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The Sierra Leone Policy Conference, held from 8th- 10 December at the New Brookfields Hotel, brought together government leaders, partners, private-sector players, and policy experts for three days of unusually honest discussions about the country’s economic direction.
It was one of those rare national moments when big-time policy pushers, the people whose decisions shape everyday life, sat in one room to openly reflect on how Sierra Leone can build a stronger and more self-reliant economy.
The conversations were wide-reaching: how to raise more domestic revenue, how to manage public funds better, how to use technology to expand opportunities, and how to attract investment that aligns with the country’s development priorities.
The underlying message was clear Sierra Leone can no longer depend purely on external support; the country must rethink how it finances its own growth, particularly around food security, human capital, and digital transformation.
But as inspiring as the discussions were, the real test lies ahead.
For many Sierra Leoneans, policy documents mean little if they do not translate into everyday improvements,fairer opportunities, better services, stable prices and a sense of shared progress. People want to see honesty and accountability from those who champion these ideas.
They want commitments made in conference rooms to be visible in their communities.
The energy at New Brookfields showed that the nation has the right ideas, the right voices and the right ambition.
What it needs now is action that is felt beyond the meeting halls, action that proves that these conversations were not just another intellectual exercise but a real turning point for the ordinary Salone man and woman.
If the leaders who filled that room can deliver on what they preached, Sierra Leone could be stepping into a new chapter of responsible, confident and people-centred development.
The country is ready. Now it is time for the policymakers to be just as ready.
