Sierra Leone Prepares to Present Voluntary National Review on SDGs at UN High-Level Political Forum

Sierra Leone's Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) has announced the country's readiness to present its Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the July 2024 UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York. This significant milestone follows Sierra Leone's submission of the SDGs Acceleration Roadmap during the September 2023 UN SDGs Summit, outlining national strategies to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

The upcoming July 2024 HLPF, themed "Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises," will mark Sierra Leone's fourth comprehensive SDG progress review. Notably, this review coincides with the launch of the country's new Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) for 2024-2030.

MoPED has initiated consultations with stakeholders and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on the 2024 VNR Report, adopting a collaborative approach to ensure a comprehensive assessment of Sierra Leone's SDG implementation progress. Minister Kenyeh Barlay, together with representatives from Parliament and CSOs, affirmed their commitment to leveraging the VNR platform to showcase the new MTNDP to the international community. Additionally, the review will facilitate the identification of any remaining gaps requiring attention to achieve sustainable development goals.

This marks Sierra Leone's fourth VNR since 2018, underscoring the country's steadfast commitment to monitoring and accelerating progress towards achieving the SDGs by 2030. The forthcoming VNR at the July 2024 HLPF represents an opportunity for Sierra Leone to demonstrate its dedication to sustainable development and showcase its strides towards realizing the SDGs on the global stage.