By Amin Kef (Ranger)
The U.S. Embassy in Freetown, in partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone, on Monday October 7, 2024 launched a $308,874 Fiscal Transparency Innovation Fund (FTIF) project aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability and improving public service delivery. The project aligns with Sierra Leone’s Medium-Term National Development Plan (2024-2030) and the Big Five Game Changers initiative.
The project will be executed by the Institute for State Effectiveness, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization renowned for its global expertise in state-building and governance, working closely with key Government bodies, including the Presidential Delivery Unit and the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development.
Speaking at the virtual launch, U.S. Embassy Economic Officer, Chloe Combes, emphasized the role of the Sierra Leonean Government in the project’s success. “The U.S. Embassy is proud to support this important initiative, but it is the Government of Sierra Leone’s ownership and leadership of the project that will ensure its success,” she stated. Chloe Combes further highlighted the project’s potential to enhance transparency, foster collaboration and strengthen accountability within the Government, laying a robust foundation for more effective public service delivery across the nation.
The project focuses on several critical areas, including the development of a budgetary and performance monitoring system, the facilitation of Government collaboration workshops, an assessment of transparency systems at the local level and the creation of citizen-friendly tools to promote open governance.
Since its inception, the Fiscal Transparency Innovation Fund has allocated around $57 million to support initiatives in over 65 countries. These projects are geared towards enhancing budget transparency, advancing public financial management and improving the transparency of licensing and contracting processes, particularly in the natural resource sector.
The launch of the FTIF project marks a significant step forward for Sierra Leone in its efforts to bolster governance, accountability and transparency in line with its national development priorities.
