By Judith Ugwumadu | 4 October 2013

Improved public sector budget management and better government procurement will be central to the success of Sierra Leone’s efforts to move towards ‘green growth’, according to the African Development Bank.

Following a request from the Sierra Leone government, the AfDB this week issued a report, identifying the challenges and opportunities for incorporating green growth into the country’s 2013-2018 poverty reduction strategy.

Yero Baldeh, the AfDB’s Sierra Leone resident representative, said: ‘Both parties agreed to work together to define what green growth means for a fragile state in Africa, realistically and in alignment with the development stage of the country.’

As such the country has been tasked with bolstering its governance and public sector capacity, which the bank’s report said was a key solution to the implementation of green growth.

Public sector reforms will focus on the strengthening decentralised public service delivery as well as changes to planning, budget management and procurement at central government level.

It would also be important to ensure that governance is improved in economic, infrastructure, and natural resources sector agencies, as well as core ministries. It would also ensure changes are made to social and economic databases to strengthen data and information geographically.

The AfDB report said that accountable institutions and transparency in decision-making were crucial to promoting successful green growth policies.

Sierra Leone authorities define green growth as developing infrastructure and cities sustainably and managing its natural resources efficiently.

‘The country is endowed with abundant natural resources – including fertile land, fisheries, abundant water, forests, minerals, oil and gas – all of which form the basis for a rich and diverse economy, ‘ the AfDB said.

‘Properly managed, these endowments will provide a lasting supply of food while contributing to export revenues and financing for social and infrastructure development.’

Writing in the report’s foreword, Kaifella Marah, Sierra Leone’s minister of finance and economic development, and Hela Cheikhrouhou, director of the AfDB’s energy, environment and climate change department, said: ‘[Green growth] can play a role in improving Sierra Leone’s image, as it completes its transition to a post-conflict country committed to transparent governance and high-quality, sustainable growth.’

The AfDB’s report, Sierra Leone: transitioning towards green growth; stocktaking and the way forward, is available here.