By Sallieu S. Kanu
Sierra Leone: A five-member delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held a strategic meeting with the Tripartite Steering Committee Secretariat on Thursday, October 2, 2025, to assess progress on the implementation of the Unity Agreement and related electoral reform initiatives.
The meeting, held at the Secretariat’s conference room in Freetown, focused on Resolution 3 of the Unity Agreement, which addresses the establishment and review of the Cross-Party Committee on Electoral Systems and Management Bodies. ECOWAS, alongside the United Nations, Commonwealth, and European Union, served as a moral guarantor of the Unity Agreement, which was forged in the aftermath of Sierra Leone’s 2023 electoral crisis.
The ECOWAS team sought updates on the status of the agreement’s implementation and raised questions regarding the execution of tripartite recommendations. The technical engagement is part of ECOWAS’s broader effort to evaluate its interventions and identify areas for future support in strengthening governance, rule of law, and fundamental freedoms across Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone’s leadership role within ECOWAS adds weight to its ongoing commitment to reforming electoral systems. The country continues to demonstrate progress in promoting public accountability, enhancing performance standards, and integrating transparency mechanisms.
The ECOWAS delegation also explored awareness of the ECOWAS Community Strategic Framework (CSF), a five-year development plan aligned with ECOWAS Vision 2050. According to the Director of Strategic Planning at ECOWAS, the CSF is built around five core pillars: Peace, Security, and Stability; Governance; Economic Integration; Sustainable Development; and Social Inclusion. The framework aims to address regional challenges while fostering digital integration, human well-being, and social justice across West Africa.
Tripartite Secretariat Coordinator Ngolo Katta reported rapid implementation of the Unity Agreement, noting key milestones such as the release of political detainees, a presidential public address, payment of salaries to MPs and councillors affected by the 2023 impasse, and the formal establishment of the Secretariat.
Katta highlighted that 84% of the tripartite recommendations have been implemented, commending the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL), the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC), the Office of National Security (ONS), and other bodies for their collaboration. He also praised the Public Sector Reform Unit (PSRU) for conducting management and functional reviews of ECSL, SLBC, IMC, IPCB, and PPRC—efforts aimed at institutionalizing best practices.
Significant strides have also been made in the legal domain, with progress on drafting legislation and constitutional amendments as outlined in the tripartite recommendations and the Constitutional Review White Paper.
The meeting underscored the role of the Tripartite Secretariat as a peacebuilding mechanism and governance architecture, vital to reforming electoral institutions and restoring public confidence in their operations.
The ECOWAS delegation, which had previously held CSF review sessions in Abuja and Accra, is expected to continue its engagements with institutions focused on governance, peace and security, economic integration, sustainable development, and social inclusion.