By Sheku Sackoh Turay
Sierra Leone participated in the 12th Africa Regional Forum for Sustainable Development (ARFSD), held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa conference hall from 28th to 30th April 2026.
The forum brought together about 1,500 participants from 48 African countries to deliberate on transformation and coordinated actions toward the 2030 and 2063 development agendas for the continent.
According to Mohamed I. Kutubu, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration and Political Affairs (MoPAPA), the forum aimed to assess the level of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063.
“The aim is to align the Sustainable Development Goals with Agenda 2063, ‘The Africa We Want’. The SDGs will end in 2030, less than five years from now, so this forum is assessing what has been achieved under both frameworks,” Kutubu stated.
He reaffirmed that Sierra Leone, as a member of the African Union and an implementer of the SDGs, has benefited in various ways and actively participated in the assessment processes. He added that the Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Sajor Aziz Kamara, presented on behalf of the country.
The Free Quality Education initiative, a flagship programme of the Government of Sierra Leone, featured prominently in discussions. The Deputy Minister highlighted progress in the education sector, linking it to the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) 2024–2028 and the global development agenda.
Suleiman Phoray Musa, Director of the Public Service Reform Unit (PSRU), also participated in a panel discussion on governance reforms and how Sierra Leone has implemented key reforms in relation to the SDGs and Agenda 2063.
Ambassador Imran Kanu, Sierra Leone’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and Permanent Secretary Mohamed I. Kutubu also took part in discussions on education across the continent, focusing on progress made and challenges ahead as the SDGs approach their 2030 deadline.
The Sierra Leone delegation was led by Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Sajor Aziz Kamara, alongside Ambassador Imran Kanu, Permanent Secretary Mohamed I. Kutubu, and PSRU Director Suleiman Phoray Musa.
The 12th ARFSD follows the 11th edition held in Uganda. The previous forum was chaired by a representative from East Africa, while this year’s session was chaired by a representative from Mauritius in Southern Africa.
