By Mary Kabay
In a significant step towards strengthening national migration governance, the Government of Sierra Leone, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Network on Migration, on Tuesday, 21 October 2025, launched a comprehensive suite of initiatives marking the country’s transition from global commitment to concrete national implementation. The high-level event, held at the Country Lodge Hotel in Freetown, officially introduced the National Implementation Plan (NIP) of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, the National Coordination Mechanism on Migration (NCM) and the IOM Sierra Leone Country Strategy for 2025-2030. Under the theme: “From Global Principles to National Action”, the launch emphasized alignment of the frameworks with Sierra Leone’s development goals, positioning effective migration governance as a key driver of national progress.
The ceremony opened with a video message from IOM headquarters that placed Sierra Leone’s new initiatives within the broader global migration agenda. That was followed by goodwill messages from stakeholders who pledged unwavering support. Speaking on behalf of traditional authorities, Alameen Kanneh, Paramount Chief, said that his community stood ready to join the migration reform effort. “We have gathered to ensure migration benefits not only our people but also our villages,” he said.
At local level, Abdul Kargbo, Chief Administrator of the Local Government Council, affirmed his council’s commitment to “support the compact through serving as a link with districts across Sierra Leone”.
Seraphine Wakana, UN Resident Coordinator, called the launched documents “road-maps for partnerships”, stressing that “migration must be safe if the document must be in action.” She reaffirmed the UN’s support for implementing the IOM Country Strategy and insisted that synergy between the frameworks would deliver measurable impact.
In his remarks, Amadu Mannah, Technical Adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs, described the day as a milestone where Sierra Leone “moves from commitment to implementation”, warning that “a plan on paper is not enough”; what matters is action and robust partnerships.
During a human-centred address, Melrose Karminty, Minister of Social Welfare, explained that “migration is a social story that touches families and communities”, highlighting the profound societal implications of the newly launched plans.
The official launch was performed by Sylvia Etta, Regional Director for IOM West and Central Africa together with national authorities.
A detailed presentation of the IOM Country Strategy by Pauline Macharia, Officer-in-Charge of IOM Sierra Leone, followed, along with a panel discussion on “Partnerships for Implementation” featuring Government Ministries, Parliament, Civil Society and migrant communities.
With these launches and strong cross-sector support, Sierra Leone has established a unified national framework, led by the IOM, to ensure migration is safe, orderly and beneficial to all citizens.
