Sierra Leone’s Minister of Public Administration and Political Affairs, Hon. Amara Kallon, attended the Sub-Regional Forum on the Challenges and Reforms of Public Administration in West Africa, held in Dakar, Senegal, on March 27-28, 2026. The event, organised by the Association of Civil Administrators in Senegal (Amicale des Administrateurs Civils du Sénégal), brought together senior civil servants and policymakers from across the region to share their experiences and chart a collaborative path toward modernised, more responsive public administrations.
The forum directly supports one of President Julius Maada Bio’s “Big Five” priorities, Revamping Public Service Architecture, and is focused on strengthening human capital through better human resource management. Panels, presentations, and roundtable discussions focused on the importance of well-trained and motivated civil servants in maintaining a stable social climate and operating efficiently. Our deliberations identified several best practices and reform options that participants believe can accelerate modernisation in their administrations, improve institutional performance, bring services closer to citizens, and enhance overall public service quality.
During plenary sessions, Minister Kallon detailed the reforms that the Sierra Leone government is implementing. She emphasised that national efforts are aimed not only at modernising public service structures, but also at deepening governance reforms that promote sustainable development. Her interventions emphasised the importance of linking administrative reform to broader national development goals, improving service delivery, and strengthening accountability and transparency in public affairs.
At the forum’s conclusion, civil administrators pledged to take concrete steps to improve administrative performance, raise the quality of public services, and promote good governance and transparent management of public resources. Delegates agreed that new information and communication technologies, such as dematerialisation, digitalisation, and e-procedures, should support future administrative action to overcome barriers like bureaucracy, organisational rigidity, routine, and administrative inertia.
Participants formed a working group, co-chaired by the Presidents of Senegal and Sierra Leone’s Associations of Civil Administrators, to ensure ongoing support. The group, which includes representatives from other participating countries, will draft relevant texts, organise preparatory international meetings, propose the theme for the next forum, and engage stakeholders to decide on the venue and date, transforming dialogue into coordinated regional action.
