By Fatmata B Bah
In a diplomatic engagement that underscores Sierra Leone’s growing role in continental dialogue, the German Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Tuesday, 15th April 2025 his Excellency Jens Kraus-Masse, held a high-level meeting with the Minister of public administration and Political Affairs (MoPAPA), at the office of the Minister, 9th Floor, Youyi Building, Freetown
Hon. Amara Kallon, and Sara Hamouda of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Continental Secretariat, the meeting was a strategic precursor to the upcoming Third High-Level Forum on South-South and Triangular Cooperation, set to be hosted in Sierra Leone from 7th to 9th May 2025 the first time the country will host this significant continental gathering.
Welcoming the ambassador, Minister Amara Kallon highlighted the transformative strides MoPAPA has made since its establishment in 2023, he emphasized the ministry’s pivotal role in revitalizing Sierra Leone’s public administration landscape.
Our mandate is clear: to build an effective, accountable, and inclusive public service that delivers value to citizens, said Minister Kallon, through strong collaboration with institutions like the APRM, we are driving reforms grounded in good governance and supported by human, technical, and financial capacity.
He acknowledged the evolving partnership with the APRM, noting that both institutions have aligned their efforts to strengthen governance frameworks and ensure that public service delivery reflects national development aspirations.
Sara Hamouda, representing the APRM Continental Secretariat, traced the evolution of the South-South and Triangular cooperation platform. She explained that the idea emerged as APRM deepened its collaboration with UN agencies and recognized a glaring institutional and statistical gap regarding how Africa engages in development partnerships.
South-South Cooperation is not just about shared experiences, Hamouda stated, it is about building a platform that allows Africa to evaluate its own development contributions, understand the flows of official development assistance (ODA), and leverage intra-African human capital and innovation.
According to her, the forum’s journey started in Cairo (2021), moved to Kampala (2023), and now, Sierra Leone. The 2025 edition will focus on the Global South’s role in reshaping the new international order.
In addition to policy discussions, Hamouda announced plans for a Knowledge Fair Exhibition, which will showcase youth-led innovation and entrepreneurship from Sierra Leone and other invited countries, providing a dynamic space for youth engagement in the development narrative.
Ambassador Jens Kraus-Masse, while expressing appreciation for the upcoming forum, made a clear distinction, Germany is not part of the Global South. However, we recognize the potential of Triangular Cooperation where the experiences and innovations of the South are paired with financing and support from the North, directed at achieving meaningful outcomes in developing countries.
He emphasized Germany’s continued diplomatic and development partnership with Sierra Leone, particularly through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the ambassador committed to exploring avenues for GIZ to provide support for the upcoming forum and other strategic cooperation efforts.
Kraus-Masse also reiterated Germany’s commitment to good governance and democratic consolidation in Africa through consistent support to the African Union (AU) and APRM frameworks.
Germany remains an active partner in areas critical to Sierra Leone’s development from health and epidemic prevention to peacebuilding, sustainable economic development, and the empowerment of youth and women,” he added.
As preparations intensify for the May 2025 South-South and Triangular Cooperation Forum, the visit by Ambassador Kraus-Masse reflects the growing international interest in Sierra Leone’s leadership on the continent.
With stakeholders from across Africa and beyond expected to attend, the event offers Sierra Leone a unique platform to project its development priorities, foster partnerships, and place youth, innovation, and good governance at the heart of its global engagement.