Sierra Leone - Public Financial Management Improvement and Consolidation Project

The project is designed as a capacity building intervention using the Institutional Support Project instrument to respond to the core thrust of the Government of Sierra Leone Public Finance Management (PFM) Reform Strategy. The project specifically responds to the Government’s request to harmonize and coordinate all Public Finance Management (PFM) reform activities under a single reform umbrella and joint funding arrangements, avoiding different sets of rules. This is an innovative institutional support project in terms of implementing the Bank’s commitment to development effectiveness. Innovation comes from the proposed funding modality, which will provide funds through a pooled funding arrangement. This approach has been used by the Bank in Liberia, and the design of this project has drawn on the extensive experience of that project still ongoing. In order to realize the gains that have occurred from the previous Bank projects, Bank intervention seeks to continue focusing on institutional capacity building particularly: (i) ensuring sustainability and improved coordination with other development partners, and (ii) strengthening the supply and demand side of governance. This will require strengthening the PFM institutions (e.g., key departments in the MoFED); accountability institutions, such as external audit; the Legislature; and support to the civil society.