Freetown, Sierra Leone, 22 January 2026 (ECA) - The Government of Sierra Leone has validated two major reform instruments aimed at strengthening public service capacity and institutional performance: the Management and Functional Review (MFR) of the Civil Service Training College (CSTC) and the Transitional Roadmap for its transformation into a Public Service Academy (PSA)
The high-level validation workshop, held on 22 January 2026 at the CSTC in Freetown, was convened by the Ministry of Public Administration and Political Affairs (MoPAPA) in collaboration with the Public Sector Reform Unit (PSRU). It brought together senior government officials, public service institutions, development partners, policy experts, and training specialists, marking a critical milestone in the implementation of Sierra Leone’s Public Service Reform Agenda (2024–2030)
The reform process benefited from sustained technical leadership and analytical support from the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP), the training arm of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). IDEP supported the diagnostic assessment of the CSTC and the development of a transformational roadmap aligned with international standards and African best practices in public sector training and capacity development.
Opening the workshop, the Honourable Amara Kallon, Minister of Public Administration and Political Affairs, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to modernizing the civil service. He highlighted ongoing reforms, including the digitalization of human resource systems, the revision of civil service rules, institutional restructuring, and progress towards the enactment of Sierra Leone’s first Public Service Act. The Minister called for candid and constructive engagement to ensure that the validated instruments are robust, future-oriented, and implementable.
Representing IDEP, Mr. Bakary Dosso, Head of the Training and Research Division, emphasized that the transformation of the CSTC into a Public Service Academy constitutes a strategic investment in state capability, leadership development, and service delivery outcomes. He reaffirmed IDEP’s continued commitment to supporting Sierra Leone through implementation, including executive training, curriculum co-development, and peer learning with African public administration institutions.
Participants, including representatives from the Public Service Commission, Human Resource Management Office, Office of the Chief Minister, development partners, and academia, underscored the importance of merit-based, ethical, and continuous learning systems. Broad consensus emerged on the need for strong institutional coordination, sustainable financing, and a phased approach to implementing the Public Service Academy.
The outcomes of the workshop will inform the finalization of the MFR and the Transitional Roadmap and guide the next phase of implementation, contributing to Sierra Leone’s objective of building a professional, accountable, and future-ready public service.
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: eca-info@un.org