In full respect of the high-level directive issued on 19 June 2025 by His Excellency Brigadier (Rtd.) Dr. Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Executive Secretary of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) National Secretariat, Mr. Mohamed Sheshu Sheriff, has formally communicated Sierra Leone’s strategic repositioning of the APRM process to the APRM Continental Secretariat in Midrand, South Africa.
In an official diplomatic note addressed to Her Excellency Ambassador Marie-Antoinette Rose-Quatre, CEO of the APRM Continental Secretariat, Mr. Sheriff confirmed full and immediate compliance with the presidential directive, which transfers national oversight of the APRM from the Ministry of Public Administration and Political Affairs to the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED).
This shift marks a significant repositioning of the APRM within the core of Sierra Leone’s national development and public sector reform agenda.
The strategic realignment reflects President Bio’s growing commitment to good governance, evidence-based planning, and modernized public service delivery. By embedding the APRM under the purview of MoPED, the mechanism is better placed to align with national development priorities, strengthen reform coordination, and enhance the integration of peer review findings into policymaking and strategic planning.
Hon. Kenyeh Barlay, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, has been officially designated as Sierra Leone’s new APRM National Focal Point. To facilitate a smooth transition, Dr. Emmanuel Gaima, Principal Advisor to the President on Public Sector Reform, has been appointed to lead a high-level task force mandated to oversee the handover process within 30 days.
The APRM National Secretariat reaffirms its unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, and stronger collaboration with the Continental Secretariat, as it continues to advance Sierra Leone’s contribution to democratic governance, inclusive development, and Africa-wide peer learning.