By Amin Kef (Ranger)
The Honorable Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, will chair the upcoming Inter-Agency Forum (IAF) meeting on Social Protection, set to take place from August 9th to 11th, 2024, in Kenema District.
The IAF, a pivotal multi-stakeholder platform, unites national entities and international partners involved in social protection programs. This annual meeting serves as the highest deliberative forum, convening key stakeholders to outline national priorities and strategies for social protection.
Since its inception in 2019, the IAF has played a crucial role in updating and advancing social protection initiatives. The forum aims to improve coordination, policy coherence, resource mobilization and program evaluation. This year’s meeting is particularly significant as it coincides with transformative developments in the sector, including the Government’s efforts to establish a dedicated Social Protection Agency for enhanced coordination.
The forum will also review previous initiatives, including the productive social safety nets discussed at the 2019 IAF meeting in Makeni.
A major focus of this year’s discussions will be aligning social protection programming with President Bio’s “Big Five” priorities. The Commissioner of the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), who oversees the social protection portfolio, emphasized these objectives during a recent working session with the Vice President. Under Commissioner Ndomahina’s leadership, NaCSA has broadened its social protection efforts, enhancing engagement and coordination across the sector.
In keeping with its tradition, the IAF meeting will be held in the provinces, allowing members to engage in both discussions and field visits to observe key social protection activities and their impact on beneficiaries.
