Sierra Leone Telegraph: 30 October 2023:
Last Thursday, October 26, 2023, the United States government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), launched a new partnership with the government of Sierra Leone to support citizen participation and public access to information in Sierra Leone.
The Building Accountability Systems through Empowered Communities (BASE) partnership will be implemented by the Institute for Governance Reforms and consortium partners and will cover the districts of Western Rural, Moyamba, Karene, Falaba, Tonkolili, and Kono.
This $3.38 million, three-year activity will empower local actors to ensure Sierra Leone’s democracy grows stronger and more resilient through effective and informed civic organizations and citizens’ participation in local government and political processes. It will bolster the capacity of local governance institutions to provide critical services and be more transparent in their processes.
Launching the programme, United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone Mr. Bryan David Hunt spoke about the U.S government’s commitment to the people of Sierra Leone in collaboration with the Sierra Leonean government. He said: “The United States will continue to work in partnership with Sierra Leone to foster democracy and good governance through citizens’ participation. Whether through the Building Accountability Systems through Empowered Communities partnership or our numerous other development initiatives, the United States is committed to standing with the people of Sierra Leone and working together to advance democracy, health, and prosperity. This activity highlights the commitment of the United States government to stand with Sierra Leone to advance the country’s development agenda.”
You can read the full texts of U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone Bryan David Hunt below:
“His Excellency the Vice President, Honorable Ministers, Development Partners, Distinguished guests, Esteemed Colleagues and Friends, Ladies and gentlemen. The success of Sierra Leone’s democratic journey fundamentally depends on its citizens’ ability to shape the government policies and programs that impact their communities, build inclusive and responsive government institutions, and hold their elected representatives accountable for their actions and decisions.
“As we’ve seen far too often in the global community, absent active citizen voices a small unrepresentative group of political elites are left to shape government decisions in ways that represent their interests rather than community or national interests, leading to exclusion, corruption, and conflict.
“For these reasons, I’m very happy and honoured to join you today to launch a new democracy and governance partnership between the United States of America and Sierra Leone entitled: Building Accountability Systems through Empowered Communities.
“This partnership will see us work together to establish systems and institutions that will both facilitate citizens’ participation in local government and political processes and provide them with the knowledge and skillsets to do so effectively.
“This partnership will equally work closely with local governments to establish and implement transparent and accountable processes that will ensure citizens have visibility on the actions and decisions of their local representatives, are provided with regular opportunities to provide constructive feedback to local governments, and ultimately are able to work with local government institutions to improve the delivery of critical services.
“Citizen participation in democratic governance and decision-making processes is a key component of good governance. It strengthens the social contract between the government and the citizen and builds trust in government institutions and the political process – an element that has been far too lacking In Sierra Leone’s political system.
“I am very pleased that we are able to launch this program shortly after the signature of the Agreement for National Cohesion between the government and the opposition All Peoples’ Congress. That document speaks directly to the need for the sort of trust-building, truth-telling, and citizen-responsive governance that this partnership seeks to build and that will be critical for Sierra Leone to continue upon its democratic journey.
“The return of the All People’s Congress to local and national institutions offers an opportunity for all Sierra Leoneans to ensure that their voices are included in the policy making and governance process in their communities.
“The establishment of a broad-based committee for electoral reform provides Sierra Leoneans the chance to rebuild trust in key institutions and safeguard their voices and most importantly their votes.
“It is my fervent hope that the Building Accountability Systems through Empowered Communities partnership will help provide ordinary Sierra Leoneans with the skills and tools to make their voices, their views, and their aspirations heard as these critical processes move forward.
“I firmly believe that the Agreement for National Cohesion is a win for all Sierra Leoneans, but its long-term impact will depend on the depth and breadth of Sierra Leonean participation in the opportunities that it has created.
“In Sierra Leone, an estimated 80 percent of the population is under the age of 34, making it one of the youngest populations in the world. Sierra Leone is among the 10 fast-track countries to implement the Youth 2030 Agenda, the first ever UN Youth Strategy designed to engage, support, and empower young people to help deliver the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
“Women in Sierra Leone make up half of the population and thanks to government action more than a third of the cabinet and elected government institutions. Harnessing the potential of women and youth and ensuring their full participation in decision-making engenders transparency, improves accountability and public resource management, and brings about good policy outcomes, development, and social well-being of citizens.
“It is fundamental to ensuring national cohesion and to building inclusion – aims to which both of Sierra Leone’s political parties profess to aspire. It is for this reason that the Building Accountability Systems through Empowered Communities partnership will target these key demographics. It will empower women and youth to demonstrate that they are capable citizens, politically aware, with the potential to be the positive forces of change, champions of good governance, and ambassadors of peace and stability that their communities urgently require.
“Citizens’ participation in their country’s governance is not just a privilege; it is a right and a responsibility. For Sierra Leoneans to live up to this responsibility, we have a shared interest to equip ordinary citizens with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes to better organize themselves and effectively participate in local governance including public decision making in their communities.
“The United States will continue to work in partnership with Sierra Leone to foster democracy and good governance through citizens participation. Whether through the Building Accountability Systems through Empowered Communities partnership or our numerous other development initiatives, the United States is committed to standing with the people of Sierra Leone and working together to advance democracy, health, and prosperity. Thank you.”
The US Ambassador’s contributions are fair, but, it unfairly “EXCLUDES” Sierra Leonean diasporans who are free to express their views about what are the current rights and wrongs pertinent to Sierra Leone; and, essential changes. DEMOCRACY HAS FAILED US – in most of our indigenous languages opposition means enemy, and you know what we do to enemies! Seton During
It is extremely painful that after nearly sixty three years of our so-called independence we have managed to find ourselves being told how to run our affairs by outsiders; its like a sixty three year old man/woman being guided to have a bath, put on some clean clothes, comb their hair, brush their teeth, and all the rest of it, in the name of making themselves presentable and acceptable to others. What a subtle humiliation for a nation? Bio and his team have no personal or national pride. They have managed to make us appear like the scum of the world in every respect just because of their lust for power. This should keep a true patriot awake throughout the night. The country currently stinks politically and in many other respects. Bio and Mohammed Konneh’s ECLS have subjected us to unabated ridicule, even Liberia next door can now laugh at us, their electoral system has maintained an exemplary and totally professional reputation.
The interest of the United States, through Ambassador Hunt, in trying to uphold basic democratic values in Sierra Leone is commendable. But the Ambassador must understand that he is dealing with a regime that is intolerant, rigid, dictatorial , and violent; the evidence is all over the place. They may only be paying him attention at the moment because they want to get their hands on the withheld Millennium Challenge funds of $400m to share it amongst themselves and fatten up their personal bank accounts; the jet set Bio will use some of it to go on another honeymoon with his wife, Fatima, who doesn’t know how to keep her mouth shut. The Ambassador is in a position to teach them the lesson that a government is not run on sudden fancy and violence.
Santhkie, you are right. How come is it the American ambassador is the one controlling how we govern ourselves. Presently, Madda Bio is not the one in control. If not his wife, Fatima Bio, you see the American ambassador. Bio is a shame to us.