Peacebuilding Commission

Sierra Leone configuration

1^st Meeting (AM)

SIERRA LEONE MAKING ‘STEADY PROGRESS’; FOCUSED ON CONSOLIDATING PEACE, SETTING

COUNTRY ON PATH FOR GROWTH, FOREIGN MINISTER TELLS PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION

Commission’s Sierra Leone Configuration Adopts Second Biannual

Review of Progress Implementing December 2007 Peacebuilding Cooperation Framework

Sierra Leone was making “steady progress” and over the past year had stayed focused on consolidating peace and setting the country on the path for growth, the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation told the Sierra Leone Configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission this morning.

“The peaceful and transparent democratic transition, the recently concluded successful local government elections -- unparalleled by any country emerging from conflict, be it in Africa or elsewhere –- is a testimony to that fact,” Zainab Hawa Bangura said. 

Speaking as the Configuration met to consider the biannual report on progress in implementing the Sierra Leone Peacebuilding Cooperation Framework, Ms. Bangura said failure was not an option and that her Government was working to ensure that the international community’s enormous investment in the country would not be in vain.

Sierra Leone’s President, Ernest Bia Koroma, had instituted an Agenda for Change to erase the country’s legacy of mismanagement and civil conflict, she said.  That included policies to combat corruption, and scale up energy, the agricultural sector, health care and education.  President Koroma had made public his assets -- the first Head of State in the country’s history to do so -- and had called on all cabinet ministers and public officials to follow suit.  His Open Government Initiative aimed to strengthen human rights and the rule of law.  Tough legislation to root out drug trafficking and corruption addressed the underlying causes of conflict while helping to create a friendly environment for private-sector development and macroeconomic stability.  Reforms in the justice and security sectors had already led to marked improvements in security and governance.

Still, high youth unemployment and low revenue generation continued to thwart peace consolidation, Ms. Bangura said.  Sierra Leone would need $2.1 billion to implement its poverty-reduction strategy during the 2009-2011 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework.  But, development partners had only committed $1.2 billion, thus far.  The remaining $900 million was essential to achieve the annual economic growth rate target of 10 per cent, instead of the current growth rate of 7 per cent.  Only through accelerated growth could the country significantly reduce the number of citizens living on less than a dollar a day, she said, urging international partners to help her Government attract new and non-traditional partners and for all to contribute to the joint multi-donor fund set up to finance activities of the Joint Vision for the United Nations Family and the quality leadership in Sierra Leone.

Ms. Bangura said Sierra Leone officials were committed to vigorously pursuing national unity and inter-party dialogue; stepping up implementation of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, particularly the constitutional review process; and streamlining aid coordination and fully resuming the Development Partnership Committee’s meetings. 

Those steps were among a wide range of measures outlined by the Configuration to implement the Sierra Leone Peacebuilding Cooperation Framework, which was adopted in December 2007.  During the meeting, the Configuration adopted the full draft conclusions and recommendations of the second biannual review to implement the Framework, which were contained in document PBC/3/SLE/L.1.  The Configuration recommends that the Sierra Leone Government finalize and strengthen monitoring of its Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper as soon as possible, as well as put in place emergency plans and long-term strategies for energy-sector investment and development.  The Configuration also calls on the United Nations and international partners to support the President’s poverty-reduction strategy and change agenda, as well as provide direct budgetary funding and contribute to the United Nations multi-donor fund.  Further, it calls on the Commission to rally all stakeholders behind Sierra Leone’s priorities and help the Government there widen its donor base.

Michael Schulenburg, Executive Representative of the Secretary-General in Sierra Leone, who spearheaded creation of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL), the Organization’s first Integrated Peacebuilding Office, lauded the country’s strides in the past year and said the recent local council elections were very important and had been held with very little violence.  The country had gone from being one of the poorest in the world to posting a steady annual growth rate of 6 per cent to 7 per cent.  This year, for the first time, it produced a surplus rice crop, and it had significantly combated maternal mortality, at a pace superior to that of its neighbours.

However, he expressed impatience that investment in infrastructure had not been as large as expected.  A steady, focused approach was needed more than ever, with better outreach to the population at large, to understand what was feasible, and, as called for by the Sierra Leone President, to increase investment in agriculture, energy, transport and health.  The Commission should play a major role in that process and the international community should rally behind those Government priorities.

Illegal drug trafficking threatened to thwart those peacebuilding and development efforts, Mr. Schulenburg warned, noting that drug trafficking was still a nascent industry there, which could be eliminated through effective international action.  The United Nations mission on the ground, which was civil in nature, posed questions, including its relationship with the Commission in New York.  Unlike traditional peacebuilding missions, the new office on the ground would comprise a small group of experts that would provide assistance to the central Government and provinces throughout the country.        

