By: Audrey Raymonda John
The Ministry of Finance, through the Public Debt Management Division, has updated Sierra Leone’s Medium-Term Debt Strategy (MTDS) for 2025–2029. The exercise began on Monday, 8th September 2025, at Leisure Lodge, Aberdeen, Kallon Drive, Freetown.
Mr. Mathew Sandy, Director of the Public Debt Management Division, the aim of the workshop is to review and update Sierra Leone’s MTDS, which serves as a critical tool for managing the cost and risks associated with the country’s public debt over the medium term.
Mr. Sandy explained that the strategy is developed within a framework agreed upon with international partners such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He added that the process involves analyzing the composition of the current debt stock to assess associated costs and risks, as well as identifying how the debt is exposed to external and internal shocks.
“Over the next five days, the team will assess past performance, evaluate the current economic baseline, and analyze relevant data. The outcome will be a set of informed recommendations to the Cabinet on the most suitable debt management strategy for the next five years,” Mr. Sandy said.
The workshop brings together a diverse group of national stakeholders, including representatives from the Bank of Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Finance, the National Revenue Authority, Statistics Sierra Leone, the National Minerals Agency, civil society organizations, and the University of Sierra Leone.
In her opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kadiatu Allie, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enhancing economic stability through effective and responsible debt management.
She noted that the debt strategy approved in 2023 laid a solid foundation for a disciplined, transparent, and forward-looking approach to public debt management, enabling investments in agriculture, education, infrastructure, and livelihood improvements.
Madam Allie emphasized that updating the MTDS for 2025–2029 is crucial for building stakeholder capacity in financial governance, particularly in the areas of debt sustainability, risk management, and efficient borrowing practices.