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SIERRA LEONE
>> Regional Overview >> Sierra Leone Overview
Development Challenge FY2001 Program /
Activity & Budget InformationSummary Tables
Program Summary
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Introduction
Implementation of the July 7, 1999 Lome Accord moves Sierra Leone from war to peace and is critical for political stability not just in Sierra Leone but in the region. Once disarmament and demobilization take place, the sustainability of peace within Sierra Leone and the region will largely rest on the form and content of the relief to recovery process. Development assistance will support the peace process and address some of the root causes of the eight-year conflict such as support to civil society organizations. If managed correctly, Sierra Leone's resources are able to support long term development objectives. It is in the U.S. interest to provide humanitarian assistance and to promote regional stability.
The Development Challenge
USAID began a program in Sierra Leone in 1991 to promote reconciliation and to address the root causes of the conflict. In 1999, USAID supported a broad-based civil society movement for peace which resulted in a negotiated peace agreement, bringing eight years of brutal war to an end. USAID has continued to provide support since the signing of the Lome Peace Agreement. This has consisted of continued assistance to civil society to enhance dialogue, build confidence among stakeholders and create an environment for reintegration and reconciliation. USAID has provided technical assistance to the Government of Sierra Leone for commissions described in the Lome Agreement. Finally, USAID has supported the development of a nationwide, non-formal education campaign for disenfranchised youth to support demobilization, re-integration and reconciliation.
Despite these efforts, during and following the rebel attack on Freetown in early January 1999, an estimated 5,000 people were killed. The January crisis left Sierra Leone with an estimated 700,000 to 1,000,000 internally displaced persons. At present, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees estimates that there are 470,000 Sierra Leonean refugees in neighboring countries. Since January, United Nations sources have documented that nearly 4,000 children are missing. Relief assessments are confirming earlier fears that the humanitarian situation is dire in areas which were inaccessible, sometimes for more than a year. The United Nations estimates the1,000,000 people in these areas will require humanitarian assistance. Widespread destruction of housing means the crisis will continue for the internally displaced people well beyond the cessation of conflict despite assistance for rebuilding and food aid in Freetown.
The United Nations reports that health delivery services are adequate in accessible areas but needs are critical in areas just becoming accessible. Malaria tops the list of reported illnesses and there is a growing problem with chloroquine-resistant malaria. The United Nations Childrens Fund considers cholera the second-highest health risk in Sierra Leone although there has been no major outbreak to date. Measles has also been a persistent problem.
Development Assistance funds will go beyond humanitarian relief to help speed recovery. With improvements in access, private voluntary organizations can now expand agricultural programs in order to revitalize farms and communities throughout the North and East. Internally displaced persons, refugees, former combatants and people who remained in place during the wear need access to funds, services and materials to rebuild communities and generate income. Post-harvest losses must be reduced to help return Sierra Leone to a food secure situation.
Democratic practices, systems and values also need to be re-established. For decades preceding the fighting, Sierra Leone experienced coup after coup and governance broke down at both the national and local levels. Efforts are needed to rebuild a sense of nationhood and to reconcile estranged groups.
Other Donors
The U. S. Government remains the leading provider of humanitarian aid to Sierra Leone and Sierra Leonean refugees in Guinea and Liberia. The U.S. Government was the largest single donor to Sierra Leone in FY 1999 providing $34.8 million. As the fighting has waned, the United Kingdom has been providing assistance across a number of sectors. These include humanitarian relief, democracy and governance, and the Government of Sierra Leone's disarmament and reconstruction processes. The World Bank has establish a Multi-Donor Trust Fund for the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process. A number of bilateral donors have contributed including Canada, Sweden, Japan and Germany.
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Last Updated on: November 09, 2000 |
