Sierra Leone Results Report 2021-2023

Sierra Leone’s fourth action planAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen... saw a high level of implementation and notable early resultsEarly results refer to concrete changes in government practice related to transparency, citizen participation, and/or public accountability as a result of a commitment’s implementation. OGP’s Inde.... Coalitions of reformers increased civil society engagement in parliamentary activities and advanced legal reforms to open the extractives sector. The 2023 electionsImproving transparency in elections and maintaining the independence of electoral commissions is vital for promoting trust in the electoral system, preventing electoral fraud, and upholding the democr... spurred electoral reforms while also delaying implementation of some commitments. The Sierra Leone OGP Secretariat and Steering CommitteeThe Steering Committee is OGP’s executive decision-making body. Its role is to develop, promote and safeguard OGP’s values, principles and interests; establish OGP’s core ideas, policies, and ru... continued to oversee a collaborative and transparent OGP process.

Early Results

Sierra Leone’s fourth action plan saw strong early results. Under CommitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action... 1, civil society engagement with parliament was formalized through the establishment of a CSO Desk and the Parliamentary Civil Society Network. Greater inclusionOGP participating governments are working to create governments that truly serve all people. Commitments in this area may address persons with disabilities, women and girls, lesbian, gay, bisexual, tr... of civil society in parliamentary discussions and deliberations was already evident during the action plan cycle.

Notable progress in strengthening extractive sector transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More includes enactment of the Mines and Minerals Act (2022) and review of the Sierra Leone Extractive IndustriesApplying open government values of transparency, participation, and accountability to extractive industries can decrease corruption, safeguard community interests and needs, and support environmental ... Transparency Initiative (SLEITI) Bill, Companies Act (2009) and Extractives Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) Open DataBy opening up data and making it sharable and reusable, governments can enable informed debate, better decision making, and the development of innovative new services. Technical specifications: Polici... Policy. The legal framework advanced under Commitment 4 now mandates publication of beneficial ownershipDisclosing beneficial owners — those who ultimately control or profit from a business — is essential for combating corruption, stemming illicit financial flows, and fighting tax evasion. Technical... (BO) information in the extractive sector.

Sierra Leone also achieved moderate results in increasing access to justiceAccessible justice systems – both formal and informal – ensure that individuals and communities with legal needs know where to go for help, obtain the help they need, and move through a system tha... More under Commitment 2 and strengthening electoral integrity in Commitment 3. Progress was made towards free, open and fair elections during the June 2023 elections. However, opportunities remain to address legal inconsistencies and strengthen the results management process.

CompletionImplementers must follow through on their commitments for them to achieve impact. For each commitment, OGP’s Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) evaluates the degree to which the activities outlin...

All commitments achieved a substantial level of implementation. Organised coalitions of reformers were a driving factor behind open extractives and open parliamentEnsuring access to legislative information and creating mechanisms for public participation are critical to building an open, trusting relationship with citizens. Technical specifications: Commitments... reforms.

Participation and Co-Creation

The National Council for Civic Education and Development continues to host Sierra Leone’s OGP Secretariat under its mandate to strengthen democratic processes through civic education.[1] The NaCCED Chairman serves as the OGP Point of Contact. The OGP Coordinator and Steering Committee oversaw a collaborative process to develop the action plan. Strategic outreach efforts throughout the action plan cycle included a national OGP symposium, high-level stakeholder engagement and public consultations on mainstream media and social media.[2]

Implementation in Context

The COVID-19 pandemic and 2023 general elections impacted the design, implementation and availability of resources for the action plan. While the elections posed a disruption to implementation generally, they also spurred electoral reform seen under Commitment 3. Despite these challenges, a substantial level of implementation was achieved across commitments.

[1] ‘About Us’, National Council for Civic Education and Development (NaCCED), https://www.nacced.gov.sl/about-us/.

[2] ‘Open Government Partnership (OGP)’, NaCCED, https://www.nacced.gov.sl/ogp/.