Sierra Leone joined 15 other African countries this week at a high-level Open Government Partnership (OGP) conference in Rabat, where it highlighted progress in transparent public procurement and positioned itself as a growing model for anti-corruption reforms on the continent.
The three-day conference, held from May 5 to 7 under the theme “Towards an Open Africa,” was organized by Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform in collaboration with the Open Government Partnership. The event brought together government representatives, civil society organizations, and international development partners to promote open governance and accountability across Africa.
Sierra Leone was represented by Joseph Munda Bindu, Chairman of the National Council for Civic Education and Democracy (NACCED) and OGP Focal Point, as well as Alusine Diamond Suma, the country’s OGP Civil Society representative.
The Sierra Leone delegation featured prominently during a thematic session titled “The Framework and Practice of Open Contracting in Sierra Leone,” moderated by Bindu. During the session, the delegation highlighted the importance and vulnerability of public procurement systems, noting that more than 30 percent of Sierra Leone’s national budget is managed through procurement processes.
The delegation also explained that, globally, public procurement accounts for between 12 and 20 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and up to 30 percent of government expenditure, making the sector particularly vulnerable to corruption and mismanagement.
Bindu informed delegates that Sierra Leone’s 2024–2028 National Action Plan incorporates open contracting reforms aimed at reducing corruption and improving public service delivery.
Speaking during the session, Rev. Diamond-Suma stressed that effective reform extends beyond the publication of documents.
“Open contracting is not just about publishing documents; it is about making data usable, accessible, and actionable for citizens,” he said, describing Sierra Leone’s transition from basic compliance toward greater transparency, accountability, and citizen participation.
The conference was officially opened by Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Morocco’s Minister of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, who described open government as “a strategic milestone” for Africa and called for stronger political commitment to transparency and accountability across the continent.
Aidan Eyakuze, Executive Director of the Open Government Partnership, highlighted Africa’s growing influence within the global open government movement, citing increasing institutional maturity and stronger collaboration among African member states.
For Sierra Leone, delegates said the conference provided strategic value beyond international visibility. Participation reinforced the transparency, accountability, and digital transformation agenda of Julius Maada Bio, particularly under the government’s “Big Five Game Changers” development framework.
Delegates also commended the government’s efforts to promote the prudent management of public resources and strengthen procurement systems to make them more transparent, fair, and credible.
The wider conference agenda focused on open budgeting, digital governance, and the inclusion of marginalized
communities in decision-making processes, with the overall objective of building a more transparent, participatory, and accountable Africa.