Lynn Pascoe, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, said Mr. Schulenburg’s work in assessing the needs of the ground had been crucial in putting Sierra Leone on the right track.  The United Nations various divisions must act as one to make things work, linking politics, the security situation and development for optimum results.  That process must continue through effective coordination with Headquarters in New York.  He pledged to work closely with the Commission.

Jane Hall Lute, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Peacebuilding Support Office, said that peacebuilding processes in general had no real clear road map.  But, Sierra Leone had made progress in several key economic areas.  The Agenda for Change outlined key strategies for the future.  The Secretary-General was eager to learn what worked and under what conditions political reconciliation and economic recovery could be achieved.  The goal was to support and reinforce an enabling environment for the Government to achieve its priorities.  The Secretary-General had solicited input from all stakeholders and he looked to the Commission to allow “this laboratory of experimentation” to pave the way for success.

Moustapha Soumare, Acting Regional Director of the Africa Bureau of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said UNDP had learned several lessons from the Peacebuilding Fund’s allocation of resources in Burundi on governance system, project design, and the importance of realistic timeframes to ensure timely delivery.  Its project in Sierra Leone on youth empowerment and employment had received particular attention by the Commission.  The situation of youth must improve, lest it trigger conflict in the future.  The UNDP project would involve more than 40,000 youth in micro-enterprise, training and other activities.  The United Nations would focus on capacity development to increase overall effectiveness, accountability and efficiency of the public sector.

In partnership with the World Bank and the African Development Bank, UNDP was working on mining sector reform, paving the way for transparent management of the country’s mineral wealth, Mr. Soumare said.  UNDP was also working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to create an internal platform for other countries in the region emerging from conflict.  The agency had succeeded in increasing the number of donors, but more resources were still needed.

During the discussion that followed, delegates took the floor to laud Sierra Leone’s progress, endorse the recommendations and conclusions of the second biannual review and call for continued investment in peace and an enabling environment for development.

The United Kingdom’s representative said Sierra Leone was still far from reaching the Millennium Development Goals and it was at risk of becoming a haven for drug trafficking.  The Commission must keep watch over those areas, and all partners must be ready to react to emerging issues and increase donations.

France’s representative, speaking on behalf of the European Union, lauded the Agenda for Change under President Koroma’s leadership, and the cooperation of the UNDP, World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to implement the Joint Vision.  Integration of rural communities, promoting national cohesion and improving healthcare were essential.  He expressed hope that all development partners in Sierra Leone would work to ensure that programmes were complementary and that the poverty-reduction strategy was instituted.

Brazil’s representative lauded the country’s free and fair local elections and its steady economic growth, which was critical for income generation and a solid revenue base needed for public social services.  Ensuring adequate living conditions and economic opportunities for youth was essential for long-term stability and peace dividends.  This year, Brazil signed a technical cooperation agreement to share with Sierra Leone its know-how in rice production and other agricultural areas. 

Guinea’s representative said the presence during the meeting of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation showed the Government’s commitment to the Configuration’s work.  He lauded the Agenda for Change, and emphasized the need to create synergies between action and follow-up to implement the Framework and poverty-reduction strategies.  The United Nations and all international partners should mobilize resources, in accordance with the Paris Declaration, to turn Sierra Leone’s general guidelines into reality, and they should work to expand beyond traditional donors to develop a multi-donor base.

Pakistan’s representative said the objectives of peacebuilding and international development were constrained by the lack of resource mobilization, institutional capacity and youth unemployment.  He expressed hope that international partners, working with the United Nations office in Sierra Leone, would work to overcome those obstacles.

The United States’ representative said the Commission had learned valuable lessons in peacebuilding to address short-term and long-term problems.  In the next two years, the Commission should support regional efforts and dialogue, including to combat narco-trafficking in West Africa.  There was room for creative engagement between the Configuration, UNIPSIL and the Government of Sierra Leone. 

In a similar vein, Canada’s representative said serious challenges remained, particularly with regard to narco-trafficking.  The focus must remain on peacebuilding and infrastructure development.

Responding to the delegates’ comments, David Carew, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Finance and Economic Development, said many challenges remained and were identified in the Agenda for Change.  Sierra Leone was keen to move from dependency to growth, and the Agenda aimed to do that.  Sierra Leone, however, needed the international community’s financial and other support for that to occur.

Frank Najoor ( Netherlands), Chair of the Configuration, closed the meeting by summarizing the discussion.

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For information media • not an official record