Post-Conflict Sierra Leone to be assessed in the African Governance Project

Addis Ababa, 29 May (ECA) – The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Campaign for Good Governance (CGG) held training and launch workshops for the African Governance Project, “Measuring and Monitoring Progress towards Good Governance”, on 7th May 2007 in Freetown. The main objectives of the workshops were to launch the African Governance Report ( AGR II ) project in Sierra Leone, and provide training for the lead statistician, project manager and other CGG staff working on the AGR II project. The launch aimed at creating awareness of the project with a view to acquiring momentum behind the AGR and greater participation and collaboration from the various stakeholders.

“The workshop was particularly meaningful, as it emphasizes ECA's interest in working on post conflict countries on governance issues,” says Okey Onyejekwe, Director of ECA's Governance and Public Administration Division (GPAD) , and adds, “It also offers a platform for Sierra Leone stakeholders to openly discuss governance issues and what they imply in a post conflict society, where this kind of dialogue was unthinkable until recently.”

The aim of the launch workshop was to sensitize and engage all stakeholders on the objectives and implementation of the project. It is also part of the process of ensuring natural ownership of the governance project.

Mr. Justice Edmond K. Cowan, Speaker of the House of Parliament of Sierra Leone welcomed the governance assessment of Sierra Leone, but cautioned that the outcome should not in anyway impact on the country negatively. " There are unique features and concerns to Sierra Leone and a comparison with other countries would diminish our peculiarities.” He stressed.

Mr. Onyejekwe gave an overview of the AGR project and reassured the speaker and other officials that the intended outcomes of the project are to provide the benchmarks and identify the gaps for the country over time of adherence to the standards of good governance. “This is not an exercise to chastise governments or nations but an opportunity to measure and monitor progress towards good governance with the ultimate objective of identifying and addressing gaps”, he said and stressed the importance of country ownership of the project.

In his opening speech during the official launch of the project, the D irector of the Decentralization secretariat, Mr. Emmanuel Gaima noted that Sierra Leone had come a long way since 1996, and there had been renewed focus on improving good governance, especially of policies, regulations, institutions, laws and procedures.

Mr. Gaimaa emphasized the need for greater attention on enforcing laws and for efficient and effective functioning of institutions. “This is a timely project, which presents an opportunity for all the people of Sierra Leone to contribute towards the current assessment of the general governance trend,” he said.