Sierra Leone

Chapter I – EU, DFID and GoSL objectives

This strategy is based on Sierra Leone’s Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) for 2005-2007, the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement, the EU Strategy for Africa (2005), the European Consensus on Development and the 10-year Memorandum of Understanding signed between the DFID and the government of Sierra Leone in 2002.

Chapter II – Analysis and challenges facing Sierra Leone over the next five years

Significant progress has been made since the end of the conflict in 2002. There is peace and security throughout the country, the armed forces and police have been rebuilt, presidential, parliamentary and local council elections were successfully completed in 2002 and 2004, school enrolment has increased, child immunisation rates have dramatically improved and there is macroeconomic stability. Since the end of the war the country has achieved economic growth rates of between 6% and 7% per annum. Nevertheless, in spite of this progress Sierra Leone’s recovery remains fragile. Much more needs to be done to improve governance and accountability, tackle high levels of unemployment, the high number of infant, child and maternal deaths, which are amongst the worst rates in the world, and the poor infrastructure (energy and roads) which is holding back development across all sectors. Inequality remains a concern. Women and girls and young people of both sexes continue to be socially excluded. Unless this discontent is directly addressed there are clear dangers that the progress made so far will be undermined.

Chapter III – Overview of past and present cooperation and lessons learned

An evaluation of the last ten years of EC cooperation found that too little attention had been paid to pro-poor growth issues, limited government capacity and the overall sustainability of operations. The EC’s and DFID’s experience since the end of the war identifies the main challenges facing Sierra Leone in the medium term as: converting peace and security into effective delivery of basic public services; building capable government institutions; maintaining social and political stability by means of democratic and accountable government; and creating jobs by means of economic growth.

Chapter IV – Response strategy

Broad-based economic growth which can deliver employment, raise incomes and reduce inequality is critical to Sierra Leone’s future. The poor need to see and feel the dividends from jobs and growth, otherwise there is a risk of undermining peace and stability as people lose hope in the future. Over the next five years, while the EC and DFID will continue to support and build on the gains in improving security and governance, more needs to be done to stimulate and sustain economic growth and to improve infrastructure and service delivery to poor people. Both organisations will work more closely with each other, with civil society and with other multilaterals, including the World Bank, African Development Bank and UN system, to achieve this. To reduce risk across all their operations, a mix of instruments will be used, including budget support, sector-wide approaches, multilateral trust funds, bilateral programmes and projects.