Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Finance has initiated a groundbreaking consultation process with the launch of its inaugural Fiscal Risk Strategy (FRS) Statement, marking a significant advancement in the nation’s fiscal management framework. The event kicked off at Leisure Lodge Hotel in Aberdeen, Freetown, and is set to conclude on Friday, September 19, 2025.
On Wednesday, September 17, 2025, in her opening remarks, Senior Deputy Financial Secretary (SDFS) Mariatu Brown described the Fiscal Risk Strategy Statement as a transformative milestone, offering a detailed and independent evaluation of fiscal risks. She highlighted its focus on quantitative analysis of contingent liabilities, climate-related threats, policy readiness, and institutional vulnerabilities, signaling a proactive approach to economic stability. The workshop brings together representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Sierra Leone (BSL), the National Revenue Authority (NRA), the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) unit, and Civil Society Organisations, fostering a collaborative environment for dialogue and innovation.
Madam Brown emphasized that this gathering marks the start of an extensive, ongoing consultative effort to develop a standalone FRS. “This Strategy will foster dialogue between the government, private sector players, development partners, enhance institutional understanding, build technical capacity for fiscal risk analysis, and pinpoint opportunities to improve data systems through interagency collaboration,” she explained, underscoring its long-term vision.
Delivering the keynote address, Minister of Finance II, Madam Jenneh Jabati, hailed the event as a defining moment in Sierra Leone’s fiscal governance journey, reflecting a commitment to reform, innovation, and robust economic management. She pointed out the increasingly uncertain fiscal landscape, driven by economic volatility, climate change, public health crises, natural disasters, and the instability of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). Madam Jabati stressed that the creation of a dedicated FRS underscores the government’s bold pledge to enhance fiscal transparency, accountability, and resilience against future shocks.
Dr. Alhassan Mansaray, Director of the Fiscal Risk Division, outlined the workshop’s agenda, which will address a wide array of issues. These include macroeconomic shocks, governance challenges, climate risks, revenue volatility, expenditure pressures, debt sustainability, economic growth, revenue mobilization hurdles, budget risks, climate change threats, governance and social vulnerabilities, political polarization, corruption, institutional weaknesses, and strategic policy recommendations. This comprehensive approach aims to equip stakeholders with the tools to navigate Sierra Leone’s complex fiscal environment.
The three-day consultation promises to lay a solid foundation for a resilient fiscal strategy, with participants poised to shape policies that safeguard the nation’s economic future.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 22nd September, 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
