By: Saidu Jalloh
Sierra Leone has launched the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0) Delivery Forum, marking the beginning of the implementation phase of the country’s climate commitments submitted at COP30 in Belem, Brazil.
The forum was officially launched at the Family Kingdom Resort in Freetown by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Jiwoh Abdulai, who described it as a key mechanism for translating Sierra Leone’s climate commitments into concrete action.
Abdulai said the Delivery Forum represents the implementation phase of the NDC 3.0 framework and is expected to realize the ambitions outlined in the document by aligning national environmental priorities with coordinated action. He assured members of the technical working groups of the ministry’s commitment to providing effective coordination, supervision and resource mobilization to ensure the successful implementation of the country’s climate agenda.
The Executive Chairman of the Environment Protection Agency Sierra Leone, Dr. Abu-Bakar S. Massaquoi, said the National Delivery Forum is designed to strengthen accountability, transparency, coordinated responsibility and institutional coherence in implementing Sierra Leone’s climate commitments.
He explained that clear performance indicators, measurable targets and a whole-of-society approach are essential for effectively monitoring progress, improving data collection across relevant institutions and addressing implementation bottlenecks in a timely manner.
Dr. Massaquoi further stressed that the government must clearly communicate to communities and development partners the level of support that can realistically be provided, how climate interventions will be financed and how implementation of the NDC 3.0 will improve the lives and livelihoods of Sierra Leoneans.
Director of Climate Change at the Environment Protection Agency, Tamba Emmanuel Nyaka, said the National Delivery Forum will work closely with the Multilateral Environmental Agreement Implementation Coordination Committee (MICCOM) while integrating the Collaborating, Learning and Adapting (CLA) approach.
According to Nyaka, the forum will serve as Sierra Leone’s national technical platform for coordinating, monitoring and accelerating the implementation of NDC 3.0 across priority sectors.
He disclosed that the Climate Change Secretariat, hosted by the Environment Protection Agency, will lead the forum with support from the NDC In-Country Facilitator. Membership will include delivery leads from key Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), representatives of selected local councils, civil society organizations, the private sector and development partners.
Officials also announced that the forum’s concept documents, nominations of representatives, terms of reference and the NDC implementation tracker will be presented for validation during the inaugural meeting of the National Delivery Forum.