On Tuesday, December 12, 2023, the Ministry of Finance (MoF), through the Multilateral Project Division, in collaboration with the World Bank, conducted the Annual Country Portfolio Performance Review (CPPR) of 16 national and three regional projects funded by the Bank to the tune of $967 million. The event was held at the MoF’s main conference hall on George Street in Freetown.

The CPPR aimed to assess the implementation status, challenges, and achievements of these projects, with a focus on their alignment with the country’s Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP). Deputy Finance Minister 1, Jeneba Bangura, officially declared the workshop open, encouraging all project managers and coordinators to adhere strictly to project documents, World Bank policies, and Sierra Leonean laws and agreed timelines.

Financial Secretary Matthew Dingie, who also serves as the CPPR chairman, highlighted the critical role of these projects in improving Sierra Leone’s Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA) rating, which serves as a benchmark for accessing additional concessional resources from development partners. He emphasized that a strong CPIA rating would open doors to more funding for Sierra Leone’s development initiatives.

Abdu Muwonge, World Bank Country Manager, commended Sierra Leone’s impressive disbursement performance, ranking it among the top performers in the West African region. He encouraged project managers to share knowledge and experience to enhance project implementation effectiveness.

Development Secretary at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) Sam Kpakra highlighted the importance of project financing in donor support, noting that responsibility for project administration lies with implementing units established in various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). He emphasized that 20% of the CPIA assessment is allocated to project implementation, and that a strong implementation process significantly impacts the CPIA report.

Mr. Kpakra identified several factors that could hinder project success, including delays in disbursement due to poor project documentation, inadequate payment of government counterpart contributions, late submission of financial performance reports, non-compliance with procurement procedures, lack of adequate knowledge among PIU staff, and poor project design.

The CPPR provided an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss these challenges and develop strategies for addressing them. The MoF and the World Bank pledged to continue their collaboration to ensure the effective implementation of these projects and enhance Sierra Leone’s development trajectory.