Sierra Leone: Informing Resilient Recovery Policy, Planning and Investments in Freetown

Context and objectives

On 14 August 2017, Freetown experienced one of its most severe landslides and floods. The event caused human suffering and widespread destruction of infrastructure. The Government of Sierra Leone requested support for the implementation of the Government's Resilient Recovery and Preparedness Program, building on the ACP-EU NDRR Program-financed Damage and Loss Assessment and the Multi-Hazard and Risk Assessment.

In response to this request, this follow-up ACP-EU NDRR project supported the government to:

• Strengthen its institutions and capacity for disaster risk management;
• Manage high-risk zones in Freetown. 

The ACP-EU NDRR Project informed the implementation of the $10 million World Bank-financed Freetown Emergency Recovery Program, which focuses on building back better infrastructure damaged by the disaster.

Main Activities and results

Based on the recommendations of the rapid assessment, the government developed a recovery framework that would prioritize strengthening Sierra Leone’s DRM institutions and capacities for enhanced recovery, preparedness, response, and resilience. Involving several government institutions such as the Office of National Security, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Environment, the Freetown City Council, and the Western Area Rural District Council, the country’s emergency preparedness and response capabilities has been strengthened, as well as its institutional and policy framework for effective DRM.

This culminated with the inauguration in November 2020 of a new National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) for Sierra Leone. This major milestone that involved collaboration between the Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency and the National Water Resource Management Agency will improve the country’s capacities to deal with a future disaster event, but also enhance its early warning systems. 

In addition, a policy guidance note on institutional arrangements for DRM has been delivered to the Office of National Security, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Environment, the Freetown City Council, and the Western Area Rural District Council. Terms of reference were developed to update the country’s DRM Framework to specifically include technical assistance for early warning systems and emergency preparedness and response drills.

Partnerships and coordination

The project was implemented in close coordination with government counterparts including: the Office of National Security, and the counterparts and the Office of National Security, the Freetown City Council, the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Environment, the National Protected Areas Authority, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Useful Links

The ACP-EU NDRR Program-financed Sierra Leone Post-Mudslides and Floods Needs Assessment is available here.

A story on this project can be accessed here.