottlenecks and ensure that planned development activities are delivered effectively.
The review also laid the groundwork for preparations for the 2027 development programme, with stakeholders emphasising the importance of stronger coordination, strategic financing and timely implementation in achieving Sierra Leone’s development priorities.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 7th September 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
