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A renewed push to expand access to safe water and sanitation services took centre stage as the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation deepened its partnership with Catholic Relief Services during a high-level engagement in Sierra Leone.
The meeting, chaired by Permanent Secretary Allieu Bakarr Conteh, brought together government officials, CRS representatives, and partners from the United Nations to assess ongoing WASH interventions and refocus efforts on scaling sustainable impact.
At the heart of the discussions was a shared recognition that stronger coordination and data-driven planning are essential to improving service delivery. Minister Dr. Sao-Kpato Hannah Isatta Macarthy outlined plans to introduce a centralized data management platform to better track progress, inform policy decisions, and target underserved communities.
She emphasized that aligning interventions with national priorities would be critical to closing existing gaps in access, particularly in hard-to-reach areas such as Tombo and Number Two River, where residents continue to face significant WASH challenges.
The engagement also signaled continuity in partnership, as CRS’s newly appointed Country Director, Michael Moyo, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting government-led initiatives and strengthening water resource protection.
Gender inclusion emerged as a key pillar of the dialogue, with the Minister stressing that equitable access and respect for women must remain central to all WASH programmes.
While acknowledging CRS’s longstanding contributions, including emergency response support, Dr. Macarthy called for enhanced transparency and sustained collaboration to ensure interventions reach the most vulnerable populations.
The meeting ended with a unified resolve among stakeholders to intensify coordination and accelerate progress toward delivering inclusive, resilient, and sustainable water and sanitation services nationwide.
