MoPAPA Partners With India Government to Enhance Civil Service Capacity Building

The Ministry of Public Administration and Political Affairs (MoPAPA) has initiated a significant partnership with a high-level delegation from the Government of India, aimed at strengthening cooperation in capacity building and technical support for civil service reform in Sierra Leone.

The discussions took place at the MoPAPA Conference Hall and were led by the Indian High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, B.C. Pradhan. The primary objective of the meeting was to facilitate the transformation of the Civil Service Training College (CSTC) into the proposed Public Service Academy (PSA).

Minister of MoPAPA, Amara Kallon, welcomed the delegation and affirmed the commitment of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio to governance reform. He described the transition of CSTC to PSA as a critical government deliverable. “We are keen on developing a fit-for-purpose curriculum aligned with international best practices to enhance public sector efficiency and professionalism,” Kallon stated.

The Minister expressed Sierra Leone’s strong interest in collaborating closely with India and mentioned plans to formalize the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

He emphasized that India’s support would be essential in establishing training institutions and designing core curricula to guide the technical framework of the PSA. “This transition can only be realized through a concrete agreement and shared commitment,” Kallon added.

High Commissioner Pradhan affirmed India’s readiness to assist Sierra Leone in its reform agenda, highlighting that the meeting was the result of extensive preparations. He noted that the collaboration would be supported by EdCIL (India) Limited, a public sector enterprise under India’s Ministry of Education, which specializes in consultancy, digital education, and human resource development.

Pradhan acknowledged the crucial role of MoPAPA in reforming Sierra Leone’s public service and reiterated India’s commitment to building a skilled and empowered civil service workforce.

Dr. B. Chandrasekar, Executive Director (Corporate Planning) of EdCIL, provided an overview of the organization’s capabilities during the meeting. He identified key areas for collaboration, including the establishment of centers of excellence in priority sectors, technical support for Smart SL implementation, and academic exchange programs between Sierra Leone and India.

The meeting concluded with a mutual agreement on the importance of sustained engagement and structured cooperation.