By Mabinty M. Kamara
The Mano River Union Steering Committee of the Global Environmental (GEF) funded MRU Ecosystem Conservation and international Water Resources Management project has on Friday 9th July 2021 ended a three day regional conference in Freetown.
The Conference in Freetown which brought together the member states of the MRU marks the fourth session of the steering Committee and served as a platform to inform stakeholders on the achievements of the projects during the first four years, and to plan the way forward of the extended period granted by the donor.
The Ecosystem Conservation and International Water Resources Management Project implemented in all four MRU member countries is aimed at strengthening the management of trans boundary natural resources for sustained ecological benefits and improved livelihoods for the forest adjacent communities.
The project according to officials has two components one of which deals with ‘integrated Forest Ecosystem Management’ with focus on sustainable forest management and Forest landscape Restoration to combat the various threats leading to climate change. The other component deals with sustainable management of trans- boundary waters.
Speaking at the conference on Friday 9th July 2021 at the Golden Tuplip Essential Kimbima hotel in Freetown, the Executive Director of the National Protected Area Authority in Sierra Leone, Joseph R. Musa said the restoration of the forests and other ecosystem landscape is at the core of NPAA’s and the government of Sierra Leone’s plans. He added that the project align very much with the manifesto promises of Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio. “We will continue to look for ways to reduce the massive deforestation, the pressure on our national protected areas networks throughout, through community engagement livelihood enhancement and partnerships,” he said, adding that the government believes the natural resource management is the bedrock of any development process. He also pointed out that food security, tourism, and climate change adaptations depend on the environment.
Speaking on behalf of the MRU Secretary General Ambassador Madina Wesseh, the Deputy Secretary General in charge of Finance and Admin at the MRU secretariat, Mamady Dioumessy said the project was supposed to have ended in December 2020 but that due to slow implementation, the implementing agencies requested an extension period from the donors which was granted.
“The project was expected to end on 31st December 2020 but due to low overall implementation rate (37% financial execution); the executing agencies solicited the donor for an extension in order to achieve the outputs and objectives of the project. It was granted a no cost extension for 30 months, from 1st January to 30th June 2023 by the GEF board on March 2021,” he said.
He also stated that during the 2021 period, the midterm evaluation will be done which will serve as an opportunity to identify all the gaps, constraints and challenges of the regional program and to measure the relevance, effectiveness and the efficiency.
During the implementation of the 2021-2023 work plan, he said the implementing agencies should focus more on the field work and continuous strengthen of capacities of local communities on the forest landscape restoration.
“I urge the regional Project Management Unit to undertake closely monitoring missions to ensure proper follow up on the activities carried out by communities in the various sites,” he said.
In his keynote address, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Water Resource Management, Philip K. Lansana noted that water is key for sustainable development as captured in goal six of the SDG. He said achieving the SDG does not only require mobilization of efforts and resources, but also effective partnerships amongst countries , sectors and organisations, like the approach adopted by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the project implementing agency.
“Cooperation amongst Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Cote d’voire is crucial, building on our long established and successful partnership in the areas of environmental issues , sustainable development and water governance,” he said.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online 12/07/21
