A delegation from the Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC) visited the United Nations Coordinating Office for Sierra Leone at Fourah Bay Close, Freetown, on Monday, February 17, 2025. The team met with Robert Banamwana, Head of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, to discuss RAIC’s mandate and explore potential collaboration in promoting transparency and accountability, with access to information as a key pillar.
Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw, Chairman and Information Commissioner of RAIC, briefed Mr. Banamwana on the Commission’s work, emphasizing the strategic importance of the United Nations as a partner. He highlighted the UN’s role in fostering openness and good governance globally and acknowledged the ongoing challenges in promoting transparency in Sierra Leone due to a deeply entrenched culture of secrecy. Dr. Shaw noted that it took nearly a decade of advocacy by civil society organizations and the media to secure the enactment of the Right to Access Information (RAI) Act in 2013.
Reflecting on RAIC’s achievements over the past decade, Dr. Shaw shared key data demonstrating progress. He noted that Freedom of Information (FOI) requests had surged from just 112 in 2019 to an impressive 19,496 in 2023. To strengthen the implementation of the RAI Act, RAIC introduced the RAI Regulation in 2022. Additionally, the Commission launched digital platforms on its website, enabling users to submit requests and receive responses from public authorities regardless of geographic location. Dr. Shaw encouraged the UN Coordinating Office to utilize RAIC’s services for any information access needs under the RAI Act.
Dr. Shaw also emphasized the importance of collaboration between RAIC and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Sierra Leone, particularly on programmes related to human rights. He recalled RAIC’s past partnerships, including its collaboration with the World Bank and OSIWA in 2021, as well as its participation in the Voluntary National Review (VNR) of SDG 16.10.2 with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MOPED) and UNESCO since 2019. He expressed optimism about strengthening these partnerships to further enhance transparency and accountability in Sierra Leone.
Robert Banamwana, Head of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, welcomed the RAIC delegation and expressed his appreciation for the insights gained about the Right to Access Information (RAI) Act of 2013. He acknowledged that access to information is a fundamental human right and emphasized the UN’s focus on how its collaboration with RAIC can benefit the citizens of Sierra Leone. He added that his office and the Government of Sierra Leone have signed the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), which runs from January 2025 to 2030. He encouraged RAIC to explore this agreement, noting that it contains a wealth of data that RAIC could leverage as an entry point for effective collaboration. Banamwana thanked the RAIC delegation for their visit and expressed his eagerness to work together in the future.
For media inquiries, contact:
Amara Thoronka
Public Information & Communication Officer
RAIC – National Secretariat
+232 88 283632 / +232 78 231949