MoPED, IsDB Explore Financing Opportunities to Advance Sierra Leone's Development Priorities

Sierra Leone's planning ministry, MoPED, and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) have discussed development priorities, project preparation and financing opportunities, and strengthening development cooperation.

The discussions took place at the MoPED Conference Room in Freetown during a courtesy call by an IsDB delegation led by the Bank's Country Manager, Kokhorjon Aminov, as part of the Country Programming and Portfolio Review Mission to Sierra Leone.

The engagement forms part of consultations to prepare the Sierra Leone Country Engagement Framework 2026–2028, which aligns potential IsDB interventions with national development priorities.

Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Ministry, Deputy Development Secretary I, Usman Cherry Conteh, stressed the importance of ensuring that programmes developed with the IsDB align with the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) 2024–2030 and other national priorities.

Mr Aminov said the Bank seeks to identify and develop a pipeline of projects that respond to government priorities and attract financing.

He identified agriculture and value-chain development, energy, transport and infrastructure among areas under consideration, and highlighted the importance of increased private-sector participation in development projects.

Mr Aminov also explained that IsDB-supported agricultural projects could incorporate microfinance schemes and lines of finance, enabling farmers, small and medium-sized enterprises and other private-sector actors involved in implementation to access investment funding.

He further highlighted opportunities under the Bank's private-sector operations, including investment, trade and insurance financing, which eligible commercial and development finance institutions in Sierra Leone could explore to support private investment and trade.

The discussions also focused on strengthening the capacity of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to develop bankable projects capable of meeting financing requirements and attracting private-sector investment.

Deputy Director, Development Assistance Coordination Office (DACO), Hassan Conteh, contributed to discussions on development assistance coordination and the need for effective collaboration in identifying priority interventions, ensuring that development partner support remains aligned with government priorities.

Deputy Director of Planning, Joseph Samah, highlighted several areas for consideration, including inclusive and sustainable local-level development, rural financing, health financing, capacity development for bankable project preparation, and Chiefdom Development Planning.

He emphasised the importance of ensuring that development interventions address needs at both national and local levels.

Representing the Ministry of Finance, Assistant Director Kenneth King underscored the importance of continued coordination between the Ministry of Finance, MoPED and development partners in advancing national development priorities.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to strengthening collaboration, improving project preparation capacity and exploring appropriate financing opportunities to support Sierra Leone's development priorities.