Pierre Laporte, the World Bank Country Director responsible for Ghana, Sierra Leone and Liberia was engaged in discussions with the Ministry of Finance officials on Monday August 21, 2023, during his official two-day visit to Sierra Leone. The purpose of his visit was to deliberate on ongoing and forthcoming collaborations with the World Bank.
Expressing gratitude for the meeting and interactions, Mr. Laporte conveyed his appreciation to the Minister and his team and emphasized the importance of fostering a strong and cooperative relationship between Sierra Leone and the World Bank.
Lauding the Government’s accomplishments, he acknowledged the significant progress made in enhancing the project portfolio’s disbursement rate over the previous year and also commended the Government for implementing various reforms to enhance the nation’s economic landscape.
During the meeting, Mr. Laporte revealed the World Bank’s intention to support the Government in advancing both macro and microeconomic fundamentals, underscoring their commitment to aiding Sierra Leone’s economic growth.
Minister of Finance, Sheku Fantamadi Bangura, warmly welcomed Mr. Laporte, highlighting the Government’s recent strides in maximizing the utilization of World Bank resources. The Minister spotlighted the improved disbursement rate within the Bank’s portfolio.
Minister Bangura elaborated on the Government’s multifaceted approach to enhance revenue generation, foster fiscal consolidation, reduce budget deficits, manage public debt and simultaneously bolster investments in pivotal social sectors like Education, Health and Food Security.
Furthermore, Minister Bangura provided an overview of the macro-fiscal status during 2022 and the first half of 2023 and elaborated on the Government’s ambitious “Big Five” agenda and their intent to collaborate with partners to align programs supporting this initiative.
During his sojourn in Freetown, Pierre Laporte is scheduled to engage with key stakeholders, including President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, the Chief Minister, various Government Ministers, the Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone, and other esteemed development partner organizations invested in Sierra Leone’s growth and progress.
