Dr. Zarau Kibwe, the World Bank’s Executive Director representing twenty-two African countries, including Sierra Leone, has concluded a two-day official visit to Sierra Leone, held from Thursday 11 December to Friday 12 December 2025.

The visit formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen cooperation between the World Bank and the Government of Sierra Leone, while assessing the impact of Bank-supported development projects in the country.

During his stay, Dr. Kibwe engaged with key government and institutional stakeholders. He paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Finance, met with the Governor and senior management of the Bank of Sierra Leone, held discussions with the Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority (NRA), and interacted with representatives of the private sector. The visit also included a courtesy call on His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio.

The visit concluded with a formal dinner hosted at the Led Hotel along Aberdeen Beach Road in Freetown. Speaking at the event, the Minister of Finance, Mr. Sheku Fantamadi Bangura who also serves as Sierra Leone’s Governor to the World Bank expressed appreciation for Dr. Kibwe’s visit. He noted that due to the short duration of the trip, the Executive Director was unable to travel to the provinces to directly observe infrastructure projects, particularly bridges and agricultural initiatives supported by the World Bank.

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Mr. Bangura highlighted that World Bank-funded projects are producing visible results across the country, especially in infrastructure development. He explained that newly constructed bridges have improved connectivity, facilitating the transportation of agricultural produce to major towns and cities, thereby enhancing trade, stimulating economic activity, and improving livelihoods.

The Minister further disclosed that Sierra Leone’s current World Bank project portfolio is valued at approximately one billion United States dollars, an amount nearly equivalent to the country’s annual national budget and spread over a three- to four-year period. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to effective supervision of project implementation and to strengthening the capacity of personnel responsible for managing these initiatives.

According to Mr. Bangura, the government has also undertaken several challenging reforms, including those related to land administration, gender equality, and the mining sector, as part of its broader development agenda.

In his remarks, Dr. Kibwe thanked the Minister of Finance for facilitating the visit and stated that its primary objective was to reinforce the partnership between the World Bank and Sierra Leone, while gaining firsthand insight into the Bank’s development impact. He announced that Directors General of the World Bank are expected to visit Sierra Leone in March next year, noting that such a visit would be the first in many years.

Dr. Kibwe commended President Julius Maada Bio for his consistent participation in World Bank meetings in Washington, D.C., which he said has helped distinguish Sierra Leone among peer countries and contributed to renewed high-level engagement from the Bank. He also praised the government’s commitment to reforms, project implementation, and constructive dialogue, based on his meetings with the Bank of Sierra Leone, the NRA, the private sector, and the Ministry of Finance.

The Minister of Agriculture, alongside the Minister of Finance, joined in expressing appreciation to the World Bank and its Executive Director for their continued support to Sierra Leone’s development efforts.

The visit underscores ongoing collaboration between Sierra Leone and the World Bank, as both sides work to advance infrastructure development, economic growth, and institutional reforms across the country.