By: Sumner Kongbap
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone – The 2024 Mid-Term Review of the Sierra Leone-UNICEF Country Program of Cooperation (2020-2024) was officially opened on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, by the Minister of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), Madam Kenyeh Barlay. The event, held at the Foreign Service Academy in Freetown, focused on enhancing effective service delivery to improve the rights and wellbeing of children and adolescents across the country.
The Mid-Term Review serves as a critical juncture for both the Government of Sierra Leone and UNICEF to assess the progress and results achieved under the Country Program of Cooperation. The review also provides a platform to address challenges in program implementation, discuss the status of the 2024 Annual Workplan, and share lessons learned. The ultimate goal is to identify strategies to improve performance and ensure better outcomes for children.
In her opening remarks, Minister Kenyeh Barlay emphasized the importance of UNICEF’s expanded outreach efforts, particularly in previously inaccessible areas of the country. She congratulated all stakeholders for their collaborative efforts, which have enabled UNICEF to meet most of its targets. Barlay highlighted the importance of aligning UNICEF’s activities with the government’s “5 Big Game Changers” and the National Development Plan, both of which are focused on enhancing effective service delivery.
“It’s encouraging to see the progress made so far, and I urge all stakeholders to take full advantage of this opportunity to further our collective efforts,” said Barlay. “The 5 Big Game Changers are centered on effective service delivery, and this review is crucial to ensuring we stay on track.”
UNICEF’s Country Representative in Sierra Leone, Mr. Rudolf Schwenk, also addressed the gathering, emphasizing the importance of reflection and learning from the progress made and the challenges encountered. He reiterated UNICEF’s commitment to doing more for the children of Sierra Leone but stressed that achieving these goals requires collaboration with all stakeholders. Schwenk also announced that the Summit for the Future, a key upcoming event, would be held in four weeks.
The review featured a comprehensive overview of the Country Program 2020-2024, presented by Ms. Liv Slin Indreiten, UNICEF Deputy Representative Program and facilitator of the event. Other key presentations included findings and recommendations from the joint MoPED-UNICEF program field visits, as well as updates on health, nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), education, child protection, and innovation from various government ministries.
The event concluded with the signing of the 2024 Annual Workplans by representatives from the Government of Sierra Leone and UNICEF, followed by plenary discussions led by Ms. Indreiten. These discussions focused on the results achieved, ongoing challenges, and strategies for moving forward.
Earlier in the day, the Development Secretary of MoPED, Mr. Peter Sam-Kpakra, welcomed participants and facilitated the meeting alongside Deputy Development Secretary Mr. Osman C. Conteh.
The 2024 Mid-Term Review marks a significant step in the ongoing partnership between Sierra Leone and UNICEF, aiming to ensure that all children in the country have access to the services and support they need to thrive.Top of Form
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