As part of their official working visit to the United Kingdom, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Public Administration and Political Affairs, Mr Amara Kallon, and his senior public service delegation today met with Ms Kate Foster OBE, Director for Africa at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Ms Foster, a veteran British diplomat and former Ambassador to Somalia, currently oversees the FCDO’s policy and engagement across West Africa, the Sahel, Sudan and South Sudan.
Discussions focused on strengthening co-operation, sharing experiences, and exploring technical and human resource support to advance Sierra Leone’s Public Service Transformation Roadmap.
The delegation was introduced by Mr Sulaiman Phoray-Musa, Director of the Public Sector Reform Unit in the Office of the President. Other members included Mr Prince E. O. Cole, Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service, and Mr Kalilu O. Bah, Chairman of the Public Service Commission.
Mr Phoray-Musa emphasised that the Sierra Leone Civil Service “knows where it has come from and where it wants to go—but to get there, it needs strong strategic partnerships.”
Minister Kallon noted that, as Sierra Leone’s governance model was built on the British system, it was fitting to come to the UK for an exchange of ideas as the country embarks on revamping a critical governance sector—the public service. He cited findings from the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), under the chairmanship of President Julius Maada Bio, which identified weak civil service delivery as a root cause of socio-economic and political instability across Africa, including Sierra Leone.
“After a string of coups, an extended one-party rule and fragmented reforms, our civil service became deeply politicised and largely disconnected from national priorities,” Minister Kallon explained. “President Bio’s administration responded by establishing a stand-alone ministry to reform and harmonise the public service, which falls under one of the five pillars of his National Development Agenda.”
He highlighted progress made so far, including the development of a Strategic Roadmap and the introduction of Civil Service and Ministerial Codes of Conduct designed to enhance professionalism and accountability in public office.
In her response, Ms Foster expressed admiration for Sierra Leone’s progress and reaffirmed the UK’s commitment as a “long-term partner.”
“I love Sierra Leone dearly,” she said, as she reminisced on her visits to the country. “There are many areas where our countries share priorities, and I’m encouraged by how far Sierra Leone has come since the end of the war.”
She commended President Bio’s leadership and referenced his role as Head of the G10 advocating Africa’s representation on the UN Security Council. She noted that both countries, to varying degrees, face similar challenges and praised the determination to build a strong, impartial and effective civil service.
Ms Foster assured that Britain stands ready to support Sierra Leone’s Roadmap through areas like technical assistance and human resource development.
The Sierra Leone delegation was accompanied by Ms Denise Smart, Director of the UK Civil Service College, highlighting the visit’s focus on capacity building and institutional excellence.
Abdulai Braima
Information Attaché